Based in Johannesburg, South Africa, Luma Animation has emerged as one of the largest and most awarded animation and VFX studios on the African continent. Take a look at our awards and accomplishments.
Feature Film Work
• Headspace (2023)
Co-directed by Paul Meyer and Gerhard Painter, Headspace is a full-length animated feature film created by Luma. Using high-end performance capture and keyframe animation, Headspace launched in over 20 countries and was translated into 8 languages. It was later sold to Multichoice DSTV for streaming rights in South Africa.
Headspace went on to win “Best Animation” at the North East International Film Festival and the 2023 International Children’s Film Festival.
• RA.One
Luma was responsible for some of the most impressive visual effects for the critically acclaimed Ra.One film. Ra.One was universally recognized as the most expensive Bollywood film of all time. In India, the Hindi version of Ra.One was released across more than 4,000 screens worldwide, breaking the record for the widest Hindi film release.
The film notably won the National Film Award and the Filmfare Award for Best Special Effects, along with four International Indian Film Academy Awards.
Prestigious TV & Streaming Work
• Shaka iLembe
Luma was the principal VFX studio on Shaka iLembe, earning the SAFTA for Best Achievement in Visual Effects in 2024, with over 600 VFX shots created. From realistic creatures to massive set extensions, our work helped bring this ambitious project to life. More than 3.6 million viewers tuned into the show in South Africa during its first week — the highest viewership for any new drama in MultiChoice’s history.
• Kings of Jo’burg (KOJ)
A high-profile Netflix series released in December 2020, Kings of Jo’burg featured Luma as the lead VFX provider for Seasons 2 and 3. KOJ Season 2 held the number one spot on Netflix for four consecutive weeks. Creating a digital mermaid and a terrifying “monster Oom” were standout achievements for our team.
Award-Winning Commercials and VFX
• Luma Animation’s Master Good ad, created with the Roman Klis Agency, received a German Design Award for Excellent Communication.
• Additional credits span global brands like MTN Supersonic, Avbob, Deloitte, GWK, Ford, and PepsiCo. [View some of our work here.]
• Luma has proudly collaborated with Platige on several of their award-winning game cinematics, further solidifying Luma as an international powerhouse.
• Framestore has outsourced many of its commercials to Luma — a true testament to our quality of work. Framestore holds incredibly high standards, and we ensure we meet or exceed those expectations.
Why Choose Luma? Because we deliver World-Class Quality!
Luma delivers cutting-edge character animation, photoreal VFX, and seamless compositing across commercials, TV, film, and interactive platforms. Our portfolio proves we can compete on global streaming stages like Netflix, HBO Max, Apple TV, and Disney+.
One-Stop Creative Shop
From pitching and storyboarding to animation, VFX, and post-production, Luma offers full-cycle production with tight creative control and a streamlined experience for all project types.
Proven Collaboration & Results
Our clients are collaborators and friends:
“What a joy to work with the team at Luma. Their dedication to their craft is unrivalled!”
— Matthys Boshoff, The Sweetshop & The Star Film Company
African Stories with Global Appeal
We at Luma champion African narratives, like Shaka iLembe and Kings of Jo’burg, while delivering visuals that resonate worldwide.
Local Roots, International Reach
Founded in 2001 with over 50 employees, Luma remains proudly South African while collaborating internationally.
If you're launching a commercial, TV series, feature film, or crafting game cinematics, partnering with Luma Animation brings unmatched storytelling, technical skill, and professional integrity. Our track record proves we’re not just a leading South African studio, we are a global creative force.
