Animation might seem like an unlikely career for a qualified medical technologist, yet that is exactly what 26-year-old medical laboratory technologist, Daniel Lungu of Lusaka, Zambia, is most passionate about.
Although he holds a Diploma in Biomedical Sciences from the Ndola College of Biomedical Sciences, and works in this field, his dream career is to be an animator.
“I love animation. Animated characters have an advantage over humans and can do things we can’t do. That lends itself to unbridled creativity – something there is no shortage of here in Africa. If I was given the opportunity to create my own TV show, I would definitely create something using animation as the medium,” Daniel explains.
It should come as no surprise his favourite book is Animators Tool Kit to Survival to Animation and he lists Shrek and The Simpsons among his favourite movies and TV programmes respectively.
Closer to home he is inspired by South African comedic creative, Leon Schuster. “I think he is a good actor, producer and screenwriter,” says Daniel, who wants to bring his own trademark creativity to the African film sector as Schuster has done in his genre over the past four decades.
Daniel believes Africa’s rich culture has produced a wealth of stories that remain untold, fertile ground for young filmmakers. However, it’s critical that emerging creatives are given the right support, particularly in the areas of finance and audio visual literacy.
“Africa’s film industry is heading in the right direction – you just have to see how Hollywood is running out of stories and increasingly turning to Africa for inspiration,” Daniel says. “This will take time, but we’re definitely on the right track.”