Two Experts Meet Local Enthusiasts.
TWENTY young St. Lucians involved in Film and Animation yesterday received a valuable insight from two internationally recognized experts in the multi-billion dollar industry.
Joan Vogelesang – former CEO of Marketing for TOONBOOM Animation Inc. and Steven Chu – Global Animation Marketing and Technical Expert arrived in St. Lucia for a one-day meeting with Malfinis Film and Animation studio and took the opportunity to visit the cohort of Malfinis students, currently being trained in animation.
The one-day exercise was organized by Compete Caribbean as part of its Caribbean Cluster Initiative for Animation outsourcing and Intellectual Property Development. This regional project is being funded by the Inter-American Development Bank – IDB. The visit took place at the National ICT Centre on Bourbon Street.
The regional project is geared towards assisting Caribbean studios in developing and building operational capacity to be able to attract outsourced animation work within the global animation industry. The St. Lucia leg is being co-ordinated by Malfinis Film and Animation Studios, which is one of three participating regional studios that have been chosen to be part of the project.
The current affiliation with their animation cluster counterparts in Jamaica and Barbados, and the support they continue to receive via this Caribbean Cluster Initiative, give Malfinis access to key experts in the film and animation industry to be able to provide training, create investment and job opportunities, and develop St. Lucia’s capacity to service the global animation industry.
Malfinis is currently conducting Training and Certification in 2D Animation under the CARCIP ICT Skills Development Programmr, using TOONBOOM animation software. The consultants will take the opportunity to speak with the trainees and get a feel for their passion, as took speak with the CARCIP Team to explore further assistance through their affiliation with Malfinis Film and Animation Studio and The Caribbean Animation Network.
The consultants also visited Malfinis Studios where they engaged in a working session, meant to pave the way for specialized technical enhancements and training, in preparation for regional and global marketing of local skills and productions.
Managing Director of Malfinis Film and Animation Studios, Milton Branford, said this was a groundbreaking initiative which could pave the way for unprecedented growth and development in the film and animation industry in St. Lucia.