3 October 2022 10:07 am Views - 174
In the creative industry, Randy Chriz and Portia needs no introduction. Randy, an award-winning visual director, artist and animator and Portia, communications specialist and production manager co-founded Meraki United, a production house that specializes in art and animation while working together with other creatives on projects for local and international clients. With Randy on art and design and Portia on operations, the duo has a diverse creative portfolio in animation, design and art and has notably produced music videos for Hollywood artists the likes of Eminem and Ann Marie.
Randy on art and design and Portia on operations, the duo has a diverse creative portfolio in animation, design and art and has notably produced music videos for Hollywood artists the likes of Eminem and Ann Marie
In contrast, the international creative industry is thriving with a massive demand for skilled creative talent sourced from anywhere in the world. For artists and designers struggling to find work in Sri Lanka, this could be their big break, the chance to engage in international work that can fund, support and grow their career. Making this happen is Randy and Portia and the SL Creatives platform, that now allows Sri Lankan artists to reach a wider international audience of clients who can peruse their work and engage their services.
“When we started Meraki, the idea was to always collaborate with as many creatives as possible and do some really creative work and conquer international markets. Since day one we have been head hunting, approaching people, trying out doing work with them, teaching aspiring animators and artists, training them, interning etc. But we always knew that there are more artists than we can ever hope to tuck under our wings” shares Portia, “There has always been efforts to unite the creatives in Sri Lanka, lots of different concepts that came about but never took off. When the pandemic hit, it was a tough time for artists because the creative budgets were the first to be scrapped off. We wanted to do something to help during this tough time and that’s when it dawned to me – the idea of a website to simply link all portfolios of creatives in Sri Lanka. This way we would have one link to share the entirety (hopefully) of Sri Lankan creative talent with the world”.
SL Creatives offers itself as a one-stop directory for the creative talent in Sri Lanka with a gallery of images that link to the portfolios of each individual creative. The website currently hosts multiple creative skill categories that goes hand in hand with animation and video production: Animators 2D/3D, Brand and Logo Designers, Creative Writers, Filmmakers, Illustrators, Doodlers, Music and SFX Producers, Painters, Photographers, Sculptors and 3D Modelers, UX/UI/Web Designers, VFX Artists, Video Editors / Compositor, Voiceover Artists, SFX makeup and Prosthetics. SL Creatives is not a commissioning platform nor are Randy and Portia agents of the listed talents. The website operates purely as a directory, where anyone interested can directly get in touch with the talent by following the portfolio link.
While SL Creatives is a platform that aims to connect local creatives with clients, largely to an international audience, Randy and Portia also hopes that it would improve Sri Lanka’s own response to the creative talent industry. Given the current economic crisis and the dollar crunch, Sri Lanka would do well to follow suit of countries like China, Hong Kong, India and the US and consider supporting the growth of an exportable creative economy in order to produce jobs, growth, fuel tourism and bring currency into the country. “Sri Lanka itself offers very little support. We have been trying to speak to authorities to help move things a little faster, remove the obstacles we have, and to get our governments to pay attention to this industry which they are still ignoring rather foolishly. We believe if they gave the same attention to us that they give to shipping our mothers and sisters abroad for what is considered unskilled labour, this country would be well on its way” comments Portia. “Regardless of support from the government, we are doing whatever we can to make this a reality. We would like to see local brands and private companies hop on board and support the local talent.”
On a closer look, perhaps behind Sri Lanka’s lack of support in creating a demand for work by local creatives is the undervaluing of the local talent by its own people – can Sri Lankan artists and creatives actually measure up on an international level? “Yes, absolutely” answers Randy. “We have always had the skill; the exposure was what was lacking. We also need to polish our skills a bit and know how to sell it. That is what SL Creatives hopes to help with.”
Ultimately, SL Creatives is a fantastic platform that’s set to change the game for the creatives in Sri Lanka. Not only does the website function as a platform for potential clients to scope out the talent and engage their services, but it also creates a sense of community among the creatives – to skill share, reach out to new artists engaged in similar works or collaborate on projects, all through one platform.
“The best feeling personally is when we add new talent and you see so much creative expression in one page! That is incredibly satisfying and motivating. We have already done more than 3 projects together as a collective, re-directed several video projects to other artists and we have received messages from fellow creatives saying they were contacted by clients overseas via the website.”
On a final note, Randy and Portia shares that SL Creatives is their gift to the community. “The platform stands alone and will grow and grow along with the creative industry in Sri Lanka”.
*Visit www.slcreatives.lk to see Sri Lanka’s online directory of creative talent!