From coop to cinema: Phil and Jacqui Cunningham's inspiring animation journey with 'Jungle Beat 2: The Past'
Image: Supplied
Several years ago, an itch to take kiddies' storytelling further saw Phil Cunningham and his wife Jacqui make an interesting leap into film-making from chicken farming.
It was on the back of the release of Phil's children's book, "The Legend of the Sky Kingdom".
This endeavour evolved significantly when he and his wife established Sunrise Animation Studios.
Their debut project was Africa's inaugural feature-length animated film, rendered in 3D motion style, based on Phil's book. What was remarkable about this undertaking was that it was based on puppets and a set design made out of trash sourced from a scrapyard closeby to their office.
In doing so, they pioneered an animation style known as junkmation.
The film was screened at festivals all over the world, and it led to the couple embarking on 'Jungle Beat', a 13-episode series created by Brent Dawes. It ended up running for eight seasons and fuelled two other spinoffs, 'Munki and Trunk' and Jungle Beat Explorers'.
'Jungle Beat' found a new home on YouTube when the TV deals ran out, and, based on it exceeding 10 million subscribers, led to the release of 'Jungle Beat: The Movie", which was shown on Netflix when the pandemic struck.
Several years later, the husband and wife duo have dropped the sequel, "Jungle Beat 2: The Past", which was released on the big screen on June 27.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Next
Stay
Close ✕
Ad loading
Film-maker and passionate storyteller, Phil Cunningham.
Image: Supplied
In a quick chat with Phil, he unpacked the journey.
'It's such a rewarding and exciting moment for everyone who has been part of this journey. We wrapped production on the first movie just as the pandemic swept across the world, and the cinema release plans in most of the 30 countries where we had signed were scuppered.
'The movie still found an amazing audience on streaming platforms, but it's really special to see 'Jungle Beat 2: The Past' going to the big screen.'
On the shift from chicken farming to filmmaking, Phil explained: 'I grew up with a deep love for storytelling from early childhood, and my upbringing in Zimbabwe was filled with larger-than-life characters and incredible stories.
'My first experience of a movie in a cinema was when I was 14 years old, so it was a late introduction, but I was so impacted by the power of film as the most effective story medium of our generation. I initially built a business in the agricultural industry, but was always writing and sketching and had a very clear sense that film-making and storytelling were what I was born for.
'Fortunately, my wife is one of the most courageous, adventurous people I know, and she played a major role in encouraging me that life is too short not to pursue our greatest passions.'
Unpacking the key aspects in making an animated feature, he noted: 'Our mission statement is to inspire through story, and I think that a story worth telling is the most important aspect of making any film.
'On that foundation, I think animation production is an incredible, integral team effort, where the collaboration and trust between each artist and department are so important.
'It's been such a joy to work with the extraordinary team we had on 'Jungle Beat 2: The Past'. Our production timeframe was just over two years, which was accelerated through having so many of our character models and other assets already created from the first movie.
'However, my initial idea of a nice, efficient sequel process was disrupted by the imagination of our director and writer, Sam Wilson, whose inspiration brought dinosaurs, time travel and a whole new Jurassic world into play!'
He added: 'The film is a joyful, wholesome celebration of loyalty and friendship, and I think these themes are carried by a really exciting, funny story and group of characters. I think families will share a lot of laughs and leave feeling uplifted.'
Phil revealed that there are plans to also release the movie worldwide.
