My Thoughts on Technology and Jamaica: Animation after KingstOOn - Reel Rock GSW secures 52 Episode Animation sub-contract for a Globally popular English Cartoon

Friday, September 6, 2013

Animation after KingstOOn - Reel Rock GSW secures 52 Episode Animation sub-contract for a Globally popular English Cartoon



“We executed a memorandum of understanding with GSW to arrange and to participate with the training of animators with the provision for them to consider hiring them at the completion of the course”

Quoted from Carimac Director and Professor of Communications Policy and Digital Media, Hopeton Dunn by the Gleaner on Wednesday, September 4th, 2013

Life after Kingstoon has been great for at least one Animation Studio, Reel Rock GSW, who have now secured a very large Animation contract with Walt Disney as stated in the article “Local animation firm reels in another big contract”, published Wednesday, September 04, 2013, The Jamaica Observer.
More encouragement for the animation peeps in Jamaica after the inaugural KingstOOn Animation Conference and Film Festival in June 2013 as described in my blog article entitled “Inaugural KingstOOn Animation Competition a boost to local Animation Industry - State Minister Julian Robinson give Graphic Artists the chance to Feel this Moment Pitbull and Christina Aguilera Style”.

Reel Rock GSW previous international work as a sub-contractor to Studio Red Frog in France to animate the Disney Junior France kids show Quiz Time must have been a huge recommendation for them. I don’t have Cable or access to Canal+, so I can only guess that this show’s either in French or English Dubbed with French Subtitles ….or vice versa. The action is animated according to script and sent back to Studio Red Frog when they add in the Audio Dub, completing the project.

The name of the contractor or even the animation project’s name or even the Cartoon remain secret, but what’s known is that it’s a thirteen (13) month animation contract, which start in March 2014 and requires fifty two (52) episodes! Also it seem it’s a cartoon in English and with a very big animation Studio, as can be derived from Director of GSW Wayne Sinclair partial quote in which he commented quote: “……… international exposure and calibre of the co-production partners will officially put Jamaica on the map”.

Not only is this big news for Reel Rock GSW but it also means that they’ll need a WHOLE lot of animators. To be precise, they’ll need to ramp up from twelve (12) to seventy five (75) animators, basically an extra sixty three (63) animators fresh from training as described in my Geezam blog article entitled “KingstOOn Animation Festival and GG’s “I Believe in Jamaica” Animation Training – Genesis of Animation Outsourcing”.

So for those of you following my postings on Animation, just Google “Animation after KingsTOON” to get tips on how to do basic animation work and how to market your work online. Who knows, you may end up become as success and as well known as Reel Rock GSW, who just only started work in September 2013 are one of three (3) animation studios in Jamaica who are STILL in a ramp up stage, both in terms of studios as well as Animators who are in short supply!

According to JAMPRO (Jamaica Trade and Invest) Animation represents a US$222.8 billion industry in 2013 and Jamaican can get in on the animation-outsourcing shtick by taking advantages of animation work  usually farmed out to countries like India, South Korea, and the Philippines!

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