Camille Selvon Abrahams is an internationally recognised animator and multi-media producer. She is the founder and creative director of the Caribbean’s first animation and new media festival– Animae Caribe Animation and New Media Festival. She also founded the Full Circle Production Animation Studio, a state-of-the-art production and training facility for young animators. Under her creative direction, animators from the studio and other countries are producing an animation series for television entitled, “The Anansi Chronicles”.

Mrs Selvon Abrahams is the current programme administrator and lead lecturer in animation in the Digital Media Department at The University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT). She spent several years in the United Kingdom honing her skills in animation and multi-media production before returning home to develop the industry in the region. She was production assistant to Oscar-nominated British animator, Erica Russell, and to Osbert (Ossie) Parker, three-time British Academy Award nominated director.

She has received several accolades for her work. Her final year project, a short animated film titled, “The MasterPEACE”, won the Royal Television Society Student Award in 2000. The film was shown at international festivals such as the Miami Webfest, the Hiroshima Animation Festival and the Women in Animation Festival in London.

Camille Selvon Abrahams was born on 25th March, 1968 and grew up in the village of La Seiva, St Joseph, Trinidad. Her childhood fostered creativity as her father routinely told stories of Anansi and Brer Rabbit. This tradition of storytelling, coupled with the absence of television in the home until the age of 14, was influential in moulding her creative and artistic abilities. Years ago, as a parent of young children, Mrs Selvon Abrahams was disappointed by the lack of creative and innovative materials available on television for children. This propelled her to venture into the field of animation.

Her advice to students is, “Always strive to do what you love and love what you do, especially when it comes to a career.”

CAREER INFORMATION

What is an animator?

Animators use art to create a sequence that tells a story or conveys a message. They create multiple images which, when displayed in rapid succession, form an illusion of movement. This is what is termed an “animation”. These animations are used in movies, television shows, video games, advertisements and educational programmes. While animators may use computer programs to draw and animate, they must understand the fundamentals of drawing. They work alone or in teams to put drawings together with soundtracks, story lines, layouts and special effects.

Areas of Specialisation

• Character animation
• Special effects animation
• 2-D computer-generated animation
• 3-D computer-generated animation
• 2-D hand-drawn animation

What do I need to study?

At CSEC and CAPE: Art, Computer Science, Mathematics

While some animators are self- taught, most pursue tertiary education in areas such as graphic arts, fine arts, industrial design, computer programming, 3-D design, and multimedia design.

What skills and traits do I need?

• Creativity and imagination
• Good drawing and modelling skills
• Attention to detail
• Patience and concentration
• Good computer skills
• Good teamwork skills
• Be flexible and open-minded

Famous Animators

• Walt Disney
• William Hanna