Variety to Honor 10 Artisans to Watch at SCAD Savannah Film Festival
Variety will publish its fourth annual 10 Artisans to Watch list on Oct. 22 and recognize the honorees at this year’s SCAD Savannah Film Festival.
As Variety continues to elevate artisans in its 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 fields set to include cinematography, costume design, editing, hair and makeup, production design, sound editing and design and visual effects. In alignment with the Academy’s decision to honor casting in 2026, Variety will be looking for rising casting directors to potentially honor.
“At SCAD, we are so proud to honor the behind-the-scenes visionaries whose artistry is vital to the magic of Hollywood, while championing the next generation of exceptional talent. For the fourth year in a row, we are thrilled to partner with Variety to spotlight the artisans to watch — those whose mastery elevates storytelling into unforgettable cinematic experiences,” said Christina Routhier, executive director of the SCAD Savannah Film Festival.
Added Tangcay, “The SCAD Savannah Film Festival is special to the Variety team. I’m excited to honor and elevate artisans here and to see where their journey takes them. This year is proving to be an exciting year for rising artisans. I’m looking forward to sharing their stories at the festival. We’ve had a few honorees go on to win an Oscar. Just a few weeks ago, SCAD alum and artisan honoree Julie Diaz’s name was spotted among the ‘Superman’ credits. It really is a special partnership, and we’re excited to bring casting into the mix this year.”
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 honorees included artisans from “Barbie,” “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” and “Wicked,” and series including “The Last of Us” and “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.”
Variety will also honor an artisan for their creative impact. This will be announced at a later date. And Chief Awards Editor Clayton Davis will be hosting his Pixels and Pencils panel during the festival.
Previous honorees at the festival include Kenneth Branagh, Amy Adams, Brendan Fraser, Demi Moore 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.
Variety is looking for rising artisans in the aforementioned fields who are in the awards race this season. Submissions are due Aug. 22 via this form.
As Variety continues to elevate artisans in its 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 fields set to include cinematography, costume design, editing, hair and makeup, production design, sound editing and design and visual effects. In alignment with the Academy’s decision to honor casting in 2026, Variety will be looking for rising casting directors to potentially honor.
“At SCAD, we are so proud to honor the behind-the-scenes visionaries whose artistry is vital to the magic of Hollywood, while championing the next generation of exceptional talent. For the fourth year in a row, we are thrilled to partner with Variety to spotlight the artisans to watch — those whose mastery elevates storytelling into unforgettable cinematic experiences,” said Christina Routhier, executive director of the SCAD Savannah Film Festival.
Added Tangcay, “The SCAD Savannah Film Festival is special to the Variety team. I’m excited to honor and elevate artisans here and to see where their journey takes them. This year is proving to be an exciting year for rising artisans. I’m looking forward to sharing their stories at the festival. We’ve had a few honorees go on to win an Oscar. Just a few weeks ago, SCAD alum and artisan honoree Julie Diaz’s name was spotted among the ‘Superman’ credits. It really is a special partnership, and we’re excited to bring casting into the mix this year.”
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 honorees included artisans from “Barbie,” “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” and “Wicked,” and series including “The Last of Us” and “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.”
Variety will also honor an artisan for their creative impact. This will be announced at a later date. And Chief Awards Editor Clayton Davis will be hosting his Pixels and Pencils panel during the festival.
Previous honorees at the festival include Kenneth Branagh, Amy Adams, Brendan Fraser, Demi Moore 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.
Variety is looking for rising artisans in the aforementioned fields who are in the awards race this season. Submissions are due Aug. 22 via this form.