JAMPRO, through the Jamaica Film Commission, is working with the local community of animators to develop the indigenous industry into a significant player in the multi-billion dollar global animation business.

The latest initiative from the Film Commission took place on November 19 with the sponsoring and hosting of Animae Caribe Jamaica, the 10-year-old Trinidadian animation festival that, for the first time in its history, had a satellite staging of the event to complement the main festival held from October 30 to November 6 in Port of Spain. Held at JAMPRO’s New Kingston head office, Animae Caribe Jamaica involved workshops by experienced international animators James Parris and Kristin Solid.

 

James Parris, a visual effects artist and animator, was a part of the award-winning visual effects team that worked on The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. He is head of his own production firm, Paper Tiger Films, and has worked on movies such as X-Men, I Robot and Transformers. Kristin Solid is a senior animator at the Academy-Award winning studio Rhythm and Hues, and has supervised animation teams on Yogi Bear and Alvin & The Chipmunks, among others.

 

Through the Animae Caribe Jamaica workshops, Jamaican animators were introduced to the variety of contemporary 2D and 3D animation styles that are widely used in the animation industry.  They had the opportunity to view the line animation short The Muscular Princesses by Julia Farkas, which provided them with useful insight.  James Parris also staged an intensive workshop for illustrators at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts (EMCVPA). Additionally, the works of the winners from 10 years of Animae Caribe, including Jamaica’s own Cabbie Chronicles and Kina Sky, were also shown.

 

The Jamaica Film Commission, which is housed at JAMPRO, has identified animation as part of its medium-term strategy to encourage non-traditional exports. Animation, a rapidly growing industry, was valued at approximately US$115 billion in 2009, with an average annual growth rate of 12 per cent. The prospects for Jamaica are encouraging, given that most animation is done through business process outsourcing, with smaller studios all over the world providing animation services to big studios.

 

“Countries such as India and the Philippines have animation as part of their core strategy. India earns US$739 million from animation outsourcing, despite accounting for less than 10 per cent of the market. Animation provides a number of benefits, besides the entertainment content, as it is labour intensive and requires a high level of skills. It promises jobs with transferable skills for Jamaicans and it also provides another avenue for us to tell our stories,” stated Kim Marie Spence, Jamaica’s Film Commissioner.

 

Animae Caribe Jamaica was organised by the Jamaica Animation Network, which is headed by Alison Latchman, a member of the team responsible for Cabbie Chronicles. Michael Look Tong, Director of Media Services, Flow Jamaica – the title sponsors of the event, indicated that Cabbie Chronicles is the most popular offering on its video demand channel.