As Trinidad and Tobago seeks to diversify beyond oil and gas, Animae Caribe is making the case for greater private-sector investment in animation and digital media, with the potential to build locally owned intellectual property, create jobs for young people and open up a new avenue of economic growth.
Commemorating 25 years of supporting local digital creatives, founder of the Animae Caribe festival, Camille Selvon-Abrahams, says the festival’s mission has evolved beyond showcasing animation to creating tangible economic opportunities for local creatives.
“It’s now not just about entertainment, it is also about employing young people and creating local IP for the world stage.”
However, bringing that vision to life comes at a cost. Ms Selvon-Abrahams says support from the private sector and other partners is critical.
“If this is to be done well and I had a magic wand, it’s just under a million TT dollars, right? But obviously we are going through a period in the world where getting people to put money is really challenging. So any contribution to make this festival work will make it work.”
With demand for local animation and new media on the rise, CEO of the Private Sector Organisation of Trinidad and Tobago, Rudolph Hanamji, says the focus must now be on turning ideas into action, creating an ecosystem that attracts investment and generates foreign exchange from what he describes as an “untapped goldmine”.
“What needs to happen is more cohesion and collaboration, as well as we need to partner creatives with other elements within the business ecosystem so that they can create sustainable enterprises because creatives should focus on the products and the innovation capacity, and then, like other businesses, they access services to be able to build and expand in a sustainable way.”
Executive Board Member of Animae Caribe House, Wendy Fitzwilliam, said Animae Caribe is a great marketing vehicle for the private sector, offering businesses opportunities through storytelling to promote their products and connect with consumers.
“Look at how animation works for you. The Animae Caribe Festival is not asking the private sector to throw money behind because it’s a good idea, and it’s kumbaya, there are opportunities for you in terms of selling you products.”
For young aspiring creatives looking to tap into the industry, Ms Selvon-Abrahams says Animae Caribe will also feature an event called the ‘Digital Media School Day’.
“They could meet animators, they could talk to game designers, they could do workshops, and there’s also all of the UTT animation students in game and music tech that will be here. So it’s an opportunity for young people who want to know about the career, about a career option like this to be in the space.”
With a new generation of animators taking the baton, she is confident the future of Caribbean animation is in good hands.