∎ 'Jungle Beat 2: The Past' is showing at cinemas nationwide.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
21 hours ago
- The Citizen
Nsikazi hip-hop artist drops 12-track mixtape
An up-and-coming hip-hop artist has released a 12-track mixtape, titled Not Yet, which dropped on May 25. Bhato Ndlovu (23), known by his stage name Saddis, said the project has received positive feedback, especially on social media. 'The mixtape is about love, struggling with trauma, self-improvement and confidence,' said Ndlovu. He described the songs as meaningful and relatable, highlighting tracks such as 'Walls' featuring Yung TJ, 'Missing Pieces', 'Those Days' featuring Munhle, and 'Trying' featuring Bkay Jr. ALSO READ: Young Mpumalanga stars head to national school winter games Ndlovu said he has been working on this mixtape since March last year. His passion for rap led him into music production in 2017, when he recorded his first-ever (unreleased) song using only his phone. 'I felt alive when I recorded it, not even aware of my capabilities and future in music,' he said. He draws inspiration from artists such as Zakwe, MT Vernacular MC and Eminem, who have all influenced him as a songwriter. One of his early achievements includes airplay on Ligwalagwala FM. ALSO READ: Driekoppies muso to enrich talent across the province Ndlovu is currently a second-year language student at the University of Venda. He hopes to one day collaborate with South African hip-hop artists such as A-Reece and Emtee. Not Yet is available on all major digital streaming platforms, including YouTube and Spotify. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Daily Maverick
2 days ago
- Daily Maverick
The Old Guard 2 — botched sequel is stripped of everything that made its predecessor memorable
It's been five years, but the immortal mercenaries of comic adaptation The Old Guard, led by Charlize Theron's axe-wielding Andy, are back in a movie sequel on Netflix. Somehow, though, in that time the franchise has lost its edge. Back in Covid times, audiences were starved for fresh blockbuster entertainment. Cinemas were closed. People were stuck at home. Enter streaming services, especially Netflix, with their own selection of big-budget movie escapism delivered directly to your TV screen. One of the films that ticked those boxes and stood out from this period was 2020's The Old Guard. Based on the comic series by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernández, and written by Eisner Award-winning Rucka himself, The Old Guard mixed visceral action with musings on mortality, and threw in some surprising LGBT+ representation as it focused on a group of unkillable mercenaries. For centuries, this band has been secretly fighting on the side of good, although leader Andy (Charlize Theron), AKA axe-wielding Andromache of Scythia, has grown cynical. Her efforts seem pointless when the world seems as dark, violent and cruel as ever. Without giving anything away, by the time sequel The Old Guard 2 starts – watch it on Netflix now – Andy has embraced her mission with renewed enthusiasm. The issue now is the emergence of a hitherto unknown immortal, much older than Andy and her squad: Discord (Uma Thurman), who was formerly paired with immortality expert Tuah (Henry Golding). While Tuah proves to be an ally, sour-faced Discord is out to destroy Andy, and that starts by unleashing the latter's mentally unstable ex, and original companion, Quỳnh (Veronica Ngô), who has turned misanthropic after centuries of torment. It all sounds good and well on paper, but fans of the original soon realise that Part 2 of the onscreen Old Guard saga has stripped out everything that made its predecessor memorable. The edges are gone; Andy's labrys is blunted. Almost immediately, The Old Guard 2 rolls back or retcons the narrative choices that introduced a meaty sense of consequence by the end of the first film. What's a bigger punishment for a lonely immortal than subjecting them to a century of exile from their found family? Well, it turns out it doesn't matter. Six months later they're welcomed back into the fold. No spoilers, but there's an even bigger plot point reversal, paired with some clunky, nonsense exposition. Now, it can be argued that this is comic tradition – no one stays dead; there's always a workaround to return to the status quo. Certainly, The Old Guard 2 has a strong comic book feel in its choices of locations and set décor. This includes a secret Chinese nuclear facility that is all chrome, glass and neon, and could be mistaken for a modern art gallery, or Discovery's Sandton headquarters. However, it's impossible to forgive how, repeatedly, The Old Guard 2 botches its handling of what made the original work. For example, the action scenes. You can get creative and brutal when you're dealing with characters who have instantaneous healing, but barring one dismembered finger and a gruesomely torn ankle, it doesn't feature in the film. Even worse, with a switch from The Woman King's Gina Prince-Bythewood to Victoria Mahoney in the director's chair, something has gone horribly wrong with the hand-to-hand fight choreography. Combat lacks punchiness, feeling instead like someone filmed a slowed-down rehearsal. To be fair, The Old Guard 2 does feature one sequence with memorable visual flair. A stroll through the back alleys of Rome transports Andy back through time. But that's it. And, on top of it all, queer themes are dampened down to be nearly nonexistent. A passionate kiss between two male characters in the first film, following a poetic declaration of love, has no equivalent here. The closest moment in the sequel is when the same characters chastely touch foreheads. There's no shortage of talent in The Old Guard 2, which also features Chiwetel Ejiofor in a key supporting role, but nobody has much to work with, barring Matthias Schoenaerts with a concluding character arc. Thurman looks like she doesn't want to be there, and her performance sits in the no man's land between overblown and sinisterly subdued. Meanwhile, though it's no fault of the actors, the long-awaited reunion between Theron's Andy and Ngô's Quỳnh is completely lacking in emotional payoff, going the route of clichéd and superficial conversations instead. Then again, it turns out that The Old Guard 2 is a lot like Pirates of the Caribbean 2 in the sense it expands on a story that didn't necessarily need further exploration. Ultimately, it cheekily serves as a stepping stone to a third Old Guard instalment, with no satisfying resolution whatsoever. DM
