Oscar-winning production designer Patrice Vermette has been selected to receive Variety’s Creative Impact in Production Design Award during the upcoming SCAD Savannah Film Festival. The announcement highlights Vermette’s pivotal role in shaping the visual landscapes of major blockbuster films.
Vermette is widely recognized as the frequent collaborator of director Denis Villeneuve, having served as the production designer on “Sicario,” “Arrival,” and all three installments of the “Dune” series. His accolades include a Academy Award victory for his work on “Dune: Part One” in 2022, following four nominations throughout his career.
Villeneuve praised Vermette’s meticulous approach, describing him as a “workaholic” whose extensive preparation and focus on detail are essential to their filmmaking process. “Patrice put his imprint on every set, every detail, even the way the sand is seen,” Villeneuve said. He noted that the sheer scale of some productions required building sets outdoors due to their size, and expressed gratitude for securing Vermette’s talent despite initial concerns from studios about the designer’s experience with features of that magnitude.
Christina Routhier, senior executive director of the SCAD Savannah Film Festival, emphasized the educational value of the honor. “SCAD is thrilled to recognize Patrice Vermette with the Variety Creative Impact Award,” Routhier stated. “Patrice is a true visionary whose architectural brilliance and breathtaking scope have redefined modern world-building in cinema. For our SCAD students, learning firsthand from an Oscar-winning icon whose work creates living, breathing environments will be an unforgettable experience.”
The award will be presented at the SCAD Savannah Film Festival, which runs from Oct. 24 through Oct. 31, 2026. Organized by the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), the event is recognized as the largest university-run film festival globally and one of the most significant in the Southeast. The eight-day festival attracts more than 74,000 attendees and features exclusive screenings, panels, and workshops held at SCAD’s historic theaters and professional studio spaces.
SCAD’s production design program prepares students for careers in film, television, live theater, and themed entertainment. Participants gain access to professional soundstages, Broadway-style theaters, LED volume technology, fabrication facilities, and an 11-acre backlot featuring over 50 facades and practical interiors. Many alumni have gone on to work with major industry leaders such as 20th Century Studios, HBO, NBCUniversal, and Walt Disney Imagineering.
Villeneuve calling him a workaholic is the highest compliment possible. You need that obsession for that level of detail.
Is this the full ceremony or just the award presentation? Would love to know if there will be a Q&A session too.
SCAD students are so lucky to learn from someone who physically builds these worlds. What an incredible mentorship opportunity!
Vermette is a genius. The sand textures in Dune were unlike anything I have ever seen on screen before.