Animate! Why Humanity Always Inspires Tumelo Matabola

Tumelo Matabola is a 2D/3D generalist with a focus on traditional 2D animation and 2D VFX animation. Tumelo believes that animation is a powerful medium to educate and inspire people from all walks of life and hopefully bring them together. That is his greatest hope as an artist, to use his skills and abilities to help shift collective consciousness whilst also entertaining and inspiring audiences with the beauty of animation. 

LBB> How did you fall in love with animation?

Tumelo> Two ways. The first was definitely through the cartoons I used to watch growing up; The Powerpuff Girls, The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy. Seeing those cartoons play out is quite magical. But I think the next step that probably made me deeply fall in love with animation was when I first created it. This was as a kid, just making really simple silly stop motion with whatever cheap camera I had at that age, making my action figures move and seeing how I could possess that power.

LBB> Tell us about the animation project that kick started your career?

Tumelo> I think that animation project that really did kick it off my career was my graduate film from The Animation School, Bewilderness. I worked on it as a production designer, storyboarder and animator as well. It was a really cool project that I was very proud of and definitely kick started my journey when it won bronze at the New York Film & Television Awards, in the category Best Student Animation.

LBB> How would you describe your art style and what are your biggest inspirations that developed it?

Tumelo> I don't think I'm at the point of being able to claim that I have an art style because that is such a definite, mature point to be at as an artist - and I think it really develops over time. At the moment, I like to explore different styles and see how I approach them and within that there is my natural artistic inkling that will rub off in that style.

For example, I could do a very graphic and hyperreal rendition of a landscape and another artist can do the exact same one and we're trying to achieve realism but it's still going to come across slightly differently based off of us as different artists.

So as far as art style goes, I would say at the moment it's developing as quite cartoony, very simplified, referencing a lot of those cartoons that inspired me growing up like Samurai Jack and The Powerpuff Girls. I like cartoony and simple reading.

LBB> From your perspective, what’s the key to animation that really lives?

Tumelo> I think it's definitely animation that can connect to its viewer and can evoke whatever it is it's trying to get out of them. 

That's what really sticks - when animation has a message and a very concise and clear vision. Different people with different perspectives and different walks of life can tap into that vision and relate to it regardless of your age or where you are in your own journey as an individual. 

I think those are definitely the animations that stand out - maybe more so than commercials (not to throw commercials out, because you can still have really compelling messages and stories told through commercials).

But overall, I think that is the central key; that you're able to have a vision that's clear and can connect to different people and evoke thoughts and emotions out of someone. If the animation can make you think about something or see something differently, or in a new way than you hadn't thought about before you saw it, then it's definitely done the job.

LBB> Show us your favourite or most impactful project that you’ve worked on - tell us, what is it that makes it special and what were the memorable moments or challenges?

Tumelo> So the current work that I’m busy with is part of the Fak'ugesi workshop. It’s called The Fak'ugesi Queer Catalyst and it is an ongoing collaborative project between the GALA Queer Archive, the Fak’ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival. This project strives to amplify the history and experiences of African queer people through creative digital expressions.

Volumes of queer activism stories, essentially, and we're adapting those into animations. So that's been a bit challenging and interesting, because a lot of the content is heavy and we have to interpret it in an artistic way.

I felt compelled to to take part of the project because as a queer creative I believe that it is essential to the film and animation industry in Africa to also be a space for queer and LGBT creatives to thrive and tell their own stories. The queer catalyst project also drew me in as it is a sweet spot between two passions I care deeply about being social activism work and Animation.

Having to find a creative way to deal with heavy subject matters has been an interesting consideration for this project. 

Another super notable one that I'll go back to is my graduate film. That one sticks out because it was mixed media. We had 3d and 2d animation and it was a very interesting creative process because a lot of it developed as we were making it.

We would bump into a challenge and then come up with a solution that best fits the problem we were trying to solve. So it's not that it was intended to be mixed media, but just by the nature of the circumstances (we were a very small team and had a very tight deadline) we jumped into embracing a more mixed media approach to things because practically it made a little bit more sense.

And visually, it was way more interesting than we would have hoped in the first place!

LBB> How do you approach character design? What is your creative process like? Show us some of your favourite characters and their journey from notepad to screen.

Tumelo> When approaching character design, I tend to begin with two main things in mind. One is what is the character trying to communicate overall? What is this character like supposed to tell us? 

To give you an example, if you look at the characters in Inside Out they’re emotions - so they're quite clearly supposed to communicate what they are and just glancing at them at any angle tells you okay, this character is quite angry or happy. 

The same applies with any other character design, just obviously a little bit more complex than a simple emotion, it’s trying to get an idea of who that character is. And what are they trying to say? Are they a villain? Are they a friendly character? Are they funny? 

And then the second thing that informs my decisions when making characters is the functionality and practicality of the character. So what is this character supposed to do? Because that will inform how the rig is supposed to be made, if it's 2d or 3d. What are the capabilities that this character needs to perform in whatever way the story needs him to? 