The South African
3 days ago
- The South African
Clipse return to rap after 15 years, all to 'Let God Sort Em Out'
Clipse, one of hip hop's best duos, has returned with a new album after a 15-year hiatus. Pusha T and his brother No Malice, formerly and perhaps currently still known as Malice, have linked up with the primary beat provider in Pharrell Williams to present you with Let God Sort Em Out . In this era of TikTok-friendly, trend-based rap music, the true essence of this art form has been plundered by corporations and buried by algorithms. This veteran duo represents a resurgence and reprisal wherein the old guard in rap music is looking to see the game return to lyricism and originality. Let God Sort Em Out goes beyond in this regard. It also serves as a necessary reminder of how crucial the hip-hop and R&B from Virginia has been. This state has given us legends like Clipse, Pharrell Williams, Chris Brown, and Missy Elliot. There are 13 tracks on the album. It boasts a dark sonic backdrop in which Pusha T and No Malice use the perils and thrills of drug dealing as a vehicle to explore motifs like luxury, pain, suffering, remorse, and the running theme involving the loss of their parents. The album is laden with an assortment of noteworthy guest appearances. Artists like Tyler, The Creator, Nas, Stove God Cooks, Kendrick Lamar, The-Dream, John Legend, Ab-Liva and of course Pharrell Williams. Williams produced the entirety of the opus. A large part of an interesting release is all in the rollout of an album. Clipse crafted this album at Louis Vuitton's headquarters in Paris. This is a genuflection to William's who is the men's Creative Director at the famed fashion house. The album cover was done by visual artist KAWS. Clipse also ensured to include merchandise with an array of collaborations with labels like Verdy, Denim Tears, and Carhartt WIP. Clipse has also been doing the rounds on popular podcasts and internet shows. They have appeared on the Joe Budden Podcast, The Breakfast Club and a suave performance on the popular YouTube show, Colors. The noir nuances this album leans on are remarkably similar to Puha T's last solo album, It's Almost Dry (2022). This allows these rugged assassins of rhetoric to sink their teeth into swollen beats while straddling street culture represented by Pusha and notions of God, as represented by Malice. Malice found God and is a deeply religious man these days. Ace Trumpets is the lead single and remains a thumper. The regal-looking black and white video screams luxury rap. Chains & Whips features Kendrick Lamar. The duo explores the loss of their parents and shows a rugged vulnerability to their art. So Be It was the second single the public has been allowed to live with before the release. The instrumental to this was toyed with a lot on social media, with people fitting other famous instrumentals to the potent stanzas delivered by Malice and Pusha. The version on the album sees the same verses encased in a different beat to the original offering. The album has replay value through the roof, and there is more than just a small selection of memorable moments. All Things Considered is an interesting track. The production uses familiar elements like a bass that ebbs and flows aggressively with an eerie synthesiser hissing in the background. Inglorious Bastards this street anthem has a vibey and bouncy beat to it. A swollen beat appears and disappears as the duo is joined by a highly skilled wordsmith in Ab-Liva. F.I.C.O. is a quintessential street anthem. It may have the most commercial slant to it even though it is an astoundingly avant-garde track as far as the current status quo stands. Stove God Cooks is confined to the chorus. Despite the lack of a verse, his ability to add funk to a hook are unmatched. Let God Sort Em Out/Chandeliers makes use of a three dramatic beat changes which sees this song play out like a ghetto orchestral movement. There is a subtle but common thread cleverly woven into the sonics. A robotic voice of a woman can be heard saying, 'This is culturally inappropriate' on a lot of the tracks. Exactly like the evil-sounding Joker's laugh on It's Almost Dry. This could be viewed as these elder statesmen of rap music thumbing their noses at the current state of this global sub-culture. It also could be interpreted as a call back to Clipse and their journey, which they have always boldly conceded to having been birthed via the drug trade. Hip hop is a stage where the run of constant global hit records is becoming far and few between. A select few rappers from the epicentre of the culture can attain world hit records. This has seen the talents on offer in the world of rap recede. Let God Sort Them Out does not include any of the 'rage'-oriented music that is the taste of the masses. It is nothing like what Travis Scott's Jack Boys 2 will sound like come July 13. But maybe if rap is allowed to ebb away from the spotlight, a return to artful hip hop music will be realised. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 11. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
