Animating Jay-Jay: Behind The Scenes

Julie Ako served as a producer for the production of Showmax's first original animation series, "Jay Jay: The Chosen One." In this personal essay, she shares her journey and process.

Written by: Julie Ako

I am Julie Ako, a writer and founder of the screenwriting startup, Albantsho. It's funny how life pans out sometimes. One moment, I was preparing for a month-long deep dive into Bollywood’s narrative world after receiving a screenwriting award from Nihilent. Covid decided to rewrite my script but as they say, every cloud has a silver lining. 

For me, that silver lining appeared in the form of an unexpected collaboration with an India-based animation company. The mission was a thrilling opportunity to work on Showmax's debut animation series, "Jay Jay: The Chosen One", under the Albantsho banner  - our very own hub for story development in Nigeria.

Given that a large part of the core writing team hailed from places far removed from Nigeria's culture and reality, I found myself grounding the script in our ethos. I had to make sure our characters didn't sound or act like they'd spent a year abroad and forgot their roots. Ensuring that the warmth of Nigerian pidgin and the essence of our culture were evident felt akin to painting a canvas with our true colours.

My job description swiftly transitioned from “Hey, can you tweak this script a bit?” to a full-blown “You're the captain now.” This transition brought a plethora of responsibilities, from voice auditions and production to the coordination of music.

The voice audition process was an experience in itself. The vast ocean of talent in Nigeria is nothing short of humbling. Every audition tape, especially those from the children, bore testimony to our nation's rich tapestry of talent. Some of these tapes brought teary laughter to my eyes, filling my heart with immense pride and joy.

The reception to "Jay Jay: The Chosen One" was, in a word, heartwarming. To witness children from Lagos to Nairobi engrossed, laughing, and learning from an animation rooted in our homeland was a sight to behold. And as we made waves in the charts of Nigeria and Ghana, I felt a deep sense of affirmation of our efforts.

Yet, beyond the success and the charts, I find myself immersed in deeper introspection. I'm constantly reminded of the vast potential that the African storytelling landscape holds. Our continent is rich, not just in resources, but in stories. Every village, town, and city is a treasure trove of tales waiting to be told. "Jay Jay" was merely a glimpse, a snapshot of the endless narratives yet to be uncovered. As I stand on this exciting post, my hope is that we will continue to unravel and champion the many layers of our untold stories.

As we navigate this evolving narrative landscape, with companies like Albantsho and the many independent storytellers at the helm of this unique era, I brim with optimism. Our stories are our legacy. And as Nigeria's animation industry strides forward, along with its parent film industry, I eagerly anticipate the tales we're yet to weave and share - the legends of our heroes' past, the forgers of new realities and the weavers of our present truth. The future of African storytelling is not just bright; it's dazzling.

I am Julie Ako, a writer and founder of the screenwriting startup, Albantsho. It's funny how life pans out sometimes. One moment, I was preparing for a month-long deep dive into Bollywood’s narrative world after receiving a screenwriting award from Nihilent. Covid decided to rewrite my script but as they say, every cloud has a silver lining. 

For me, that silver lining appeared in the form of an unexpected collaboration with an India-based animation company. The mission was a thrilling opportunity to work on Showmax's debut animation series, "Jay Jay: The Chosen One", under the Albantsho banner  - our very own hub for story development in Nigeria.

Given that a large part of the core writing team hailed from places far removed from Nigeria's culture and reality, I found myself grounding the script in our ethos. I had to make sure our characters didn't sound or act like they'd spent a year abroad and forgot their roots. Ensuring that the warmth of Nigerian pidgin and the essence of our culture were evident felt akin to painting a canvas with our true colours.

My job description swiftly transitioned from “Hey, can you tweak this script a bit?” to a full-blown “You're the captain now.” This transition brought a plethora of responsibilities, from voice auditions and production to the coordination of music.

The voice audition process was an experience in itself. The vast ocean of talent in Nigeria is nothing short of humbling. Every audition tape, especially those from the children, bore testimony to our nation's rich tapestry of talent. Some of these tapes brought teary laughter to my eyes, filling my heart with immense pride and joy.

The reception to "Jay Jay: The Chosen One" was, in a word, heartwarming. To witness children from Lagos to Nairobi engrossed, laughing, and learning from an animation rooted in our homeland was a sight to behold. And as we made waves in the charts of Nigeria and Ghana, I felt a deep sense of affirmation of our efforts.

Yet, beyond the success and the charts, I find myself immersed in deeper introspection. I'm constantly reminded of the vast potential that the African storytelling landscape holds. Our continent is rich, not just in resources, but in stories. Every village, town, and city is a treasure trove of tales waiting to be told. "Jay Jay" was merely a glimpse, a snapshot of the endless narratives yet to be uncovered. As I stand on this exciting post, my hope is that we will continue to unravel and champion the many layers of our untold stories.

As we navigate this evolving narrative landscape, with companies like Albantsho and the many independent storytellers at the helm of this unique era, I brim with optimism. Our stories are our legacy. And as Nigeria's animation industry strides forward, along with its parent film industry, I eagerly anticipate the tales we're yet to weave and share - the legends of our heroes' past, the forgers of new realities and the weavers of our present truth. The future of African storytelling is not just bright; it's dazzling.