LBB> Tell us more about observation and movement - what is the process you go through to study movement of characters?

Tumelo> I think a key thing that I observe when I'm studying character animation is, again, what is the main message we're trying to convey with this action? If the character is fighting someone, do all those punches and movements and kicks read that way, or does it kind of look like they're dancing? What's the intention behind the movement? 

Secondly, it's the centre of gravity or the propelling source that leads that movement. So is the character moving from their chest or their hip or are they leading with their head? A lot of that influences the overall movement, and then the final thing that I look at is how is that motion being resolved? How does it end? Because I think that also tends to just leave an impression on the overall thing.

LBB> We all know of some ever-green adult animations, but lately they have definitely been on the rise, from Rick and Morty to Arcane. What sort of opportunities does this open for animators, both within and outside the advertising industry?

Tumelo> Adult animation has definitely been growing recently - and it allows for more diverse content creation to be made. Although there is great value in children's animation and animation made for younger audiences, adult animation has more leeway to engage in topics, themes and different ideas than more child friendly and mainstream content. 

The diversity that it brings for creators is the best part, I think. It allows viewers and animators to engage with content that is consciously shifting and it can present heavy topics in a humorous way that's just a lot easier to digest. 

I think audiences just enjoy it a lot more because a lot of the time it's more relaxed, and people can connect a lot better with that. It becomes its own form of escapism for adults which is quite great. I think as creatives it also gives us the room to reflect our experiences as adults in this industry- and in the world in general. You know, it becomes a great sounding board for presenting and opening discussions around a lot of different things.

Even if it's just something humorous that isn't meant to be too serious. There's always a certain type of insight that can be gained - whereas with animation for younger audiences, it can be quite surface level, at least in my perspective. Which is also great and very needed, in its own ways.

LBB> How does one figure out what kind of animation style or styles fits a particular story or project?

Tumelo> Some key factors to look at would be the time how much time you know is given to get that project done - and is it realistic to choose a particular style or go in a certain direction? 

Different animation styles will take varying amounts of resources and time to complete so that would definitely be the first one. Another key one is trying to understand the nature of the project. If it's meant to be quite commercial and clean, that will inform the style. If it's something more creative and say, fantastical, then that could also inform the style. 

I think it’s also good to consider what your resources are as a studio and as an individual artist - what are your base tools that you have to create? Not that it should ever be a limitation, but if you can understand your resources well enough, you can really figure out creative and innovative ways to be resourceful around your tool. 

The next step which is also kind of the most important step is just exploring. So once you've figured out all of those parameters, then just explore, not being shy and just pushing out as many variations and styles as you can and try your best not to stay within your comfort zone like try to go in the complete opposite direction of what you imagined. That can all help give you a range to see what is possible.

LBB> What is your favourite piece of technology or software that you use and how does it help your creative process?

Tumelo> I am more of a 2D concept artist and I draw quite a bit so for me it's definitely going to be my drawing tablet. Having it around means I can hash out my ideas quite quickly. A step further would actually be having a notebook or a sketch pad and pen, keeping it quite simple like that. 

I find sometimes getting locked into the screen means there’s a disconnect between what you’re doing and what you’re trying to create - whereas taking a step back and putting it down on paper just gives your mind a different field of view essentially. When it comes to problem solving, if I get really stuck, sometimes just dialling it back to pen and paper definitely is a great tool. 

Another notable tool would be an iPad and Procreate, which is sort of replicating the feeling of being able to just draw on a surface directly. But again, that's still a digital medium. So I think the traditional medium is a great tool, even when just exploring the process of how I will translate something into a digital rendition of it. Thinking about how it would be done in a traditional medium tends to give me some inspiration and insights into how to solve concepts and art and all of that. 

Another tool - which I think is very funny and honestly way more helpful than I give credit for - is Pinterest. Pinterest is a great source to get lots of visuals really quickly and also explore different art from different artists so for reference purposes Pinterest is great.

LBB> What sort of briefs or projects do you find more personally satisfying to work on?

Tumelo> I think projects that relate more to social themes and narratives that relate to people in really meaningful ways. So stories from race and gender, to personal experiences. I really find those types of projects a lot more fulfilling and interesting to work on because there's a realness to them, compared to more commercial ones. When a project has some depth of reality and a clear outline of what it's trying to say and what it's trying to teach, I think that's always the best.

I like projects that do not necessarily break the status quo, but introduce topics or ideas or experiences that aren't really well-known or aren't in people's frame of vision, but exist and affect other people. 

LBB> What recent projects have really stood out for you and why?

Tumelo> One that I keep coming back to actually is Genndy Tartakovsky. He was the creator of a lot of the shows I grew up watching like ‘Dexter's Laboratory’, ‘Samurai Jack’ and recently he's come out with an adult animated series called ‘Primal’. And that's really stuck out to me because a lot of it doesn't contain much dialogue and it's all action on screen. 

