The Savannah College of Art and Design alumni go on to work at some of the most prominent studios in the animation industry including Netflix, Epic Games, Pixar, Nickelodeon, Dreamworks, Amazon, and more. Starting today, for the first time ever, the Savannah College of Art and Design will host the acclaimed annual AnimationFest virtually.

The SCADFILM festival programming will provide innovative and insightful content every hour on the hour throughout the two-day virtual festival, using leading streaming technology and event management platforms. The Two-day virtual festival Sept-25-26 features exclusive screenings, panel discussions, visual presentations and top talent.

To purchase a pass CLICK HERE

SCAD leadership has worked with renowned creatives and studios to bring dynamic programming that represents many of the university’s top ranked degree programs including animation, visual effect, motion media design, film & television, and interactive design and game development. The programming will also showcase many SCAD alumni who have become leaders in their creative careers, as well as standout student work.

SCAD AnimationFest 2020 full schedule of programming can be found at http://scad.edu/animationfest. Programming highlights for AnimationFest 2020 include: 

The Making of Amazon Studios’ Undone 

Join Undone co-creators Raphael Bob-Waksberg & Kate Purdy as they detail the creative process that culminated in the creation of this groundbreaking and genre-bending animated series about a young woman’s complex journey to unlock her past and solve the mystery of her father’s death. 

A Conversation with Avatar: The Last Airbender creator Bryan Konietzk In the summer of 2020, “Avatar: The Last Airbender” made Netflix history as the first series to spend 65 days in the top 10. The Peabody-winning series, which centers around 12-year old Aang as he discovers the power and responsibility of being an Avatar and the last of the Airbenders, first ran on Nickelodeon from 2005-2008 and is enjoying tremendous success. The series has launched graphic novels, video games, and a sequel, “The Legend of Korra.” Join creator Bryan Konietzko as he breaks down how different roles of the dynamic creative team contribute to the enduring success of this remarkably successful series. 

Framestore presents: Behind The FX of HBO’s Lovecraft Country 

When the team adapting Matt Ruff’s Lovecraft Country for television started to take stock of all the creatures and mythos from the works of Lovecraft that would need to be realised, they called on Framestore as a creative partner well-versed in bringing to life the unimaginable. Working closely with the producers and showrunner Misha Green, Framestore provided a wide range of VFX which can be seen throughout the ten part HBO series. Join members of the visual effects and animation team in conversation about this innovative series. 

Behind The Scenes Conversation: CBS All Access‘ STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS with creator Mike McMahan and series animators 

Join series creator, executive producer and showrunner Mike McMahan (“Rick and Morty,” “Solar Opposites”) and series animators and writers in conversation about the creation and development of the Star Trek Universe’s first animated comedy series, CBS All Access’ STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS. The new half-hour animated series focuses on the support crew serving on one of Starfleet’s least important ships, the U.S.S. Cerritos, in 2380. 

SCAD Animation Studio Presents: The Making of Bearly 

Bearly is the first film created by the SCAD Animation Studios, a recently launched student run Animation Studio. Each year a film is created and produced in a year-long collaborative with students in professional roles including lead animator, producer, visual development artist, story artists, 2D and 3D animators, lighters, compositors and

more — all positions that mirror the industry roles they will soon occupy. Join SCAD chair of animation, Chris Gallagher, and some of the film leads to hear more about the making of Bearly, a musical film about a bear who fights the natural instincts of hibernation to explore the world and discover the beauty of the changing seasons. 

Panel Discussion: The Women of Animation 

As the industry continues to move away from the traditionally male-dominated leadership model, more women than ever are making programming, production, and development decisions. Learn how the pursuit of equal representation in all the creative and business departments has led to explosive success for animated series and features and blows open the door for future creatives to bring unique voices to storytelling. 

A Look Back: Celebrating the FX of How To Train Your Dragon 

In the 10 years since “How To Train Your Dragon” won critical and box office success for Dreamworks, there have been two additional movies and a spin-off series. Join Head of FX for Dreamworks, Jason Mayer (MFA Computer Art;) along with fellow SCAD alumni Steven Schweickart and Ashraf Ghoneim as they go behind the scenes of this award-winning franchise to discuss their work on the original film. 

SCAD leadership researched and is partnering with leading technology platforms to provide a multi-faceted and engaging virtual experience for all attendees, using a combination of Cinesend, Perigon, and SquadUp. SCAD will stream the entire festival live, offering screenings through privacy-protected platforms.

● Cinesend: A cloud-based distribution and streaming platform with needed piracy controls and integration for all streaming digital content.

● Perigon: A virtual events platform that allows real-time content delivery with sophisticated functionality and execution.

● SquadUp: A mobile ticketing, event management, and audience engagement platform that allows mobile registration and integration with other platforms and apps.

Passes for the two-day festival will be available for purchase on September 15, 2020. SCAD AnimationFest attendees will be able to register and purchase festival passes through a single gateway that will give them unified access across multiple devices to all sessions in the festival. Every hour of programming will also have a dedicated internal producer to ensure top-quality streaming execution and interaction. Passholders will have the opportunity to experience the festival across multiple devices and choose where and how to enjoy the content.

For more information please visit: https://www.scad.edu/scadfilm/festivals/animationfest2020

SCAD: The University for Creative Careers

The Savannah College of Art and Design is a private, nonprofit, accredited university, offering more than 100 academic degree programs in more than 40 majors across its locations in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia; Lacoste, France; and online via SCAD eLearning.

SCAD enrolls more than 15,000 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 100 countries. The innovative SCAD curriculum is enhanced by advanced professional-level technology, equipment, and learning resources, as well as opportunities for internships, professional certifications, and collaborative projects with corporate partners. In 2019, the prestigious Red Dot Design Rankings placed SCAD as the No. 1 university in the U.S. for the third consecutive year. Also in 2019, The Rookies ranked SCAD as the Best 3D Motion Graphics School for the fourth consecutive year. Career preparation is woven into every fiber of the university, resulting in a superior alumni employment rate.