JCDC to Host Short-Film Workshop on July 20

Budding creatives are being invited to participate in a free short-film workshop being hosted by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) on Thursday, July 20.

The virtual workshop is being held to assist in preparing entrants in this year’s JCDC FiWi Short-Film Competition.

The first session will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and the second, between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Drama and Theatre Development Specialist at the JCDC, Shaun Drysdale told JIS News that the workshop is open to the public via the ZOOM platform, meeting ID: 849 9024 9883 and password: 951576.

Lecturer in Literary and Cultural Studies at the University of the West Indies, Mona, Dr. Lisa Tomlinson and Jamaican writer, musician and director, Everaldo Creary, were selected as the orators for the workshop.

Mr. Drysdale said Dr. Tomlinson will speak about Caribbean myths and how writers can use them for the creation of animation or sci-fi films.

“She will go into some of the Jamaican mythology and the ‘duppy’ stories that we know about, to see if we can encourage persons to create films from Jamaican cultural references,” he said.

Mr. Drysdale said Mr. Creary will focus on film acting “to enlighten participants that acting onstage is different [from] acting for film”.

“You definitely do less expressions for film because the camera is zoomed on your face, and you don’t have to give that wide expression like you are on the theatre stage,” he added.

Mr. Drysdale advised that persons entering the Competition must submit a treatment.

“Only individuals who have submitted treatments will be entered in the competition… which has two classes of entrants, the youth ranging from ages 12 to 18 years and the adults, ages 19 years and older,” he pointed out.

For further information, persons can contact the JCDC offices or email Mr. Drysdale at shaun.drysdale@jcdc.gov.jm.