Variety will publish its third annual 10 Artisans to Watch list on Oct. 23 and recognize the honorees at this year’s SCAD Savannah Film Festival.
As Variety continues to bring the work of the artisans to the forefront of coverage, the 10 selected will be spotlighted in a panel conversation at the festival moderated by Variety senior artisans editor Jazz Tangcay. The list will include artisans across cinematography, costume design, editing, hair and makeup, production design, sound editing and design and visual effects.
“At SCAD, we have a proud tradition of celebrating the artisans whose expertise is essential to Hollywood’s success and nurturing the next generation of these exceptional creatives. For the third year in a row, we are delighted to partner with Variety to honor the artisans to watch who excel in their craft, transforming cinema into an extraordinary visual experience. And to continue our support of the artisan community, we’re excited this year to debut the outstanding achievement in casting award,” said SCAD Savannah Film Festival executive director Christina Routhier.
In tribute to SCAD’s longstanding tradition of promoting the work of casting directors, the SCAD Savannah Film Festival will present its first Outstanding Achievement in Casting Award this year. SCAD is home to the only on-site, professionally run casting office in higher education — connecting SCAD students to film and television productions in Georgia, New York, Los Angeles, and beyond.
Added Tangcay, “SCAD Savannah Film Festival has become a special partnership for Variety and for the work of artisans. As we enter our third year, honoring rising artisans in their field at the festival has become a major stop in the awards campaign calendar.” Tangcay continued, “There are a plethora of talented artisans and last year we received hundreds of submissions. So, to see James Price go on to win the Oscar was such a moment to celebrate with the SCAD Team. It’s a joy to watch our artisans go on to their next adventures, but also to be able to sit down with the students and hear their process in a place that shows such strong support for the artisans and the community.”
The 10 Artisans to Watch conversation will highlight the behind-the-scenes artists that are invaluable to this year’s best films and TV shows.
Previous Artisans to Watch recipients included artisans from Barbie,” “Saltburn” and “Poor Things” and small screen projects including “The Last of Us” and “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.” Last year’s production design honoree James Price went on to win the Oscar for his work on the Yorgos Lanthimos film “Poor Things.”
Previous honorees at the festival include Kenneth Branagh, Emerald Fennell, Brendan Fraser and Ava DuVernay. The festival celebrates cinematic creativity from both award-winning professionals and emerging student filmmakers. Each year, more than 63,000 people attend the eight-day festival, which hosts a wide variety of feature-length and short-form competition film screenings, special screenings, workshops and panels.
Following last year’s successful launch, the SCAD Savannah Film Festival and Amazon MGM Studios will partner again for the LGBTQIA+ Short Films competition. This collaborative effort offers a platform for emerging queer filmmakers to share their stories and gain mentorship and exposure. Submission deadline for the 2024 competition is June 30. Juried winner takes home a $10,000 prize and the Audience Award winner receives $5,000.
Variety is looking for rising artisans in the aforementioned fields who are in the awards race this season. Submissions are due Aug. 29 via this form.
