Valdeen Shears-Neptune
From an adventurous turtle named Ma’Shell, to regional environmental superheroes, there’s a lot of variety in the package of local animated content to be featured at this year’s Animae Caribe Animation and Digital Media Festival.
The festival is scheduled to run from October 24- 30 at various venues and offers viewings and workshops on works and concepts in the animation industry.
For the first time in its 15-year existence since being founded by internationally recognised T&T animator and artist Camille Selvon-Abrahams, the festival will offer the works of five investment-ready projects.
“With a diaspora driven crowdfunding platform and a pitching podium at the festival called the Fish Hook” (yes, it’s an unapologetic play on the Shark Tank programme) we are supporting young entrepreneurs in their attempt to get Caribbean content on the world,” stated a recent release issued by Selvon-Abrahams.
The five groups of animators whose work are in the offing are being officially backed by Apura Network, a crowdfunding partner out of Suriname.
Apura, an online crowdfunding and networking platform, with a heart for the Caribbean, seeks to create social value and impact, by offering alternative ways to finance projects. All five projects will be supported by Apura’s diaspora of investors, at phase two of the Animae Caribe Animated Ideas Bootcamp.
This year will also see these five particular projects featured heavily at the festival’s expo.
“The Caribbean diaspora is made up of hundreds of millions of eyes. We are a lucrative, but untapped audience and this converts into massive buying power. Though there are successes like Disney’s Doc McStuffins that cleverly taps into a diverse audience, it is just too few and far between. Plus we need to consider creating our own path, as traditional broadcasting methodologies are currently being turned on its head. I think the time is right to do this,” the release stated.
The project, though, does not just offer an avenue for exposure for the animators, but mentorship from members of the diaspora in the global animation industry, she added.
Selvon-Abrahams’ festival has consistently provided a platform for learning, sharing and development for the creativity of aspiring and established Caribbean animators. Apura’s commitment, she said, offers an innovative pathway to creating diverse content.
The initiative is supported by the Caribbean Development Bank and Caribbean Export Development Agency.
1) Epically Maya:
After Maya inherits her grandmother’s journal she and her friends embark on many exciting and epic adventures where they learn about their environment and deal with the challenges of being an adolescent.
2) Banana Boat:
An inventive orphan turtle Ma’Shell and his hilarious musician buddy Yellow Bird must work for Don Cook, the conniving owner of a Banana Boat, in order to survive, travel and solve the mystery of the disappearance of their friends from Volcano Isle.
As the Banana Boat explores the islands on Don Cook’s business, the crew picks up various passengers and encounters different cultures, problems they fix, environmental issues, historical stories and also many hilarious twists. Ma’Shell slowly discovers his true identity and capabilities before his quest ultimately leads him to a shadowy nemesis that he must face and overcome.
3) Bim and Bam:
Curious six-and-a-quarter-year-old twins get caught up in ridiculous adventures while on vacation with their family. At each stop on the trip, their parents tell them about an unusual indigenous creature that they are hoping to spot. While the adults are distracted, the twins wander around and stumble right into the creature, who confesses a peculiar problem.
4) Magnus the Mongoose:
Magnus the Mongoose is seen by everyone, but only understood by children.
Magnus and Patch the Donkey appear during break time to take Shelly, Muka, Amita, Ricky and Tuffy (The SMARTs) on varied adventures. The SMARTs climb into bankra baskets, which hang on each side of Patch. Of course, their journey never goes smoothly.
5) First Responders:
When the world of the future crosses a cataclysmic event called The Break and chaos descends. Commander Willard of FORCAST (Forensic Organisation for Rescue, Environmental Control and Special Tactics) must travel back to our time and recruit five young heroes to save their future.
The story is about five typical island kids who are empowered by the future spirit of goodwill with preventing a cataclysmic event one incredible adventure at a time.