OVERSEEING ART DIRECTOR KIZAZI MOTO
SURF SANGOMA
Directed by Nthato Mokgata and Catherine Green – South Africa
In 2050, with raging sea levels, the coastal city of Durban is protected by a huge wall and all ocean activities are banned. Njabulo and Mqobi, two best friends with a passion for surfing, are desperate to get back to the real ocean, even if it means joining a notorious criminal gang who use radioactive octopi to help them survive the colossal and deadly waves. Njabulo must confront his traumatic past and the treachery of the gang to save his friend’s life and rediscover his surfing destiny.
The director / creator team on Surf Sangoma came from a strong live TV and Music back ground ( evident in the hypnotic and edgy soundtrack for this film! ). Surf Sangoma is a Hybrid film with a lean toward 2d Aesthetic. Understanding the end result they wanted to achieve and interpreting this into an animated format was one of the biggest challenges we faced on this project. It was an opportunity I am so grateful for. Working closely with the directors we endeavoured to find exactly what they were looking for in their characters and world design. It allowed us to learn together and whittle down what was in their minds through extensive portfolio searches and referencing. Below are some early concept boards I worked on to determine the Art Direction for Surf Sangoma. It was a challenge determining the look and feel while guiding directors with a live action background.
Concept Artworks credited to Malcolm Wope | Kalyanjyoti Mohan | Ben Winfield
