Business
Jamaica positioning itself as the next animation hub
Today, there are thousands of animation studios and trade schools across Asia, many of them in China. Animation outsourcing by major companies such as Disney Animation and Nickelodeon to subcontractors in countries such as India and the Philippines has become a flourishing business.
Long a musical innovator, Jamaica is now having some success with animation. “Cabbie Chronicles,” an animated comedy featuring a sullen Jamaican cab driver named Delly and a changing cast of colorful customers, has won several regional awards.
Joan Vogelsang, president and CEO at Montreal-headquartered Toon Boom Animation Inc., a company that produces digital content and animation creation software, said she’s confident that Jamaica has the necessary ingredients to become a popular animation destination “not only for subcontracting opportunities but also for intellectual property development.”
Vogelsang, who has helped develop animation sectors in India and other countries across the globe, also said the industry creates well-paying jobs that can help build a strong middle class in countries like Jamaica.
“The day of the starving artist is over,” she told a conference room of eager creative types.
Joel Kuwahara, co-founder and principal of Bento Box and a former producer on “The Simpsons,” said the global industry is enthusiastic to bring talented artists from Jamaica and other regional spots into the fold.
“Technology gives you the chance to work with more partners overseas,” Kuwahara said before giving a presentation. “It’s a necessity for us because it’s expensive to produce in Los Angeles. And these days, there are no limitations to where you live to collaborate.”
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press
