Over 150 Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) alumni worked on films nominated for this year’s Academy Awards.
According to a press release, former SCAD students worked on 18 films in contention for awards at the 95th Oscars ceremony, which airs this Sunday.
“I am thrilled to see this year’s incredible roster of talented alumni who are continuing to be a force in Hollywood, contributing to the biggest movies of the year,” said Andra Reeve-Rabb, dean of the SCAD School of Film and Acting, in a statement. “At SCAD our superpower is collaboration—our filmmakers work side-by-side with visual effects artists, animators join forces with sound designers. That collaboration doesn’t end at graduation—many of my former students are collaborating on extraordinary films that entertain and impact audiences across the world.”
According to the release, six SCAD alumni worked on “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” which is nominated for 11 Oscars and a strong front-runner to win Best Picture on Sunday night.
Those alumni include Amelia Brooke, who earned a BFA in film and television in 2008 and served as art director; Julie Diaz, who earned a BFA in sound design in 2016 and served as supervising ADR editor; Andrew Twite, who earned a BFA in sound design in 2006 and served as a supervising sound editor and a sound designer; and Brent Kiser, who earned a BFA in sound design in 2006 and served as a supervising sound editor.
“Man-oh-man, bringing this moving to life with sound was no small feat! Having the opportunity to work on a film like ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ is one of the reasons I fell in love and pursued a career as a sound editor and designer in the first place,” Twite said. “I am beyond proud to have contributed my creative voice to such a unique and beautiful movie, and I am certainly proud of our post sound crew and what we managed to accomplish.”
Diaz said directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (collectively known in the industry as “Daniels”) were wonderful collaborators even when it came to small details like ADR, which stands for “automated dialogue replacement,” and refers to the process of re-recording audio in a more controlled setting to be added in later.
“As a sound team, that included four more SCAD alumni, we were encouraged to ‘get weird’ to create all the mind-bending multiverse mania, and it was like being back at SCAD working with our friends,” Diaz said. “I am thrilled that this movie has made its impact on the world and I hope it does for many more years.”
There are plenty of other films represented at the ceremony where you can see the hard work of SCAD alumni on screen. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” includes the work of 29 SCAD graduates, such as lead visual effects artist Adam Wagner and specialty costume manufacturer Lindsay Hamilton. Wagner graduated with an MFA in film and television in 2018 while Hamilton graduated with a BFA in fashion in 2013.
James Cameron’s “Avatar: The Way of Water,” which is nominated for Best Picture, includes 22 SCAD alumni credits. Brittany Piacente, who graduated with a BFA in animation in 2012, served as a senior compositor on the film. Austin Bonang, who graduated with a BFA in computer art in 2005, served as visual effects supervisor. The film was a groundbreaking force in the area of visual effects, noted particularly for its ability to successfully do performance-capture underwater.
“Working on ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ was exciting and fast-paced,” Bonang said. “Getting the chance to work with some of the best filmmakers in the world, while utilizing groundbreaking tools in virtual production and visual effects, was a great privilege and an experience I will remember for my entire life.”
SCAD alumni also worked on all five films nominated for Best Animated Feature.
”From visual effects to costume design, SCAD alumni are always at the forefront of creative practice, working together to create ground-breaking cinematic experiences for audiences around the world,” said Danyl Bartlett, dean of the School of Animation and Motion, in a statement. “These nominations are testament to their hard work, and to the guidance and exceptional learning experiences provided by SCAD faculty. It is a joy to see SCAD alumni receive recognition from the Academy.”
The 95th Academy Awards will air Sunday March 12 at 8 p.m. on ABC.
