DEVELOPING & PACKAGING
AFRICAN STORIES FOR AFRICAN SCREENS

Plot Twist founder Kevin Kriedemann conceptualised and curated Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire (above), which won Emmy, Annie, Kidscreen, and South African Film and Television Awards for Triggerfish.

As part of associate producing and developing the anthology with executive producers Anthony Silverston, Tendayi Nyeke and Oscar winner Peter Ramsey, Kevin got to watch the 15 shortlisted projects pitch to the Disney/Pixar brainstrust.

Kevin also helped to conceptualise the Triggerfish Story Lab, which generated 1,400 entries from across the continent and led to the production of three African animated series, for Disney Channel, Disney+ and Netflix.

  • Futuristic cityscape with neon signs, hanging houses, and a glowing dome in the background, viewed from below with two characters and a small animal in the foreground.

    ENKAI | Kenya

    Director: Ng’endo Mukii

    Enkai just wants to spend time with her single mother, Shiro, a cosmic deity who works all the time trying to save the Earth from man-made destruction.

    Best Limited Series: Annie Awards

  • Animated character with spiky yellow hair, wearing a beige shirt with a black and blue logo, riding a hoverboard. The character has an intense expression, with clenched fists and glowing pink energy around them, against a sky background with streaks of light.

    MKHUZI: THE SPIRIT RACER | South Africa

    Directors: Simangaliso ‘Panda’ Sibaya & Malcom Wope

    Manzo is a half-human, half-alien teenager who dreams of becoming a superstar racer like his mother, the legendary masked racer Mkhuzi.

    Best Animated Series: Teens/Tweens, Kidscreen

  • Animated depiction of a woman dressed in gold jewelry, with a large white hairpiece, standing under a spotlight with golden spikes and purple orbs surrounding her. She has dark skin, wears bold makeup, and is dressed in a yellow and black outfit.

    YOU GIVE ME HEART | South Africa

    Director: Lesego Vorster

    In an opulent world where the gods get their powers from social media adoration, struggling artist Sundiata joins the talent competition “Who Wants To Be A God?”

    Emmy winner: Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation: Character Design

  • A humanoid robot with a dark head and body, and a red strap across its chest, looks upwards with a calm expression. A small bird is perched on its head, and a yellow mechanical object is in the background.

    MOREMI | Nigeria

    Directors: Shofela Coker & Andrew McNally

    Lonely spirit boy Luo is trapped in the realm of the gods, haunted by terrifying giants, until he is rescued by Moremi, a daring scientist from future Nigeria.

    Emmy nominee: Directing
    Annie Awards nominations: Directing, Character Animation, Animation Effects

  • HERDERBOY | Uganda

    Director: Raymond Malinga

    An elite trio of herders protect precious cyborg cattle from deadly spirits. Hidden amongst the herd is teenage stowaway Ndahura, who is desperate to prove himself as a warrior.

    Best Animation: South African Film & Television Awards
    Outstanding Animation: Cultural and Creative Industry Awards

  • Futuristic cityscape with neon signs, digital advertisements, and hover vehicles, featuring two women standing on a street in cyberpunk style.

    SURF SANGOMA | South Africa

    Directors: Nthato Mokgata & Catherine Green

    In 2050, with raging sea levels, all ocean activities are banned but Durban surfers Njabulo and Mqobi are desperate to test themselves on some real waves.

    Annie nominee: character animation

  • A woman placing her hand on the forehead of a young girl in a courtyard with palm trees and arches, backlit by a warm sunset

    STARDUST | Egypt

    Director: Ahmed Teilab

    Stable girl Nawara crashes an elite coming-of-age ceremony and demands her own destiny scroll from the all-knowing Oracle.

    Annie Awards nominee: character animation

  • Animated green-skinned female character with black hair and yellow eyes, holding a glowing yellow sword in a lush, rocky environment illuminated by yellow and green light.

    HATIMA | South Africa

    Directors: Terence Maluleke & Isaac Mogajane

    Mati, a young water-tribe warrior, and Nhela, the princess of the land kingdom, are drawn into the endless war between their nations.

    Best Script: Animated Series nominee, Irish Animation Awards

  • A futuristic cityscape at sunset with neon lights, tall skyscrapers, flying vehicles, and two people standing on a platform.

    MUKUDZEI | Zimbabwe

    Director: Pious Nyenyewa & Tafadzwa Hove

    After defacing and destroying a sacred monument, rebellious teenage influencer Mukudzei emerges from the ruins into an alternate future where Zimbabwe was never colonized and developed into a high-tech utopia.

    Rose d’Or nominee: Children and Youth

  • Three animated characters are shown close together in a colorful, neon-lit background. The character on the left has pink hair, a beard, and is looking at the middle character with a concerned expression. The middle character has dark skin, black hair, and is making a shushing gesture with their finger to their lips, with wide eyes and a nervous expression. The character on the right has orange hair, glasses, and is speaking with an expressive face.

    FIRST TOTEM PROBLEMS | South Africa

    Director: Tshepo Moche

    Thanks to her bickering family, Sheba’s coming-of-age ceremony goes horribly wrong, accidentally sending her to the ancestral plane.

    MIPAfrica Inclusive Lens Award: Older Kids - Diversity In Kids’ Programming



WATCH ON DISNEY+

WE WRITE MORE THAN PR,
SO WE UNDERSTAND CREATIVES

• Kevin associate produced Rollaball, Big World Cinema’s feature documentary about Ghana’s skate soccer team

• Plot Twist managing editor Michelle Edwards’ debut novel, Go Away Birds, was longlisted for the Sunday Times Literary Award. She is currently studying an MA in Creative Writing

• Plot Twist journalist Vianne Venter was the founding story editor for Something Wicked, a genre fiction anthology that was the first to publish fiction by Arthur C. Clarke winner Lauren Beukes and Sarah Lotz

• Vianne’s short story, Acid Test, was published in African Monsters, which was shortlisted for the British Fantasy Award for Best Anthology

• Vianne’s story Neo and the Big, Wide World was the official World Read Aloud Day story for the Nal’ibali national literacy drive. This was read aloud to a record 365 849 children on the day, translated into 11 languages, illustrated by Madam & Eve cartoonist Rico, broadcast as an audio story across all 17 SABC radio stations, and turned into a sign language video

• You might recognise Plot Twist journalist Xabiso Ngqabe from his time as an actor on shows like the SAFTA-winning Isithembiso

READY FOR A
PLOT TWIST?

HIRE US

Concept & positioning

Story development

Pitch decks & series bibles