United States-based Nigerian, Boye Gbenro, is a notable international player in the field of animation, 3D sculpting and painting, among others. He was a leading newspaper cartoonist, artist, painter, musician and socialite in Nigeria in the 1980s before he went to the United States for more laurels along these lines and others. In this interview with BILL OKONEDO, deputy editor, Gbenro chronicles his sojourn and development in the US and makes an assessment of the local industry in Nigeria and the prospects going forward. Excerpts:
Can you give us a little background of your person and profession?
I am an artist, cartoonist, designer, story artist, animator, 3D sculptor, painter, musician, teacher, historian and lover of culture and tradition.
How long have you been away and what is your estimation of the country today developmentally after all these years?
I have been away now since 1990, but I have been visiting Nigeria yearly for about seven years now. I came around during my mother’s funeral in year 2007, and started visiting yearly from 2012. To me, I see a lot of progress around, and I observe a common trend within the system, especially computer hardware, applications and latest developments. I commend our self-taught animators and those who traveled to for example South Africa to study. Animation requires patience and smarts. What I will like to see is more commitment, more collaboration, more trust and more zeal. From what I have observed, Nigerians tend to not wait to acquire enough skill before venturing out to start business. I know this sounds vague and possibly not the true evaluation overall, but I have witnessed many young artists single-handedly start their own project. The downside to that is that it would have taken less time to produce if many hands were called to the table.
You were quite an accomplished artist and cartoonist in Nigeria in the 1980s and you held exhibitions and had publications of your works which were quite notable and successful. What prompted you to leave Nigeria’s shores?
Many factors contributed to my decision to leave Nigeria at the time I did. I will elaborate more when I write my autobiography, but then, I saw the anarchy, the deceptions, the reckless military and police, the uncertainty and the vulnerability regarding if I would survive what was later to come, which was a huge revelation after I left. Self-preservation is what was paramount in my mind. We should remember that my friend Dele Giwa was eliminated, some journalists too were eliminated and that should be enough reason for my exit, but there was much more that was going on in the society that discouraged artist like me. Also I wanted to further my studies and improve my life. It was time to take a break.
What have you done since leaving?
I studied cartooning and animation in New York and got a Bachelors of Arts degree, then I got employment with Walt Disney in Florida, I also worked for both Warner Brothers and Dreamworks SKG in California. Some of the movies I worked on are Pocahontas, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Mulan, Iron Giant, Osmosis Jones and Eldorado the City of Gold. After gaining the industrial experience, I settled in Detroit Michigan with my family and also taught in several institutions in Detroit Michigan, namely, College for Creative Studies, Baker College, ITT Tech, IADT, Art Institute and Timbuktu Academy. While studying in New York, I studied Jazz, orchestration at a program offered in Harlem called Jazzmobile in the early 1990s. I concentrated on being proficient on the tenor saxophone. After moving to Detroit, I searched for musicians that could help develop my orchestra and in 2013, my band, Odu Afrobeat Orchestra was born.
What is your estimation of the Nigerian newspaper cartoon industry today, compared to the 1980s?
These days, most cartoons are produced digitally, which means the cartoons would be produced much faster with color and tone enhancement which were absent during the 70’s and the 80’s. I think most of the cartoonists in Nigeria are upping their game by aside from being original, cartoonists now are exposed to foreign cartoons. But looking back at the progression from then till now, the mindset in the 70s and 80s compared to now reveals a bit of contrast regarding idiomatic expression, visualisation, humor, caricature, environment and amount of details. Then, we cartoonists at Punch were trained to select the news item but veer away from the norm and visualise complex ideas, break them down to simple visuals that the common man on the streets could understand. So in my opinion, the cartoonists then, I believe had more depth in terms of visualisation, providing commentary on the activities of government and the governed, compared to now. Cartoonists in essence became the heartbeat of the nation. A host of frontline cartoonists in these contemporary times have established their presence and are constantly challenging the minds of their readers. What I would like to see more of today, are detailed backgrounds, interior compositions and humour. Every generation is faced with different challenges as the society they live in evolves and the current frontline cartoonists are mirroring the society as they perceive it, as they are on the ground and could feel the minute pulse by engaging the population. Like I explained earlier, the current cartoonists have the advantage of digital manipulations and color which was totally absent in those days. Those days, (1970s-1980s) I introduced the wash technique to mimic tones on faces and the atmosphere, we also used Letratones which are now obsolete and could be found in digital applications like Manga or Clip Studio Paint Pro.
