As many industries continue to feel the brunt of the pandemic, the animation sector is showing promise as a major economy booster for Trinidad and Tobago.
Leslie Ann Wills-Caton, general manager and film commissioner of the TT Film Co Ltd (FilmTT) – a state agency established to develop the film and audio-visual sector – said the possibilities for animation are endless and the company has been working with creators since 2006 to push the sector forward.
“Animation is and has always been the next big step,” she told Business Day. She said there are possibilities for creators in a wide range of areas related to animation, including audio visual and content creation locally, regionally, and internationally.
Wills-Caton said the pandemic has only served to bolster the marketing and attention for animation around the world. “People realised that we should have really been working with creators (and) creating content.
“Music videos now have animation, local commercials are using (it) more than they would have done in the past because it is one of the only content creation platforms where you can work within the confines of your home/office.”
[caption id="attachment_905414" align="alignnone" width="819"] Leslie Ann Wills-Caton, general manager and film commissioner of the TT Film Company Ltd (FilmTT) -[/caption]
She said FilmTT is working with the National Export Facilitation Organisation (ExportTT), which generates export growth and diversification in the non-energy goods and service sectors, in facilitating a few animation companies to attend a conference which will help them to work with international companies.
Wills-Caton said FilmTT currently has nine animation companies listed in its production database and includes animators, editors, graphic designers, computer graphic artists and computer-generated imagery (CGI) animators.
She said FilmTT is encouraging others to reach out and join its network. “As much as possible, we capture the information and when people reach out asking for animators we are able to recommend from that database.”
She said when people think of animation, they think of cartoons, but it is much more than that. “There are green screen techs, visual effects (VFX), think of the credits at the end of Black Panther. There are so many different things that can support all forms of the economy.
“Even as a teaching platform, it can (help create) cultural awareness…animation has always been the next level.”
She said it is one of those film or content creation areas that has not been fully recognised in terms of the value it can offer.
She said the company supports, as much as possible, several animation-type companies. She said she has sat in on classes at the University of TT (UTT), which has an animation programme, and provided insight for students on the possibilities of the industry. FilmTT supports UTTs Toon Market which features the work of animation students during their two-year programme, including sho
