Tinnenben Animation Studio two Saturdays ago launched its ‘Nancy School Daze’ series, funded by IPED, at the Herdmanston Lodge.
Speaking at the event, CEO of the Institute of Private Enterprise Development (IPED), Ramesh Persaud, admitted that his agency “had to take a chance” funding Tinnenben’s production notwithstanding existing uncertainties in the local animation sector, a press release from the Ministry of Social Protection said.
Persaud said that while there is “still room for additional sponsors” to support local animation production, he is trusting that Tinnenben’s pioneering efforts will pave the way for animation in Guyana to become financially viable, the release stated.
According to the press release, Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin said that he is enthusiastic about animation. Nevertheless, he is worried that citizens of the 50-year old Independent Republic have still been unable to translate creativity “into wealth for artists”.
“The commercial element of our creativity has eluded us,” the release quoted him as saying.
Nancy’s School Daze is an episodic animated television series in which the lead character (Nancy) and her classmates face off with a school gang comprising older male students, the release said.
Nancy’s wit and brilliance help them “stay one step ahead of trouble and be successful at their schoolwork. Along the way, they confront the personal struggles of adolescence, the group struggles of teamwork and leadership, and the ugly social issues of peer-pressure, bullying, violence (and) abuse.”
The release quoted Tinnenben’s CEO, Alex Graham, as saying that the first in the series “will be released (on E1) and after that, we should have a new episode every two weeks until the season ends in May 2017.”
