That’s a Wrap on SCAD TVfest 2024

Once a year, Hollywood creators, cast members, and stars visit SCAD Atlanta to share industry insights and behind the scenes stories at SCAD TVfest, which celebrates the latest and greatest in TV and streaming with headlining screenings and Q&As for SCAD students, working professionals, and the Atlanta community.

The 12th annual SCAD TVfest premiered over four days from Feb. 7–10, 2024, featuring a stellar list of honorees: Matt Bomer (Fellow Travelers), Joel Kim Booster (Loot), Kelsey Grammer (Frasier), George Lopez (Lopez vs. Lopez), Sonequa Martin-Green (Star Trek: Discovery), Charlotte Stoudt (The Morning Show), Josie Totah (The Buccaneers), and Ken Watanabe (Tokyo Vice). These honorees attended screenings of their shows and participated in conversations highlighting their performances and illustrious careers.

The second day of the festival featured a screening of a second season episode of Hallmark Channel’s The Way Home, a gripping drama that immediately drew me in with its powerful narrative. The Way Home follows three generations of strong, independent women — Kat, Alice, and Del — as they navigate estrangement and life-changing events. Directed by a team of talented filmmakers, the series transported the audience on a moving journey while shedding light on generational aspects with mystery and suspense. The screening was followed by a discussion with extraordinary panelists, including the show's executive producers and cast members Chyler Leigh (Kat Landry), Evan Williams (Elliot Augustine), and Sadie Laflamme-Snow (Alice Dhawan).

To craft the narrative, the mother-daughter duo, co-creators, co-showrunners, and executive producers Heather Conkie and Alexandra Clarke described that imagining characters like animals and personifying their traits provided a unique perspective on the creative process. Marly Reed, executive producer, cited Lewis Carroll's 1865 novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its 1871 sequel Through the Looking Glass as literary influences for season one and two storylines.

With the rise of generative AI and the entertainment industry's attempts to determine its role in production and distribution, the panel Razorfish: AI and the Future of TV discussed the next wave of digital media innovation.

Led by Razorfish senior vice president and creative innovation lead Brian Brown and XR director David Najarian, the panel delved into emerging technology platforms like Apple Vision Pro, content demands of interactive television, and its potential to shape the future of storytelling. From moodboards to concept testing, the integration of AI was showcased as a transformative force, revolutionizing everything from content creation to marketing strategies. Examples from popular shows like Stranger Things and True Detective demonstrated how AI is being used to enhance storytelling and audience engagement, providing a glimpse into the possibilities that lie ahead. The panelists' insights into the intersection of technology and creativity left a lasting impression on me, highlighting the importance of embracing innovation in an ever-changing industry. Additionally, they shared a quote by musician and superproducer Brian Eno from 1995: “Whatever you now find weird, ugly, uncomfortable and nasty about a new medium (of technology) will surely become its signature.” A timely insight in the age of artificial intelligence.

Concluding day three, attendees enjoyed to a screening of a season three episode of Apple TV+’s hit The Morning Show. The critically acclaimed series explores the cutthroat world of morning news and the lives of the people who help America wake up in the morning. Following the screening, Variety TV editor Michael Schneider moderated a conversation with showrunner and executive producer Charlotte Stoudt, the recipient of the Variety Showrunner Award, and actor Nicole Beharie.?

“TV is all about character and relationships,” Stoudt said. “Whether you’re writing a thriller or workplace dramedy, it’s always the same question: ‘why do we care about these people?” When asked about writing scenes oscillating between severe and funny, she calls “the tonal slide” the “fun part of writing for the show.”?

From shaping character arcs to navigating complex storylines, Stoudt emphasized the importance of dreaming bigger: “You never know,” she said. “You can go much further than you kind of ever dreamed. I'm sitting here today. It's proof that anything can happen.”?

Beharie concluded the Q&A with a heartfelt reminder to the students in attendance: “If people support you, thank them,” she said. “I didn't dream as big as the people around me who were dreaming for me and letting me know it was possible in a way.”

SCAD TVfest 2024 was enriching and inspiring, offering a glimpse into the dynamic world of television production and the endless possibilities that lie ahead. Each event provided valuable insights and sparked thought-provoking discussions that keep students, alums, and creative professionals in step with the trends, content, and changing technology that drives this booming, multibillion-dollar television and media industries. To launch your career in the film and television industry, learn more about the SCAD School of Film and Acting.

Written by Surabhi Khare (M.F.A. advertising)