So to be able to write a story that communicates so much without dialogue is really impressive to me. And visually I think it's quite stunning. It draws back on a lot of traditional animation techniques and a lot of that shows through the series. There's something so natural about it and I love the aesthetic and the colours. The visuals overall really stand out. 

I love a great story that is short and concise and can say what it needs to say in a streamlined way without losing track and side-tracking.

Another one which I will go back on again is Rebecca Sugar. As an artist I think her work with ‘Steven Universe’ was quite inspirational, it's very much iconic because the way they explore gender and gender dynamics in a superhero action type of show is very off-trend for the most part in terms of kids animation, the way they presented that was just very phenomenal. I can't praise it enough. There was a way in which I could relate to the characters that I don't think I've seen in many other animated shows. So definitely ‘Steven Universe’ has stuck out to me because of that. 

And lastly, one I definitely would not want to forget, is the Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire Disney+ series. All of those short stories were amazing and they stuck out to me. I love that a lot of them drew a lot upon African folklore which is really cool seeing it being translated into this Afro futuristic fantasy world. 

LBB> Who is your animation hero and what is it about their work that inspires you? What example of their work particularly stands out?

Tumelo> I would go back again to Genndy Tartakovsky because I think it's so interesting that he can create iconic works that are all so different from each other, but they all stick out and resonate for long periods of time. 

Work like Hotel Transylvania, Dexter's Laboratory, Primal - all of these are starkly different shows but they read and they stick. He's really defined a style for himself, but he's also able to break it and still collaborate with other artists and create new work. 

LBB> Outside of the field of animation, what really inspires you?

Tumelo> As an artist, and a creative person, what tends to inspire me, as dreadful as it may sound, is human life and the human experience. 

I get a lot of inspiration and motivation from activism and social work in society. I think seeing people engage in political climates to better everyone's standing in the world, is what really pushes me and drives me forward. 

I think that something I find myself coming back to time and time again, is being aware of what's going on in the world and knowing that I don't exist in a vacuum. That informs my work as an artist and very much informs the type of projects I might want to take up and the type of work I end up putting out. 

And reading, just listening to people or reading people's experiences. Because in my industry, so much of what we do as animators is trying to replicate and capture moments of human life and then reproduce that through animation. So I think being able to observe people and how unique, complex and flawed everyone is as well, is something that I love to dive into.

LBB> What do you think are the misconceptions about animation throughout the industry?

Tumelo> A big misconception is that people don't really understand how much of it is a team effort. There's a whole pipeline, and no one section can operate without another. It's quite difficult for animation to run smoothly if the members within a project or a pipeline are not all working together. 

So, a big misconception is that it's quite easy to say go at all of this alone. It is really not that easy and sometimes impossible to do everything on your own.

I think another misconception is how much changes from the initial concept or idea to the time a project is released. That's one of the reasons why the process takes so much time from beginning to end, because even though there's the intention of what we're trying to create on a project, it evolves from start to finish a lot of the time.

LBB> What are the biggest changes to animation and challenges facing animators at the moment and what are your thoughts on them?

Tumelo> I think AI is more of a surprise, because of how fast and quickly it's advanced. I like to look at it as more of an opportunity, as opposed to a challenge.  

I think the challenge is for us as artists, as we’re adapting and learning how to use it within our existing structures and pipelines. I don't necessarily think that it could replace us or that it would be wise for AI to replace us. But, I think the challenge is adapting and for us as artists to find ways to adapt our current roles to fit the progression of how AI and technology is changing. 

Another challenge I’d consider is creatives finding the space to support each other straight out of college and within our jobs

A lot of the time it's easy to fall into the rhythm or pattern of being an artist on autopilot, so I think being able to stay motivated, refreshed and inspired as an artist is crucial. But part of the journey of growing as an artist is being able to find different tools and sources to propel you and push you forward. And that's why it's interesting to see how we as creatives within the space are igniting each other.

LBB> Any advice you would like to give to aspiring artists?

Tumelo> Explore! I would say to explore and try as many different mediums as you can expose yourself to. 

Don't limit yourself.

Don't be afraid. 

I'm not trying to say that you have to be good at everything. No. I don't think anyone can do everything alone. As I'd mentioned earlier, it is very much a team effort. But it’s still good to have as much insight and curiosity into different pipelines and different mediums within the animation space. 

Another great piece of advice is not limiting yourself or putting yourself down. I think that something a lot of creatives starting out feel is that you hold yourself back until you master your craft and you're ‘perfect’, but I would advise that you just put yourself out there. Even if you mess up or fail or the work isn't at the standard that you wanted to, just keep trying, the more you put out and the more you revisit, whatever skill it is you're trying to develop, the better it will get. 

In addition, I think not being afraid of feedback. There's a point as young and developing artists that you need to be able to separate yourself from your work, in order to see it in an objective way. And when you're able to discern constructive criticism it always improves your work. 

Being able to build connections with other fellow artists that are in your space, your community or college. The opportunity to get feedback and bounce off of each other is always the best. Healthy competition is the best. So, if you have the space and the chance to engage in it, I say go for it.