I returned to Jamaica on June 29th, 2015. This first week has been crazy, but has been as expected, as my teaching colleague Don Perro and I begin a month long training program at TVET in Gordon Town. The World Bank and the Jamaican Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining are involved in pushing an animation initiative over the next 5 years with an infusion of US $20 Million.
The first plan of the initiative is begin a process of training the trainers themselves. The animation industry in Jamaica is in its infancy, making it difficult to find qualified instructors with relevant experience.
In June of 2013, Don and I participated in Kingstoons and Next Genderation. It was and still is a project through the World Bank which sought to help train Jamaicans in animation, while simultaneously addressing the issues of inequality, gender violence with the goal of participating in the worldwide Animation economy as service providers to Studio work that needed outsourcing. It's a model that has been successful in countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, India, Mexico. As these initial service providers mature, they begin creating jobs locally by building their own content. That is essentially the plan.
Don and I possess a combined 50 + years of 3d animation teaching experience and believe we can offer a lot to help this initial team of 3d educators. The plight of Jamaica with regards to youth unemployment is heartbreaking, with some figures estimating that nearly 40 % of Jamaican youth aged 14 - 24 are unemployed.
We are honored to be mentoring and training highly educated faculty with a great deal of artistic and scientific talent. I would say that in many cases, it is we who are being educated.
Our schedule is tight. One month to train instructors approximately one years worth of material. Don has been teaching mornings, and I have been teaching after lunch. He teaches 2d in the morning, and I teach 3d in the afternoon. We tied our schedule together so that I follow up with a 3d rendition of what focused on 2d walks, which I followed up with this afternoon. The continuity has been fantastic for us, and I have been able to reinforce a lot of points I make in 3d by referring to the earlier class.
One of the interesting aspects of this job in my opinion, is our duty to try and change the culture of animation in Jamaica, which in the education system at the moment is quite dogmatic based on a top down system. One example I can give arose yesterday when we were discussing the shooting of reference footage for animation. The value in this visual data gathering is immeasurable, yet is discouraged in the classroom, deemed unnecessary and declared an inappropriate use of class time.
I completely understand where this thought process comes from. Jamaica is heavily bureaucratic, and resplendent with protocols and forms. The very nature of animation is antithesis to the system in Jamaica.
We are spending the month up Jacks Hill just outside of Papine in the foothills of the Blue Mountains. The school is at the bottom of the hill our apartment is situated on. We have an amazing view overlooking Kingston from our front balcony, and a breathtaking view into the Blue mountains from our back patio.
I love Jamaica. I love it's people, I love the food, I love it's geography, it's warmth. I love how things take just a little longer to get done, and how you may meet 8 extra people to see that thing get done. I respect and admire that no matter the hardship on the island, its people carry their heads high, are quick to welcome you into their homes or offer a hand and do so in about the most positive manner I have experienced in my 40 years. I am proud to be contributing to the country of my birth, and blessed to be spending a month in the city of my birth doing so.