What do you think it would it take to get more of our skilled Diaspora to return home or feedback home professionally?
The atmosphere must be right and conducive. Artists like myself will like to see companies, corporations, state governments stretch their hands to us and initiate more workshops, more seminars, webinars, and conferences. Those avenues have great resource in the Diaspora and we are ready to take the challenge, like I have just done initiating a workshop in Lagos. We are planning other workshops for Abuja on my next visit. I am also stretching my hand to higher institutions of learning to offer crash courses in animation and digital painting.
You held an animation workshop in Lagos recently. What inspired this and how did it go?
I have visited Nigeria several times now, and each year I just either choose to play music for fun, visit like minds and just enjoy the city life, but this year, after discussing with CARTAN, a new Nigeria cartoonist association that started on online on WhatsApp, the idea came to me to hold such workshop anytime I am in Nigeria. I hope to continue this workshop yearly and also to hold crash courses at various educational institutions in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja. This is a way for me to bring my expertise to the people, re-introduce myself by saying, hey! I am here, I have the experience and have worked with a host of professionals on award winning and nominated animated movies. So, I am hoping that Nigerians from low and high would step up and do business with me as well as other seasoned artists who have industrial experience in the Diaspora. Animation encompasses a lot, from 30 second commercials to TV productions, to full length animated features, to traffic re-enactment videos, medical animation, forensics production, sports rehabilitation animation and various business presentations. The horizon is vast and lucrative, will provide employment to many Nigerians and open doors for the industry to flourish.
Can you give us an idea of how the cartoon animation market works in the US, who it serves and its size and what it can do here in Nigeria?
Cartoon animation is big business in the United States. The industry did suffer setbacks but always finds ways to bounce back. For example who would have thought that “Black Panther” would be a box office success, break records and exceed everyone’s expectations? 3D animation was used extensively on the movie, the story is also based on African concept. That also is a boost to our imagination and a great opportunity to invest in similar ideas, capitalise on it and find ways to monetise it. But the reality is, we should be true to ourselves and not wait for inspiration from the advanced nations, but work on our original stories and ideas and make them as intriguing and entertaining, just like we have done with our live action movies which have gained tremendous attention from the international media.
Who are some of the prominent players?
Walt Disney, Warner Brothers, Nickelodeon, Klasky and Schupo and several others.
Do the Nigerian animation service providers in the Diaspora service the local market, in what way and to what extent, or are there plans for this?
When we look at how cartoon network is popular here, many parents will want programs that have affinity with our cultural values, educative, informative and embedded with expected moral values as well. I know that majority of families would love to see characters that reflect our society and all those values that depict what we represent in the eyes of the outer world and the entertainment universe. The service providers at the moment are the big players like Nickelodeon, Warner Brothers and Disney, just to mention a few. We could have artists on ground to participate as well, that means those artists that are deeply entrenched in the cultural values that we all know are necessary for our society to develop positively. I think we are going to see more of that on a larger scale in the future and I hope that Nigerians will gain tremendously from that.
What is your estimation of the cartoon animation business in Nigeria as compared to the US?
Nigerian animation is gaining ground rapidly, but is yet to take off full steam, so there should not be comparison but just evaluation of how far we have gone in terms of learning and harnessing the industrial practices. We are lucky, because we are coming in at a stage where most software now are robust and easy to use. For example, in those days, you had to rig your characters from scratch, but now, you could just snap bones on your character and test your rig for the character to move smoothly and with added sophistication to facial expressions and simple to complex facial riggings. Rigging is a way to add bones to a character be it 2D or 3D. The bones assist the animator in moving the shapes of the figure of the character which cuts down the time of production. Nigeria is a vibrant country with a lot of talented people who are poised to shape the future. I am just amazed at how much talent we have in Nigeria and the potential for generation of humor and emotion. The entertainment industry alone could sustain Nigeria and both states and Federal governments should hone in on those opportunities that extrude out of this new terrain. What are the gains? People will be gainfully employed, and that will contribute to progress and the youth will have alternative avenues to explore and flourish.
