Variety’s 2025 Artisans to Watch Include ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters’ Songwriter, ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ Assistant Art Director and More

Variety has announced its 10 Artisans to Watch, shining a spotlight on the dedicated craftspeople whose work was essential to recent high-profile films such as “Sinners,” “F1,” and “One Battle After Another.” This list has a history of recognizing future award winners, evidenced by recent honorees like James Price and Paul Tazewell going on to win Academy Awards. The recognized artisans will be honored at the SCAD Savannah Film Festival for their achievements. The article features profiles of several honorees, including Durald Arkapaw, the first woman to shoot on 65mm, who collaborated with Ryan Coogler on “Sinners” and aims to inspire future female cinematographers. Another featured artisan is Berg, assistant art director on the demanding “Avatar” sequels, who praised James Cameron's meticulous approach to world-building. Songwriter EJAE, who co-wrote hits for the fictional K-pop group in “KPOP Demon Hunters,” highlighted the advantage of being bilingual in her lyrical work, while editor Jurgensen discussed the daunting but ambitious nature of editing Paul Thomas Anderson’s new film, “One Battle After Another.”