By Gibron Rahim
As Guyana prepares for Carifesta XIII which will be held on Barbados from August 17-27, this year’s celebration is particularly significant as it marks the first time that Guyana has submitted animated pieces to be screened as part of its official contingent. These pieces

are reflective of Guyanese culture and the country’s potential for a thriving animation industry in the future.

Guyana’s animation pieces for Carifesta were submitted in the Film and Animation category. Jubilanté Cutting, founder of the Guyana Animation Network (GAN) and convener for animation, notes that the sub-contingent of Film/Animation is shared with Mr. Burchmore Simon, convener of film. “We decided to collaborate, to have film and animation be represented as two of the visual media that encapsulate not just the arts, or not just tech, but both,” she said.

The seven animation pieces that are going to Carifesta were not easily obtained. There were no responses to the initial public calls for submission of animations. Cutting explained that, though she is surely not the sole representative for film and animation, she decided to push the process because she was aware that there were likely candidates for submission. She contacted these candidates and insisted that they submit their pieces. “Even if the

exposure seems insignificant, it’s still worth something and that’s the reason why I pushed for persons to send up their work,” she said. Indeed, these efforts may already be bearing fruit. “A few days ago, I received a very favourable call from Carifesta to say that the films and animations have two buyers and those buyers want to meet with us.”

She then contacted the persons involved to let them know that she was willing to take additional content and materials they may have to Carifesta. “I’m not going as Jubilanté. I’m going to represent a collectivity of persons. That’s my aim,” she said. “It’s not about me. It’s about ‘we’ and them.”

Cutting indicated that the submitted pieces portray Guyanese culture to a large extent, especially those from local animation studios Tinninben Animation Studios (under Tagman Media) and Animatix Studios (under BrainStreet Group). “Some are to the more humorous side while others are more serious, but not so serious,” she said. “I find that they do tell the Guyanese story through those different lenses.” Two of the animations being

represented are episodes from the Nancy Story Series. The episode ‘Nancy’s Story: Boys Too’ deals with child sexual abuse. Cutting explained that the episode handles a serious issue through the eyes of children in a way that is not so harsh.

The series was previewed at the recently held STEM Guyana Robotics Exhibition and she noted that children at the exhibition could understand and retell the story, showing that animation can be used to tell stories that need to be told as well as create awareness among children.
Meanwhile, amongst the more humorous animations are ‘Market Diary’ and Three Lil Pigs (Ah We Style)’. According to Cutting, both of these animations are especially representative of the way we speak to each other. They use comical characters so funny that “you can’t help but laugh and enjoy the way that we speak to one another”.

The ‘Ol’ Higue’ is another animation submitted. The animated trailer, a collaborative effort between GAN and the Suriname Animation Network, was created in order to receive a grant from the Animae Caribe Festival. It placed second and a grant was given. The trailer “shows a lot of Guyana’s flora in our more hinterland regions”. She said that it contributes to telling the story of a green economy which is on Guyana’s agenda. There is also ‘The Puddles Family’ animation by Tinninben Animation Studios which was a funded project and deals with preparation for extreme weather events. It was one that she personally enjoyed and believes that children will enjoy it for its colour scheme and storytelling. She noted too that there is a portfolio of work done by freelance artist and animator Shimuel Jones among the pieces. Overall, of all the animations she said, “There is a mixture of pieces and I’m happy to be taking them with me.”

All seven animations that will be representing Guyana at Carifesta are available on GAN’s YouTube channel. This, she explained, was a crucial part of the submission process. “No film or animation can be shown in Barbados unless their film committee screens it and they rate it,” she said. “And that is their standard, whether you’re international, regional, even local.” Thus, all the pieces for both animation and film had to be made available for pre-screening. The challenge was ensuring that the deadline was met and fortunately it was.

Cutting hopes for numerous positive outcomes stemming from Guyana’s submission of animation to Carifesta. Foremost among these is the desire that the pieces, especially those that deal with social issues, find producers in other countries so that “Guyana’s works can get more leverage elsewhere and those companies [here] can be compensated for the work that they do.” She acknowledged that right now the animation studios here operate at a loss in hopes of finding a buyer or producer willing to invest. She also hopes to be able to engage with other animation networks and studios, especially those she is not well acquainted with. This will go toward informing any future collaboration efforts with these bodies.

Cutting referred to Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago and explains how the educational opportunities in the field of animation available in these regional countries illustrate the distance animation as an industry still has to go in Guyana. However, progress is being made. “I’m grateful for the fact that some schools, like Queen’s College, do have the curriculum of animation and game design, as well as digital media in their CAPE syllabus, so that students who want that opportunity can now transition”, she said. “I must thank schools. I must thank CSEC because they have introduced that in order to create that mechanism and I’m happy that the Ministry [of Education] has taken on that mantle to push the tech courses and animation courses,” she said.

There is potential for a thriving animation industry in Guyana, but Cutting underscored that this is in the long run. She acknowledged that, just as Rome was not built in a day, it will take time for Guyana to grow such an industry. This industry will have creative people at its heart. “The creative people, they inspire the industry as opposed to people just waiting for the industry to just fall into their laps,” She said. She believes that she will be able to say that there is the real possibility of an animation industry when Guyana gets to the point where the creative industry tirelessly exerts an effort until systems are put in place to facilitate that industry. There is a crucial need for trained professionals in the field. “The more persons you have pursuing careers, pursuing higher education in the field is the more professionals you will have,” she said.

It is also important for those not in the field of animation to be educated about it in a different sense. Through dialogue about animation people are able to understand the reason for the seemingly high cost of animation projects, according to Cutting. “Wherever your studio is located, whether it’s third world or first world countries, the software remains the same, the equipment remains the same,” She said. The cost then, is directly related to the cost of the tools used to accomplish the wonder of animation.

The lack of value placed in animation, and the arts in general, is reflective of a greater societal problem in attributing value Cutting believes. “To try to tackle that issue of generally not having value for things and value for people’s work, through animation we’re continually trying to show persons not just how important it is but what the industry requires,” She said. In terms of animation, and perhaps for development in general, it is not just a matter of talking about it or believing that we can. Rather, it is about “setting up the right mechanisms, so that your people can be educated, so that your people can be qualified and so that your people can have the channels to access the necessary opportunities and that’s what we want, especially the young people,” She said.