Mark Hamill, Brendan Fraser and more bring energy to day five of SCAD Film Festival

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - The force was with WTOC on day five of the SCAD Film Festival — with Mark Hamill, Brendan Fraser, and more.

WTOC talked to a myriad of people Wednesday — directors, actors, and even a couple of SCAD alums — and they were all enthusiastic about the festival. But probably the most excited was Tyriq Withers, who recently starred in Jordan Peele’s new film 'HIM’ and grew up just a few hours away in Jacksonville.

“It is a full-circle moment that one of my projects that I had the pleasure of screening at was SCAD Savannah Film Festival, so I’m just blessed to be here,” said Withers.

Withers said he always enjoys time in Savannah and used to frequent the area for soccer camps growing up.

Mark Hamill, known most for playing Luke Skywalker and The Joker, was given the Lifetime Achievement Award. With Savannah’s haunted history, he shared that a lifetime goal of his is to uncover the supernatural.

Hamill: “I’ve never seen a ghost.”

Reporter: “Well, you might see one here.”

Hamill: “Well, I hope so — I want to see one. I never have.”

Paranormal aside, Hamill also spoke about remaining consistent throughout his long career.

“A lot of it’s just luck. You can’t really control things unless you’re Tom Cruise or something — you just kinda go with the flow,” Hamill said. “I think people realize that I’m flexible. I’m not set in my ways like, ‘Oh, I can’t do this, it’s too silly.’ I like to experiment.”

WTOC also spoke with Hikari, director of Rental Family, who’s visiting the Southeast for the first time and said she’s enjoyed her three days in Savannah.

“Everybody’s so genuinely kind, and even the students are so open,” Hikari said. “I love all the students, they’re so great, just so willing to go out there and do their own thing. I really hope I can be a supporter for that.”

WTOC even spoke to a couple of SCAD graduates, including Virginia Berg, who helped design the visuals for hit films Avatar and Dune.

“That’s how I want to see every movie, surrounded by SCAD students. Everyone is so enthusiastic, hyped up, and passionate,” Berg said. “It’s just contagious. You feel it in your bones. They are the cool kids for sure.”

It would be wrong not to mention the creativity SCAD students showed throughout the day.

Many brought handmade items for award winners to sign from niche movie posters to phone covers, and even their appendages.

You can check out more from Brendan Fraser and others on Morning Break with Camille Syed at 9 a.m. Thursday.