Kingston Creative talks film, digital art

The era of globalisation is upon us, and the digital revolution demands all sectors of life to adapt, including the arts and creative industries.

On November 24, Kingston Creative celebrates ‘Film and Digital’ by hosting critical discussions with industry professionals and showcasing exhibitions of film, games, virtual reality, digital art, animation and the subcultures that surround the industry like cosplay, skateboarding, and more.

The meet-up takes place Friday, November 22 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at F&B Downtown, where participants will explore how the new technologies of AI, AR, VR, film, gaming, streaming, podcasting and the increasing development of digital content will impact traditional creative arts practices.

The meet-up will also include a discussion among Renee Robinson, film commissioner of Jamaica; Kevin Jackson, president of the Jamaica Animation Nation Network; Kesi Gardener, CEO of ‘Love Not Likes’, and Analisa Chapman, the president of the Jamaica Film and Television Association.

The ‘Film and Digital’ Artwalk is a free public art event which takes place on Sunday, November 24, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Water Lane, downtown Kingston. It kicks off with a walking tour of downtown’s historic district curated by historian Dr Elizabeth Pigou Denis from the University of Technology and community yoga on the waterfront led by Andrea Molnar.

The day features music at Market Street with performances from Acmatic, DJ Sawandi, DJ Kevin and hip hop from Five Steez. Patrons will also be able to see 100 per cent local digital content – independent films, animated movies, video games and fresh online digital content curated by the Love Not Likes team. Featured artists include Richard Nattoo, Kenneil Smith, INANSI, Nancy Burke and more. A virtual reality booth will be open all day in Market Street along with a host of local artisans and film-makers.

Gregory Moore, president of the governing body for E-sports in Jamaica, said “We felt that it was important to showcase Virtual Reality and eSports in Jamaica. Our mandate is to develop the local competitive video game scene, encourage Esports skills, establish Jamaica as a recognised entity in the global Esports community and provide resources for our national team to participate in international events.”

Moore added: “We are also strong believers in the power of virtual and augmented reality. Every week we expose hundreds of clients to the technology and its usefulness in enhancing various industries. These are areas that more young people and tech-savvy creatives should get involved in.”

This month, Kingston Creative shines a spotlight on the creatives that are incorporating technology in their artistic expression and telling their stories through new media, a phenomenon which also transforms the process of artistic creation in the digital domain. The rise of digital, film, streaming, podcasting, vlogging and gaming has enriched the definition of art which had previously only been confined to traditional media, and is now starting to manifest itself in the digital world.