Variety will host its third annual “Pixels and Pencils” series at this year’s SCAD Savannah Film Festival on Monday, Oct. 28. The panel, featuring directors of some of the year’s most celebrated animated feature films, is presented in partnership with the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). Moderated by Clayton Davis, Variety’s senior awards editor, the event will showcase a diverse range of animation styles and artistic approaches, culminating in a roundtable discussion with the directors.
This year’s lineup of films and directors includes:
- “Flow” (Sideshow/Janus Films) – Director Gints Zilbalodis
- “Inside Out 2” (Walt Disney/Pixar) – Director Kelsey Mann
- “Memoir of a Snail” (IFC Films) – Director Adam Elliot
- “Piece By Piece” (Focus Features) – Director Morgan Neville
- “Transformers One” (Paramount Pictures) – Director Josh Cooley
- “The Wild Robot” (Universal Pictures/DreamWorks Animation) – Writer/Director Chris Sanders
Last year’s “Pixels and Pencils” panel featured Academy Award nominees Peter Sohn (“Elemental”), Nick Bruno and Troy Quane (“Nimona”), and Joaquim Dos Santos, Justin K. Thompson, and Kemp Powers (“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”). In 2022, the lineup included eventual nominees Dean Flesicher-Camp (“Marcel the Shell with Shoes On”), Joel Crawford (“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”) and Domee Shi (“Turning Red”).
As part of the festival, three-time Academy Award nominee Chris Sanders, writer and director of DreamWorks Animation’s “The Wild Robot,” will be honored with the Icon of Animation Award. Sanders is a renowned figure in the animation industry, having worked as a story artist on classics like “The Rescuers Down Under.” He co-wrote, storyboarded, and directed “Lilo & Stitch” with Dean DeBlois, earning his first Oscar nomination, which was followed by “How to Train Your Dragon” (2010) and “The Croods” (2013). Throughout his career, he has been recognized by ASIFA-Hollywood 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.
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 contributors 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”; and Jinguang Huang (M.F.A., visual effects, 2017), senior effects artist on “Kung Fu Panda 4” and “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.”
“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.”
Added Davis, “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.”
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.
