JAMAICAN-BORN author Tilsa Wright has taken her trilogy book series Star Boy a step further, by turning it into a short animated film.

Done in conjunction with animator Stephen ‘Big Bomb’ Williamson, Star Boy was released July 10 and can be viewed on YouTube.

“Building an audience has proven to be very easy,” the New York-based author told the Jamaica Observer. “I am now awaiting funding from prospective sponsors I am reaching out to, to get more episodes online.”

To date, Wright said she has spent US$2,500 on the project.

Wright said she is fortunate that the production budget did not turn out as “big as it could have been” as she was able to negotiate a low-budget agreement and ‘barter’ some of the costs.

The American-based author said the idea for the animated shorts came about when she met Williamson through Reggae Film Festival’s director Barbara Blake-Hannah.

“I met Barbara Blake-Hannah thanks to a mutual contact early last year. Back then, I was promoting and sponsored a British web-series titled Dear Jesus,” she said.

Wanting to do something different, she embarked on the project as “animation is an all-time favourite among all age groups”.

Born in Kingston, Wright attended Camperdown High and migrated in 1995 at age 17.

Star Boy — written in 2012 and published by Amazon — tells the tale of star cricketer Brian Lane and his wife, Tania, and all the complications of being in an elite circle.

— Cecelia Campbell-Livingston