Unique Bahamas International concludes successful production of Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival

Thu, May 12th 2016, 11:06 AM


Interns learns how to mix the sound board at the mega-stage.

Unique Bahamas International (UBI) has wrapped up another successful production of Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival, climaxing with scores of interns working alongside professionals to prepare and execute the country's largest production.

More than 40 of the nation's youth from The College of The Bahamas, Bahamas Technical Vocational Institute (BTVI) and additional individuals concluded a weeklong internship program with UBI, the executive producer of Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival, where they studied lighting, stage, video and sound.

"At Unique Bahamas International, our goal is to produce one of the greatest show experiences every year at Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival," said CEO Max Munro. "At the same time, we want to foster an internship program that connects the youth with professionals in the field of production who can help them identify their interests and develop their strengths.

"These opportunities are key to helping young people transition from college to career. We are committed to continuing to invest in this internship to fuel a pipeline of production professionals for the next generation."

The students - from various backgrounds - assisted in the successful production of the 2016 Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival festivities, namely the mega-concert on May 6th with the Music Masters finale as well as performances by musical artists Wyclef Jean and Destra Garcia.

The paid work program is also the initial phase of a greater initiative with The College of The Bahamas that will eventually equip students with the skills to operate the school's performing arts center. The second phase of the program will allow several students to intern with UBI for a period of six months learning the creative field of production.

The demand for this year's production was so great, however, that expansions were made to include students at BTVI as well as other youth.

"I was home not really doing anything when I saw the ad asking for people to apply," said Miguel Newbold. "This opportunity was perfect for me because I always wanted to do live stage production. It was a lot of long and tedious work and required team effort. But it opened my eyes to a lot of things I never thought I would have done on that big of a scale."

It is the kind of experience Munro - a Bahamian-born producer who has grown into one of the world's leading professionals in the field - said UBI wants to provide every year.

"As this festival grows with UBI, so will this internship program," he added.

Students left the program excited about the connections they made and the new skills they acquired.

"I don't think any of us thought about what it took to get Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival off the ground, but the internship experience with Unique Bahamas really opened our eyes to the field of production," said COB journalism major Shawn Gomez. "We may be from a small island but we can do productions on a big scale.

"I think more things like this would be good for young people to realize that there are fields out there other than working in the tourism industry, in the hotels, working in a bank, or being a nurse or doctor. I am thankful for the opportunity and I just wish more young people in The Bahamas would have a chance to take advantage of the opportunity like I did."

The college junior is now looking forward to applying her new skills to other projects. It was the kind of real world experience that BTVI student Roy Hepburn asserted could not be "paid for".

"Giving this opportunity to younger adults would inspire them to go and learn and master the industry so that talented and certified Bahamians can come back and start their own businesses," he added.

"Over the past several days, the knowledge that was imparted to me by industry professionals was priceless and I commend UBI for giving this opportunity to the younger generation of Bahamians that are interested in the entertainment industry."

To see clips of the students during production, please log onto the UBI Facebook page: UBINassau.


Some of the UBI interns take a break from preparing for last Friday's concert.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian

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