LOS ANGELES, Calif. () — On Friday, Variety magazine revealed it will once again spotlight 10 notable Artisans to Watch at the 2025 SCAD Savannah Film Festival.
The 10 chosen will participate in a panel conversation moderated by Variety senior artisans editor Jazz Tangcay.
This distinguished group will encompass professionals from various crafts such as cinematography, costume design, editing, and others. Notably, this year marks the first inclusion opportunity for casting directors, as the Academy is set to acknowledge casting with an award in 2026.
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SAVANNAH, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 23: (L-R) Matt Yocum, Kaitlyn Yang, Anthony Willis, James Shirley, Carol Rasheed, James Price, Shabier Kirshner, Nick Houy, Melissa Forney, Domique Dawson and Jazz Tangcay pose onstage at Variety’s 10 Artisans to Watch Panel during the 26th SCAD Savannah Film Festival at SCAD Museum of Art Theater on October 23, 2023 in Savannah, Georgia. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SCAD) -
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 29: Jazz Tangcay speaks onstage at the Variety’s 10 Artisans to Watch panel during the 27th SCAD Savannah Film Festival on October 29, 2024 in Savannah, Georgia. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for SCAD) -
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 29: (L-R) Danielle Immerman, Jade Healy and Julie Diaz speak onstage at the Variety’s 10 Artisans to Watch panel during the 27th SCAD Savannah Film Festival on October 29, 2024 in Savannah, Georgia. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for SCAD) -
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 29: (L-R) Paul Tazewell, Andrea Datzman, Danielle Immerman, Steve Newburn, Suzanne Stokes-Munton, Julie Diaz, Devendra Cleary, Sofía Subercaseaux and Jade Healy attend Variety’s 10 Artisans to Watch panel during the 27th SCAD Savannah Film Festival on October 29, 2024 in Savannah, Georgia. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for SCAD)
Christina Routhier, the executive director of the SCAD Savannah Film Festival, expressed to Variety, “At SCAD, we’re immensely proud to celebrate the creative minds working behind the scenes whose skills are crucial to the enchantment of Hollywood, while also supporting the upcoming wave of outstanding talent. For the fourth consecutive year, we’re delighted to collaborate with Variety to highlight these artisans to watch — those whose expertise turns storytelling into unforgettable cinematic experiences.”
Tangcay added, “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.”
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 is looking for artisans who are in the awards race this season. Submissions are due by August 22, 2025, and can be submitted here.
