Celebrating animation at the SCAD Savannah Film Festival

A spotlight on animated brilliance

The SCAD Savannah Film Festival is set to host its third annual “Pixels and Pencils” series on Monday, Oct. 28. This event, presented in collaboration with the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), will feature directors of some of the year’s most acclaimed animated films. Moderated by Clayton Davis, a senior awards editor, the panel will explore a variety of animation styles and artistic techniques, culminating in a roundtable discussion with the directors.

This year’s featured films and directors

The lineup for this year’s “Pixels and Pencils” includes:

Flow (Sideshow/Janus Films) – Directed by Gints Zilbalodis
Inside Out 2 (Walt Disney/Pixar) – Directed by Kelsey Mann
Memoir of a Snail (IFC Films) – Directed by Adam Elliot
Piece By Piece (Focus Features) – Directed by Morgan Neville
Transformers One (Paramount Pictures) – Directed by Josh Cooley
The Wild Robot (Universal Pictures/DreamWorks Animation) – Directed by Chris Sanders

Reflecting on past panels

Last year’s “Pixels and Pencils” panel featured notable Academy Award nominees such as Peter Sohn for “Elemental,” Nick Bruno and Troy Quane for “Nimona,” and the trio Joaquim Dos Santos, Justin K. Thompson, and Kemp Powers for “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” The 2022 lineup included eventual nominees Dean Flesicher-Camp for “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On,” Joel Crawford for “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” and Domee Shi for “Turning Red.”

Honoring Chris Sanders

As part of the festival, three-time Academy Award nominee Chris Sanders, the writer and director of DreamWorks Animation’s “The Wild Robot,” will be honored with the Icon of Animation Award. Sanders is a distinguished figure in the animation industry, having contributed to classics like “The Rescuers Down Under.” He co-wrote, storyboarded, and directed “Lilo & Stitch” with Dean DeBlois, earning his first Oscar nomination, followed by “How to Train Your Dragon” (2010) and “The Croods” (2013). Throughout his career, Sanders has been recognized with four Annie Awards and numerous other accolades worldwide. SCAD will also celebrate the 30th anniversary of DreamWorks Animation with a special screening of “How to Train Your Dragon” on Sunday, Oct. 27, with Sanders in attendance.

SCAD alumni panel

In addition, a panel featuring SCAD alumni who have contributed to DreamWorks will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 30. The panel will include:

Jason Mayer (M.F.A., computer art, 2003), head of effects at DreamWorks Animation, and contributor to films like “Kung Fu Panda 4” and “The Wild Robot”
Emily Wimer (B.F.A., visual effects, 2018), lead lighting artist on “The Bad Guys” and “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”
Jinguang Huang (M.F.A., visual effects, 2017), senior effects artist on “Kung Fu Panda 4” and “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”

Celebrating animation’s impact

“SCAD is excited to recognize Chris Sanders with this year’s Icon of Animation Award at the 2024 SCAD Savannah Film Festival,” said Christina Routhier, executive director of the festival. “Chris has profoundly shaped the world of animation with generational favorite films like ‘Lilo & Stitch’ and ‘How to Train Your Dragon.’ Alongside a celebration of his upcoming project ‘The Wild Robot,’ we are thrilled that Chris will also be joining us for the ‘Pixels and Pencils: Top Animated Contenders Roundtable.’ Presented in partnership with Variety and Clayton Davis, this panel remains a rare opportunity for SCAD students and our audiences to learn directly from several of the industry’s most visionary storytellers.”

A vibrant community of artists

Clayton Davis added, “SCAD is a vibrant community of artists, students, and cinephiles who deeply admire and respect the art of animation, and I’m thrilled to be representing Variety and its continuation of this special partnership. Looking at this year’s roster of animated features, we are clearly witnessing one of the strongest fields in recent memory. Not only do many of these films deserve recognition for best animated features, but they also merit serious consideration for best picture. These artists should be celebrated for their invaluable contributions, which include record-breaking box office success, critical acclaim, and storytelling that resonates with audiences of all ages.”

Recognizing artisans

Variety will present its third annual “10 Artisans to Watch” list on Oct. 23, recognizing standout artists across various fields, including cinematography, costume design, editing, hair and makeup, production design, sound editing and design, and visual effects. The full festival lineup will be announced on Friday, Oct. 4.

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