08 Oct Into a Brand New Era
The public and stakeholders in the local illustration and animation industry can look forward to an exciting and opportunity-packed week of the 2013 Animae Caribe – Animation and New Media Festival. The Festival takes place over one week in Trinidad and Tobago, and starts on 28th October and runs till 2nd November 2013. For the past twelve years, the annual Animae Caribe Festival has expanded into many new and exciting horizons. Recently there has been keen interest by several other Caribbean islands to host the festival with a recent successful stint at the regional CARIFESTA XI celebrations in Suriname. The Festival has built significant regional relationships with institutions like CARICOM, British Council, YTEPP, The Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Innovation, UWI Cave Hill and The Back Lot in Suriname. Over the years, Animae Caribe has earned a reputation as an innovative platform to encourage growth and development in the regional creative industry.
As is customary, Animae Caribe provides a platform for local animators to interact with some of the top international animation professionals, and will continue to focus on international partnerships and local and regional support structures. One of the key international guests include directors like Pete Lord of Aardman Studios, director of the legendary ‘Wallace and Gromit’, ‘Chicken Run’ and the recent ‘Pirates Band of Misfits’ and other award winning producers, the focus will be on local content and production.
“Over the last decade Caribbean animation professionals have concluded that we need to collaborate in order to make an impact. We have proven that animations can be created and consumed right here in our region and this year’s festival will demonstrate this” commented AC Festival Director Camille Selvon-Abrahams. For 2013, the Animation festival will also put the focus on the local Business community and enhancing its relationship with local animation companies and animators. A special event called “The Link” will bring key partners in the advertising and commercial marketing industry to the discussion table with animators and other Trinidad and Tobago creative professionals to open the dialogue for a greater inclusion of local animation content in business and commercial projects. The Link along with several other industry events will be published in the Animae Caribe festival magazine which will be available one week before the start of the Festival.
To facilitate these new initiatives, the team of the Animae Caribe Festival has grown. Joining the existing board is Alison Smith, Director at Smith and Smith productions, Tracey Alonzo Producer Special Publications at Guardian Media Limited, Florence Louis-Edouard specialist in International Relations and Grant Funding, Janine Charles Farray Marketing Strategist and Jason Lindsay, Managing Director Full Circle Animation Studio and international business development expert. The festival team will continue to build on the close relationship with the local and regional animation community such as the Trinidad and Tobago Animation Network, which also has an Animae Caribe Board representative in Rene Holder, Creative Instigator at local animation studio, Lab206. Public Relations manager for the festival, Mrs Roxanne Colthrust believes that this will propel the festival into the regional and international arena. “This formidable team of professionals will take the festival to new heights as the demand has become almost overwhelming, we are extremely happy to have such a wonderful group to move forward with the Festival.”
