GALLERY and VIDEO: Animated short film premieres in Bryanston

Always remember to say thank you. That was the message given during the premiere of the animated short film The Adventures of Toby: The Gooey Lunchbox, at New Covenant Church Bryanston on 19 September.

Hundreds of residents flocked to the premiere, where free popcorn, drinks and prizes awaited them. Children could not contain their joy when they took their seats, and watched the fourth instalment of the Christian series, The Adventures of Toby. After the screening, director Tim Argall explained that the 27-minute film took three years to make.

It was produced by Bugbox Animation in Fourways. In the film, the protagonist, Toby, is picked on at school because all his mother can afford to give him for lunch every day are jam sandwiches. Toby allows the opinions of his peers to influence him and must go on a journey to learn that what one person may regard as ‘gross’ or inadequate, may be highly desirable to another person who has less. Thus you should always be thankful for what you have.

“Even when we were working on the movie I was still learning this message myself,” Argall said, with a tear in his eye. “When you get the message, something will happen in you – a light will come on. We have made commercials for Smarties and beers, but this is something I can be very proud of.”

Afterwards, Argall’s wife, Candice, called the voice actors and crew to the stage to receive applause. Children were then allowed to draw all the things that they were grateful for on two large whiteboards. To top the day off, four large jumping castles were made available for children before the South Africa versus Japan rugby match was viewed on big screens.