Twenty years ago, a young boy from Walvis Bay began sketching his dreams on the dusty back pages of schoolbooks. Today, Reginald Emvula is a technical director at Walt Disney Animation Studios in Los Angeles, a name credited on Oscar-winning films like Encanto, and whose work has been reviewed by Disney legends who animated ‘The Lion King and Aladdin’.
In his journey that reads like a script out of a feel-good movie, Emvula said his story is not just one of success but is built on the purpose that Namibian talent can achieve on the world stage.
Born in Walvis Bay and raised partly in Windhoek, his early love for art was sparked in the hallways of St. George’s Diocesan School. But it wasn’t until his family relocated to Paris, France, that his eyes were opened to the future of digital design.
“In high school, I was introduced to 2D vector and 3D AutoCAD software, and that completely changed my view of what art could be,” he told VIBEZ!.
He obtained a degree in Visual Effects Technology from the United Kingdom. Soon, he followed roles in top advertising agencies in Soho, London, and later in New York. Working with world-class directors and producers, Emvula learned the high-pressure pipeline of post-production, a training ground for his eventual breakthrough into film with DreamWorks Animation.
“That first job? Contributing to the global hit ‘How to Train Your Dragon’. The rest, as they say, is history. The anime that changed everything. Though trained in classical European art,” he said. It was a Japanese anime that reshaped his entire creative lens.
“The exact moment I knew I wanted to do animation was when I saw Samurai Champloo. It was like nothing I’d ever seen before,” he added.
The anime, a blend of Edo-period Japan and hip-hop culture, sparked an understanding of how powerful storytelling can be when it mixes cultural influences, something that resonated deeply with his own multicultural upbringing.
“It made me realise that Namibian stories, too, deserve a space in global animation,” said Emvula.
Now based in Los Angeles, Emvula works at Walt Disney Studios, collaborating on some of the most visually spectacular films of our time. But the highlight of his career so far? having his work reviewed by Disney veterans who shaped his childhood.
“These are people who worked on the original Lion King and Beauty and the Beast. And they’re giving feedback on my shots.That’s surreal,” he said.
One such moment came during Encanto, when renowned animator Alex Kupershmidt offered direct notes on Emvula’s animation setups. It is the kind of mentorship that fuels not only technical growth but personal pride.
He believes that the future of African animation is not only bright, but it is necessary.
“In a world flooded with AI-generated content, originality is gold. And Namibian stories are still untapped goldmines,” he believes.
He encourages creatives at home to lean into their culture and heritage, stressing that authenticity will always stand out in the international arena.
“We need to stop trying to imitate and start innovating from who we are,” he said.
When asked what advice he would give to young Namibians dreaming of working in film or animation, Emvula encouragingly said “Your creativity is valuable. Don’t be afraid to demand your worth. But be prepared to sacrifice. You may have to leave Namibia, learn, grow, and then come back to build.”
Even as he continues to work in Hollywood, Emvula is preparing to give back to the land that shaped him.
Over the next year, he plans to collaborate with tech-adjacent companies and creative studios in Namibia, offering consultation and mentorship.
“I’m especially excited to work with local creatives in music videos, short films, and motion graphics. The talent is here. It just needs a little structure and global perspective,” he said.
-pmukokobi@nepc.com.na