Kingston, April 5, 2024– With a remarkable fusion of elegance and creative flair, Jhanielle Powell, the reigning Miss Kingston and St. Andrew Festival Queen, unveiled the 'Flip the Script' Film Project at St. Andrew Preparatory School on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. Driven by Powell’s passion for filmmaking and her commitment to empowering youth, the 'Flip the Script' initiative serves as the primary project for her 2023 reign.

 

In discussing the importance of the project, Powell emphasizes its aim to expand Jamaica's cultural and creative talent pool and to show young people that a career in filmmaking can be both feasible and profitable.

 

“I have three goals for this project. Firstly, to introduce young people to the unconventional career option of filmmaking, secondly, to enhance Jamaica's cultural and creative talent pool, and most importantly, to showcase stories written, produced, and starring Jamaicans,” she said.

 

Flip the Script is meticulously planned to span three days, from Wednesday, April 3, to Friday, April 5, 2024 running from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm at St. Andrews Preparatory School. Each day is dedicated to providing a step-by-step guide to filmmaking. Fifteen students selected from Dunoon Technical High School, Kingston Technical High School, and St. Andrew High School for Girls will be empowered with the skills of writing and directing screenplays.

 

Among the attendees at the launch event were representatives from the Bob Marley Group of Companies, the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), industry experts and students from the participating schools.

 

Mrs. Marjorie Leyden- Kirton, the Director of Community Cultural Development Services at the JCDC, expressed an appreciation of the project, highlighting that it is being launched at the ideal time during an era where content creation is massively aided by technology, while also applauding the space of film making as another faculty for Jamaica to dominate.

 

 “[Jamaicans] dominate dance, we dominate music, even language, and so it is good that we have entered a new era which is film making, especially with the newly released Bob Marley Movie”.

 

 Powell expressed a high sense of appreciation to the JCDC and The Bob and Rita Marley Foundation for their support in making the project launch a success. The Bob and Rita Marley Foundation through the Bob Marley Group of Companies donated a community service grant of One Hundred Thousand Jamaican Dollars ($100,000.00) because of its dedication to catalyzing positive change within communities.

 

Mrs. Julia Vaz, Marketing Director of The Bob Marley Group of Companies expressed that the organization is dedicated to assisting in whatever way possible to the project.

 

“We are in discussions with regards to assisting in whatever way we can. Plans will be made to show the film when it’s all finished at the theatre at the Bob Marley Museum, so we are just trying to work out some of those final details”.

 

Mrs. Vaz went on to say that the film industry is one of Jamaica’s major industries, and hopes that the Flip the Script program will help fellow Jamaicans to recognize and understand that there are endless career opportunities in the film and entertainment industry.

 Budding filmmakers who were in attendance expressed sheer excitement and anticipation for the official launch of the program. Odelia McGregor, a 12 year old student at Dunoon Park Technical High School spoke eagerly about her interest in learning about film making, and what she intends to learn from the program.

 

 “I expect to learn about film making and how to express myself better. When I was in third grade, I won a pageant because of a script that I wrote, so I want to learn about film making so I can teach others in my community about it too.”

 

The event closed out with a sense of gratitude exuded by Powell for those who were in attendance, as well as for each and every one who contributed to making the launch of Flip the Script a resounding success.