Can the Nigerian student get an alternative channel in terms of international industry certifications, what are some of these certifications and how long do they take?
There are several online certifications. For example, Autodesk have certification process online. Several software companies open opportunities for certifications also. But the best way is to get proper animation training online or enroll for crash, or a four year course.
It is widely perceived that a great mass of Nigerians in the Diaspora tend to disconnect almost completely from their roots. Do you think this is true and what could be responsible for it?
I possibly couldn’t have done an accurate survey regarding that situation, but through interaction and observation, I would say many Nigerians prefer to be at home, but the conditions on the ground discouraged many, especially the problem of electricity and obstacles at every juncture of progress. There are many factors to consider when you decide to plant your roots back in Nigeria. You must be ready to rough it out and embrace all the flaws and inadequacies, knowing full well that this is where you started out as a youth and you would want to contribute progressively the best way you could.
What do you think it would take to get more of our skilled Diaspora to return home or feedback home professionally?
The entertainment industry, Nollywood could be the fertile ground for exploration and I believe that is happening as we speak. Making special effects for difficult and seemingly impossible scenes in Nigerian movies could be a starting point. We could also be of great assistance in various fields, seminar presentations. Nigeria is at the beginning stages of professional animation, gradually professionals here will eventually develop fast and produce more sophisticated movies.
The economic situation will dictate the influx of professionals from the Diaspora to Nigeria. For instance, if news goes round that animation is fast developing, just like the live action movies did, Nigerians would jump on the opportunity and start to visiting en mass. Nigerians in the Diaspora need assurance, they need guarantee and they need to see several successful examples of individuals who have established a thriving business. They also want to develop a level of trust with their partners on the ground, could that be possible? Could people be trusted for a lengthy period? These are the questions that stay within the minds of many Nigerians. They have heard many horror stories and are now cautious in making decisions.
Have you identified a market in Nigeria that you and your fellow Diaspora animators can service and which way forward?
There are several areas we could initiate collaboration. Animators could be helpful in the areas of medical, forensics, rime sene reconstruction, educational presentation, assisting people who are physically impaired, assisting movie direction and special effects production. One of the ways is to establish joint studios in Nigeria, affiliated with studios overseas. Some bigger studios could buy smaller studios in Nigeria and provide services through that collaboration. Another approach is to constantly set up seminars and workshops, conferences and webinars to improve skills in Nigeria. With the social media and information technology in our hands, we should be able to find common ground to operate through mutual understanding and agreements. Agreement could be, accepting to finish and colour animated scenes, acquired from established studios abroad and working within a network. We also must work with deadline in mind by prompt delivery of professional work.
What’s your message for the ambitious youth?
To the aspiring youth, I will say, ask questions, secure a mentor who is way more knowledgeable than you, find mentors online, do not be shy to ask questions because many of the professionals out there are selfless, encouraging and are willing to go the extra mile to ensure that you receive knowledge. While I was at Walt Disney Feature Animation studios in Florida, I took time to visit other departments like especially the Layout and Backgrounds department. I learnt that working in 2D, layout department could be the most fun you could have working on a feature film. You would have the luxury to work on the floor plan, where the characters will walk through, what sort of obstacles are placed along the path, the size of puddles, stagnant water and objects that could be knocked around in the scene. The layout department could be part of the scene planning team, and work directly with both directors and animators. At Disney, the layout artists basically work in blue pencil, which after approval will be passed down to the background painting department, where colors, values, intensity and direction of shadows will be established. The youth must always be on the lookout for new developments in the animation industry, join animation groups online and try out several applications to identify the few that fit your needs. Be available to work for free for experience, which could open doors for you on the long haul. You may also be called to work in a department you are not too familiar with, that too is an opportunity to gain experience and acquire pencil mileage. Any small input to get your foot in the door is equally important towards your goal.
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