Still from Ottawa local Firdaus Kharas' award winning educational shorts on HIV/AIDS

It might sound like an entry in a new Spike and Mike Sick and Twisted festival but before you get to giggling it should be noted that the trio, known as The Three Amigos and currently starring in their own series of animated public service announcements, can count no less than South African archbishop and Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu among their fans.

That's because humour is only half the story. Ottawa-based film producer Firdaus Kharas has shepherded the project, aimed at slowing the spread of HIV/AIDS.

The basic concept came from an eager young screenwriter looking to make a pitch. "That's how we got started," Kharas said. "We didn't have any funds." Nonetheless, Kharas and company got rolling last summer and recruited a veritable animator army to the cause.

Ottawa's Funbag Animation would do character design, and local artist Dan Craig agreed to take on storyboards. Voices, original music and sound design were also done locally, with all concerned working gratis, between paying gigs, all for the sake of a cause.

The Amigos can now boast a countrywide profile in South Africa, where the national broadcaster is showing the spots in English, Afrikaans, Sotho and Zulu.

Twenty shorts have been produced in total. That's a lot for a PSA campaign, Kharas explains, but producing in volume was a very deliberate attempt to ensure the widest possible reach since comedy is relative to variations in culture.

"The one that is the biggest hit in Zulu in South Africa is not the one that Canadians necessarily find the funniest when I show them all the 20 spots."

With four international awards already under their belts, Kharas and Quinn, Kharas' South African partner, have succeeded in making it look easy.

Back in Cap City, our own International Animation Festival kicking off next month has accepted The Three Amigos into competition.

Entries for the competition "really had to stand out," says Kelly Neall, the Fest's managing director, "be really original and effective." The Amigos' obvious social value aside, she adds, "They're just so funny."

No rest for the funny though, as work continues to re-dub The Amigos into 40 additional languages.

Says Kharas, "There'll be 45 languages times 20 PSAs for anyone to choose from. By my last calculation, we in Ottawa will be able to reach 80 per cent of the world's population in their own language."

Visit www.awn.com/ottawa/ for info on screening times.

 
 

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THE THREE AMIGOS: tails...um, tales of a trio of dickheads, or rather their raincoats...oh, whatever!     No, this certainly is NOT your average PSA but it's still a PSA. I guess I get the cool factor of a bunch of talking rubbers educating the masses on the value of protection and safe sex but it's rather hard to judge how funny these spots are given that they haven't seen a wider distribution yet. Condoms are the number one deterent besides abstinence but we all know that the latter of the two is about as popular and realistic as letting George W. Bush re-draft the constitution. Sex and the urge to explore sex are biological imperatives that tend to override common sense and these days, that philosophy is a one way ticket to a slow and linger death. I'm glad that South African archbishop and Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu is a fan of THE THREE AMIGOS because heaven knows that religious leaders are the first people you want the approval of. Actually, that's being unfair to Tutu who's done more to advocate protection in the poorer countries of the world but unless the actual Church signs off on it this means very little and that hardly seems likely. A PSA ultimately means nothing to people who already practice safe sex but anything that pushes the notion that sticking your head in the sand is not a solution gets my nod. Kudos!
Pedro Eggers		September 22nd, 2004
Thanks for your comments, Pedro     Unfortunately, we're not preaching to those that already practice safe sex. In some countries in Africa, for example, the UN has done studies that show a mere 19% of people have safe sex with partners they don't know. As to how funny they are, please judge for yourself. Go to www.thethreeamigos.org and click on the PSA's button to view 3 of them in English or click on the globe to view them in other languages. Once again, thank you for your supportive comments. Cheers, Firdaus Kharas Producer & Director
Firdaus Kharas		November 6th, 2004

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