Forty-four year old Camille Selvon-Abrahams is indeed a trailblazer in the field of Animation in Trinidad and Tobago, and certainly the Caribbean. As one of the country’s well known animators, she now juggles many hats of Program Coordinator and Lecturer for the Diploma in Animation at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), CEO of Full Circle Animation Studio, Festival Director of Anime Caribe and most importantly – wife and mother to four children. Selvon-Abrahams mood is one of retrospect and reflection, as she contemplates a future where can step back from the craziness of her schedule nowadays and proudly admire the growth of the animation industry through the next generation of artists. “One of the reasons I pushed for Animation on the University syllabus is because I did not know about animation until I went to school” she said.
She described herself as an “artistic child” always drawing on any surface she could put her hands on. It was no surprise therefore, that she decided to pursue a Diploma in Commercial Arts at the John Donaldson Institute on leaving her alma mata, St. Joseph’s Convent. Camille admitted to working a series of jobs in many advertising companies as a graphic artist while becoming part of the fashion company, The Cloth, as a fabric designer. During this time, she became a young mother of a baby girl and knew that she would have to further her education to make a better future for herself and her daughter. She decided to go to England with her now husband where she would get married and attend Goldsmith University in London. There, she read for her degree in Media and Communications, specialising in Animation. According to her, dabbling in Animation was a compulsory part of the syllabus and she quickly fell in love with the art. “I’m an artist first, but animation added an evolution to my art because it was no longer static” she admitted.
On graduating from University, Camille decided to return to home. “I was put in my place when I came to Trinidad “she said candidly. Given that her career path was relatively new and people did not understand it, the naive animator quickly returned to England in 2000. Selvon- Abrahams decided to freelance and there started the first annual Anime Caribe festival. In England, it was called “The Word” where people were free to express themselves through poetry, song and animation. “What stuck with me is how much people were amazed to hear a Caribbean/African voice in Animation”. In 2002, she returned home once again to share her knowledge and fill the gap in the barely existent animation industry locally. She decided once again to put on another instalment of Anime Caribe which featured renowned director/actor Robert Townsend who hosted a series of workshops. The submissions for animations also widened geographically as persons from London, Jamaica and Trinidad all took part. “It created an excitement and buzz that this [animation] was actually possible” she revealed.
Always on the move, Camille would fly back and forth between Trinidad and England until the now mother of four and her family settled in Trinidad in 2005. Since then she lectured at UWI (Creative Arts Centre) as part of the Film and Video Program. A couple years later UTT came a calling. “I was called into a meeting with Ken Julian who wanted me to set up the Animation Program which would also focus on Entrepreneurship. The Anime Caribe would also be included in the program. I really could not refuse that” she said. So far, the program has produced two graduating classes with a blossoming of the Anime Caribe Festival since the TTFC, then TIDCO started to sponsor and support the festival. Her inroads into the program development does not come without its challenges however. “Animation is a multi-billion dollar industry. Technology is growing just as fast so the challenge is to keep up with the pace of the software and equipment” she said.
With her Full Circle Studio family business, she is busy churning out work for Ministries and private companies which definitely keeps her hands full. She also in the trains of her staff, who will some day take the reins in the running of the company. Selvon-Abrahams has also been internationally recognised for her work. In 2009, she became the recipient of the Innovation in the Area of Animation Award from the Caribbean Tales Film Festival. So how does this superwoman juggle all her roles so well? “I have a husband who takes care of the home although he has his own business and I’m very happy he has taken up the mantle. Its not traditional, but it works for us” she said. “I’m at the stage where I have worked hard for ten years and I would like to take a step back. A lot of positive things have happened because Trinidad and Tobago have become the pioneers in Animation in the Caribbean” she said. Camille Selvon-Abrahams has definitely been a maverick, determined to make Animation sustainable in Trinidad and Tobago and has been successful thus far. Although she will never turn her back on how far she has taken Animation locally, regionally and internationally, family life is still a priority. “I have children and a family and that’s important also. I love what I do, but I’d like other people to take the reins and run with it. Its time to pass the baton”
