“We
believe that this industry has much potential. Technology has eliminated
barriers to entry in a number of sectors, and we can see that right here in
Jamaica”
State Minister in the
Ministry of Science, Technology Energy and Mining Julian Robinson during a
Gleaner Editors' Forum on Friday June 20th 2013
I’ve
never seen adults, especially State Minister in the Ministry of Science,
Technology Energy and Mining Julian Robinson so animated about animation, with
my pun deliberately intended.
But
over the weekend that's exactly how it was at the UWI Mona Lodge at the Inaugural
opening of the KingstOOn Animation Conference and Film Festival as stated in “Jamaica Has the Talent
to Attract Investment in Animation - Robinson”, published
Saturday, 22 June 2013 07:43, By Alphea Saunders, JIS Reporter, The Jamaica Information Service
and in “Jamaica
looks to 'toons'”, Published Friday June 21, 2013, The Jamaica Gleaner.
The
Conference was jointly funded by the following interested stakeholders:
1. World
Bank
2. The
Canadian High Commission
3. JAMPRO
Set
over a three (3) day period from Thursday June 20th 2013 to Saturday
June 22nd 2013, KingstOON saw aspiring Animators being introduced to
the best in the Industry, both in terms of animation Directors and people in
the Animation businesses and Colleges interested in training Jamaicans talent.
It was also an exhibition showcase for Local Animators to have their stuff on
display and possibly secure deals for funding for their various projects.
The
deadline for the submission of entries was Sunday June 16th 2013 as
stated in “June
16 deadline for 'KINGSTOON' animation entries”, Published
Monday June 10, 2013, by Sanasha Pearson, The
Jamaica Information Service and “Submit
Entries by June 16 for Animation Competition”, published
Monday, 10 June 2013 08:26 by Sanasha Pearson, The Jamaica Gleaner,
with the prizewinners as announced on KingstOOn Facebook Page.
KingstOOn
already has a KingstOOn Facebook Page
already boasting some 4000 plus followers. Already too, even as the Sun set on
the competition on Saturday June 22nd 2013, some one hundred and
thirty five (135) entries have been submitted by various animation teams and
individuals and winners have been chose for a plethora of prizes only an Animator
would love and appreciate:
1. Scholarship
for the Summer Animation Programme at Sheridan College in Canada
2. Internships
at Columbus Communications and other sponsors
3. ToonBoom
Software licenses, allowing aspirants with the correct computer hardware and
software to make legit animation with licensed ToonBoom Software
Hopefully
the winners mentioned on the KingstOOn Facebook Page
will have their interest lifted and will continue beyond the KingstOOn
Animation Conference and Film Festival and possibly blossom into an alternative
career path for Visual and Graphic Artiste aspirants.
Especially
as there is a demand for Jamaican Animators due to a severe shortage of this
skill set in Jamaica in all forms of animation, mainly:
1. Traditional
Cel Animation
2. Newspaper
Animation
3. Japanese
Anime and Manga
4. CGI
(Computer Generated Imagery) Animation
5. Mixed-Media
Animation e.g. Clay Animation, Stop-and-Go Animation, etc
This
observation is based on word coming out of a previously held JAMPRO (Jamaica
Promotions) Lecture on Friday December 14th 2013 to introduce
students to Japanese Manga and Anime as stated in “JAMPRO,
UTech get into animation”, published Sunday December 23,
2012 by Jordane Delahaye, Gleaner Writer, The Jamaica Gleaner.
Currently
there are only three (3) major Animators in Jamaica:
Jamaica
has been building up to this for quite some time, having signed a MoU
(Memorandum of Understanding) since Friday June 7th 2013 as stated
in “Technology
and Education Ministries to Sign MOU to Boost Animation Industry”,
published Friday, 07 June 2013 17:31, by Jeneva Gordon, The
The Jamaica Information Service to promote animation as an alternative career path among Teens (13 to 18) and Millennials (18 to 28) identified with Graphics arts Talent.
The Jamaica Information Service to promote animation as an alternative career path among Teens (13 to 18) and Millennials (18 to 28) identified with Graphics arts Talent.
The
MOU’s expresses the Ministry of Science Technology, Energy and Mining’s intent
is to identify talented youngsters in the various Visual Arts Programs across
Jamaica itching to Animate Something, taking cues from the popular Zynga Game
Draw Something.
More
interestingly, this is beginning to look like the much anticipated equivalent
of Rising Stars for Animators as I’d predicted in my blog
article entitled “J'Anime
Competition - an avenue to fame for Animators”.
The
interest isn’t surprising, given the US$100 billion Industry that, like Computer
Programming is yet to be fully tapped in Jamaica as stated in the article “Jamaica
trying to become animation industry hub”, published Friday,
June 21, 2013, The
Jamaica Observer.
The
barriers to entry have been broken down by the availability of better
Technology, such as Apple iMacs, improved and much cheaper multi-core Processor
computers, computer Hardware and SSD (Solid State Drive) Terabyte Hard-drives.
The software has improved as well, with Open Source Software now available for Animators
and Video Editors to utilize to produce work on the same level as their First
World counterparts.
The
sticking issue for most aspiring Animator and script Writers – such as myself –
is that we don’t have time to spare from our busy work schedules. Even where I
am working right now, I can’t spare time away from work, as in the evenings I’m
too tired to do any writing, waiting way into the night to re-awaken at around
2am to do any meaningful work.
I’m a very self motivated individual with a College Degree. But high
school leavers, mostly Millennials (18 to 28), unsure of how to approach animation which is very labour
intensive and demanding, be it still or moving animation, may easily get
disenchanted if they see no immediate benefit to doing that much work and not
making significant amounts of money from it. Especially as many clients demands change just like the weather, something animation aspirants will have to get acquainted!
So
this KingstOOn Animation Conference and Film Festival was a big moral boost, as
it signals to those interested in animation that there are others out their just
like you who are interested and there’s support, coming from no better a
source than the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining.
We
aren’t lacking in creativity either, as even Senior Social Development Specialist at the World Bank, Fabio Pittaluga was impressed by the quality
and quantity of entries for the KingstOOn competition as noted in the article “World Bank blown away by
KingstOOn entries”, published Friday June
21, 2013, by Jermaine Francis, Staff Reporter, The Jamaica Gleaner
. He expressed his amazement, quote: “We were blown away by the amount and
quality of entries, and there seems to be much more cooking in the pot than you
would imagine just by looking at it on the surface”.
He
also pronounce his blessing on the entries thus far, quote: “When we are
talking about the talent pool and how many people are capable, I do think that
Jamaica is very well positioned to take part in that (animation) global space”.
So
it would seem State Minister in the Ministry of Science, Technology Energy and
Mining Julian Robinson has decided Animation is too lucrative and underserved
and Industry to not have the GOJ invest in its growth both to satisfy local and
International Demand. In the process, he creates entrepreneurs who can make
significant revenue from original content for both local and International
Broadcasters, which of course translates to Foreign Exchange for the GOJ.
All
just in time as the GOJ contemplate a Flex-Work Week system as posited in my blog
article entitled “How
to find work in Jamaica at Call Centers - Church opposed to Modernizing Jamaica
via Flexi-Work and 4G LTE to introduce Tele-commuting is really Much Ado About
Nothing”. Animation will give Graphic Artists the chance to
“Feel
this Moment” Pitbull and Christina Aguilera Style.
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