The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) is proud to announce that SCAD AnimationFest returns to Atlanta Sept. 28-30, 2023. The highly anticipated three-day festival will be the first held at SCAD’s new 700-seat SCADshow theater. SCADFILM’s signature festival for digital media will feature sessions with top executives and creatives from Netflix, Gearbox, Cartoon Network Studios, FOX, Viva Kids, Animal Repair Shop, Crafty Apes, Artie, and FuseFX, as well as SCAD faculty and alumni at the forefront of animation, motion media design, and visual effects. This year, SCAD AnimationFest programming has expanded to include gaming and virtual production, industries that have intertwined to create a new transmedia entertainment world.
“As the nation’s biggest and best festival celebrating student animators and industry trends, SCAD AnimationFest shines in three-dimensional wonder — especially true this year, as SCAD unveils our state-of-the-art, 700-seat theater in the heart of Midtown,” said SCAD President and Founder Paula Wallace. “This screen is as colossal as SCAD’s student talent. It’s the perfect stage for the world premiere of The Last Dungeon, the latest triumph from SCAD Animation Studios and a collaborative marvel from more than forty SCAD Bees. Truly a masterpiece in motion!”
SCADFILM is honored to recognize Adam Muto as the 2023 Spotlight Award recipient for his innovative contributions to animation and entertainment. Muto will be presented with his award on Friday during a special screening event for his new Max series Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake, followed by a Q&A to share insights about his incredible journey in animation.
SCAD will also honor keynote speaker Theodore “Ted” Ty with the Outstanding Achievement in Animation Award at this year’s festival. Ty, the global head of character animation at DNEG Animation, will present a behind the scenes look at the popular Netflix movie Nimona, based on the acclaimed 2015 graphic novel by ND Stevenson.
On Saturday night, FOX will host an exclusive preview screening of their comedy Krapopolis, with members of the production team on hand to give attendees a behind-the-scenes look at the new animated series. Several highly anticipated sessions at SCAD AnimationFest feature work from students and faculty, including a preview of the new animated film Inspector Sun and the Curse of the Black Widow, which is followed by a Q&A with producer and SCAD film professor Jason Kaminsky and screenwriter Rocco Pucillo. An attendee favorite, this year’s Saturday Morning Cartoons session will feature Vooks animated stories and Tab Time episodes.
SCAD Animation Studios, the world’s only animation studio at a university, is excited to host the premiere screening of The Last Dungeon, the first student animated film to be created using Unreal Engine. A true SCAD collaboration, students from many different degree programs worked together on the production, including animation, visual effects, acting, and sound design students, to build a cohesive, harmonious score and riveting soundtrack that pulls the film together.
“This year, SCAD AnimationFest explores how technology is evolving beyond traditional definitions of animation to develop new and innovative transmedia storytelling,” said Leigh Seaman, senior executive director of SCADFILM. “As a top-ranked university in animation, interactive design and game development, visual effects, motion media design, illustration, and more, SCAD is uniquely qualified to host the best in the industry as presenters and mentors.”
SCADFILM Celebrates Animation in New 700-seat SCADshow Theater with Premiere Screenings, Panels with Industry Professionals, and Student and Faculty Project Spotlights SCAD AnimationFest to honor Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake executive producer Adam Muto and Nimona animation director Ted Ty Three-day festival returns to Atlanta Sept. 28-30
Dynamic conversations, presentations, and panels at SCAD AnimationFest include:
∙ Keynote by SCAD alum Aaron Deerfield, Lead Cinematics Animator at Gearbox: Constructing a Career in Transmedia
∙ Panel Discussion: Transforming the Peach State with FuseFX
∙ Panel Discussion: Industry Insights: Georgia’s Digital Boom
∙ Presentation: Innovating Game Night with Infinite Rabbit Holes
∙ Panel Discussion: Embrace the Rush: The Power of Emerging Tech
Talented SCAD students, faculty, and alumni will present their expertise and insights in sessions and screenings, including:
∙ SCAD Alumni Voices panel
∙ SCAD Animation Studios presents: The Making of The Last Dungeon
∙ SCAD Student Film Spotlight: The Making of Vainglorious
∙ Find Yourself On the Green: An Immersive Public Art Space with SCADpro
∙ SCAD Student Animation Showcase
SCAD AnimationFest passes will be available for sale Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. To purchase passes, view the full schedule, and explore other festival information, visit scad.edu/animationfest.
Animation is one of the largest and most popular of SCAD’s preeminent degree programs. The SCAD animation program has been named a top program in the U.S. by Animation Career Review yearly. Animation is joined by renowned motion media design and visual effects programs in the SCAD School of Animation and Motion, a powerhouse of academics, talent, and next-generation technology. Along with the SCAD School of Film and Acting, SCAD School of Creative Technology, and SCAD School of Visual Communication, these schools and academic disciplines exemplify SCAD’s reputation as the global leader for art and design in higher education and its mission to prepare students for creative careers.
SCAD AnimationFest is presented by SCADFILM, the university’s leading programmer of events for students and working professionals in animation, film and television, interactive game design, motion media design, virtual reality, and digital media arts.
