Orisha - Blog Posts

self-ac·tu·al·i·za·tion

“the realization or fulfillment of one's talents and potentialities, especially considered as a drive or need present in everyone.”

Hi! My film Orisha’s Journey won a “Special Mention Award” at Fupitoons Film Festival in Johanessberg, South Africa last weekend. It’s Africa’s first Animation festival, so I’m honored to have participated. 

Variety Magazine Article

http://variety.com/2017/tv/festivals/african-toons-take-off-regional-global-partnerships-blossom-1202596273/

Okayafrica Article

http://www.okayafrica.com/cinema-africa-orishas-journey-abdul-ndadi/

Character Design

A throwback of “Wizard of Oz” designs based on African folklore and a bit of my imagination:)

A few Wizard of Oz character designs I did for my 3rd year animation class at SVA*… Start of a comic I’ll be working on called Spirits of Oz (working title) based on African folklore take on the classic tale by Lyman Frank Baum.

*This prompt by my animation instructor Mario Menjiver was the genisis of my thesis film Orisha’s Journey  

Hi everyone! I'm really happy to share that my film will be screening tomorrow Aug 3 at 'SUMMER STAGE 2016' in Staten Island for the New York African Film Festival! I'll be presenting my short film, which plays before the animated French feature "Kirikou and the Wild Beasts" by the great Michel Ocelot (Former ASIFA President & Multi-award winning Filmmaker) in front of a huge crowd. All are welcome to this free event. I'm truly honored to participate. Thanks y'all!

Hi, I have some good news! My entire film “Orisha’s Journey” will be airing on Bronx cable TV this Saturday and I was featured in a hour length interview(O__O) on the show "Divine Speech & African Traditionalism" discussing my film and a few upcoming projects (among other interesting topics). So if you're in the area and you'd like to check it out, it will air this Saturday July 30th from 6:30-7:30pm (Channel 70, Bronx-Net TV). Thanks everyone! -Abdul (Here's a peek at one of my characters ... Anansi "the Spider" from the Graphic Novel I've been working on and another screening this tim in Indiana @ Middle Coast Film Festival. Thanks y’all!)

CHARACTER DESIGN

FILM FESTIVAL

Hi all, my film “Orisha’s Journey” was selected to premiere online this Wednesday (December 23rd, 2015) by FILM SHORTAGE for their “Daily Short Picks.” Thank you all for the support and feel free to check it out when its online!

-Abdul 

Ghanaian animator Abdul Ndadi’s fantasy film Orisha’s Journey (2014) has made it to the May 2015 Cannes Festival and will be screened in the Short Film Corner section which is part of the Cannes Court Métrage program. 

I am truly honored to be featured in this years festival and I want to give a huge thanks to my family and ALL my friends for their help and support! -Abdul

Hey y'all! Just got word of a screening in Seattle at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center African American Film Festival! I'm really grateful any chance my film gets to play for an audience. Thanks for everything y'all! -Abdul

2015 CANNES FILM FESTIVAL (FESTIVAL DE CANNES) SHORT FILM CORNER SCREENING

Hey everybody! I got some great news from France that I wanted to share... My film "Orisha's Journey" will be screening this May at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival Short Film Corner section! The Short Film Corner is a part of the Cannes Court Métrage program, where they feature short films they believe have merit and contain a message they feel resonates in the world today. I am truly honored to be featured in this years festival and I want to give a huge thanks to my family and ALL my friends for their help and support! I'll definitely give an update once they send me more info. Thanks!

-Abdul

I got some good news from Cairo, Egypt today! My film will be screening next month (March 20-27, 2015) at the Cairo International Cinema and Arts Festival for Children... This means a lot to me because this will be the first African Film Festival my film will be a part of. Thanks to all my friends and family that helped on this project.

Hey guys! I'm heading to Boston this sunday (1/25/2015) to the Glovebox Film Festival where they'll be playing my film along with a lot of really awesome ones! So if you're in the Boston Area come check it out gonna be a fun night...  Here's the link to the Line up! (mine is the last one in Animation Block II)

http://glvbx.com/festival-line-up/

Thank You Japan! (Hiroshima International Animation Festival 2014)

Hey y'all got these back from Japan and wanted to share! I also wanted to thank Hiroshima International Animation Festival co-founder and Director Mrs. Sayoko Kinoshita (ASIFA Vice President/ASIFA Japan President) for all her kind words and for screening my film at HIAFF. The festival was built on the premise of taking the center of one of the ugliest acts against humanity (Hiroshima Bombing 1945) and using animation as a platform to promote peace and understanding between all peoples. I feel truly fortunate to have been a part of this year's festival!  -Abdul

Thank you futurafrika for the share from Italy! Grazie:)

#filmchevorremmovedere: ORISHA’S JOURNEY Creato dall’animatore ghanese Abdul Ndadi, “Orisha’s Journey” è un film che s’ispira alla tradizione folcloristica africana. Il film, presentato come tesi di laurea, esplora i diversi aspetti culturali africani. Orisha, infatti, è il nome comune attribuito ad alcune divinità nella religione yoruba.  «It’s important to me that Africans feel that no matter where they’re from, they’re part of my film.» "Orisha’s Journey" racconta di una bambina e il potere trascendente dell’immaginazione. Orisha, pur non credendo nelle favole, si ritrova a viverne una dopo l’incontro con un fiore animato che si è smarrito. Orisha intraprenderà un viaggio nel mondo degli spiriti e dell’immaginazione per restituire il fiore alla misteriosa foresta.

Anime! Arte 2014

Hey everyone! My film  "Orisha's Journey" was selected to play in Rio de Janeiro at Anim! Arte 2014 :)

Hamilton Film Fest

Hey anyone in the Ontario, Canada area! My film was selected to play this year at the Hamilton Film Fest so if you'd like to check it out please do:) Thanks!

Hey! I wanted to share some good news...I recently got word that my film Orisha's Journey will be screening this year at the Hiroshima International Animation Festival in their "Educational Film Market" section, which is where they showcase student animated films they picked from around the globe. Its an honor to be screening there and since Hiroshima is one of the biggest Animation festivals in the world its also a great opportunity. I wanna thank my loving family and friends that helped me with my project. (This is the poster I sent to Japan) -Abdul

This the final version of the volcano pan shot from my film...

(including final lighting, camera movement, swf, and painted Photoshop layers for earthquake)

Here's a pan shot from my film Orisha's Journey...

1) Initial drawing I made for the volcano pan

2) Is the painting I did in photoshop with textural and fog layers 

3) Is the near final look with effects lighting

Forest Spirits from my film Orisha's Journey I wanted to share a few more gifs from my thesis film. Thanks for checking it out!

Hey y'all! I wanted to share a "Flower Spirit" sequence from my film Orisha's Journey. In African lore, it is believed that spirits dwell within all things and so all nature should be respected. Being of West African descent (Ghana) I grew up hearing tales of this sort which captured my imagination. (shout out to my boy Iker Maidagan on bkg colors!)

DVD cover I designed for my animation thesis Orisha's Journey which is based on African folklore. I'm currently submitting my film to as many film festivals as I can. Thank you for your time!:)

A few screenshots from my animation thesis film Orisha's Journey for the School of Visual Arts. The film is based on various African folktales throughout the continent...