‘Inception’ Tops Visual Effects Society Awards

Inception took top honors at the ninth annual Visual Effects Society Awards, winning the top category of outstanding visual effects in a VFX-driven feature, as well as three other awards.

How to Train Your Dragon swept the feature animation categories, winning a total of three, including outstanding animation in an animated feature, at the ceremony held Tuesday night at the Beverly Hilton.

Additional winners in the feature categories included Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 and Hereafter. Hereafter won outstanding supporting visual effects in a feature, and Harry Potter won outstanding animated character in a live-action feature.

The VES Awards point the way toward the eventual winner of the best visual effects Oscar. Each year since the VES Awards were established in 2002, the winner in the top category has gone on to win the visual effects Oscar, with just two exceptions. In 2005, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban won the VES Award, and Spider-Man 2 earned the corresponding Oscar, and in 2008, Transformers won the VES Award, and The Golden Compass claimed the Oscar with a surprise win.

In past years, the Academy’s visual effects branch nominated three films in the category. This year for the first time, the Academy nominated five in the VFX category, and insiders will be watching how this broader selection might affect the outcome of the Oscar race.

At the VES Awards, Christopher Nolan was also honored as the recipient of the inaugural VES Visionary Award and Ray Harryhausen was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Patton Oswalt hosted the ceremony, during which awards were presented in more than 20 competition categories that spanned features, TV, commercials and games.

 

The following is the complete list of winners of the 9th Annual VES Awards:

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual-Effects Driven Feature Motion Picture
Inception
Paul Franklin, Chris Corbould, Mike Chambers, Matthew Plummer

Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Feature Motion Picture
Hereafter
Michael Owens, Joel Mendias, Bryan Grill, Danielle Plantec

Outstanding Animation in an Animated Feature Motion Picture
How to Train Your Dragon
Simon Otto, Craig Ring, Bonnie Arnold         

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Broadcast Miniseries, Movie or a Special
The Pacific
John Sullivan, David Taritero, William Mesa, Marco Requay

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Broadcast Series
Caprica
Michael Gibson, Gary Hutzel, Davey Morton, Jesse Mesa Toves

Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Broadcast Program        
Boardwalk Empire
Robert Stromberg, Dave Taritero, Richard Friedlander, Paul Graff  

Outstanding Achievement in an Animated Short
Day & Night
Teddy Newton, Kevin Reher, Michael Fu, Tom Gately          

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Live Action Commercial
Halo: Reach
Dan Glass, Dan Seddon, Matt Dessero, Stephanie Gilgar   

Outstanding Animated Commercial
Cadbury’s Spots V Stripes
Jake Mengers, Julie Evans, Jorge Montiel Meurer, Michael Gregory

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project
King Kong 360 3D
Matt Aitken, Kevin Sherwood, Eric Reynolds, R. Christopher White

Outstanding Real-Time Visual Effects in a Video Game
Halo: Reach
Marcus Lehto, Joseph Tung, Stephen Scott, CJ Cowan      

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Video Game Trailer
World of Warcraft
Marc Messenger, Phillip Hillenbrand, Jr.        

Outstanding Animated Character in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 – Dobby
Mathieu Vig, Ben Lambert, Laurie Brugger, Marine Poirson
 

Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature Motion Picture
How to Train Your Dragon – Toothless
Gabe Hordos, Cassidy Curtis, Mariette Marinus, Brent Watkins      
 

Outstanding Animated Character in a Broadcast Program or Commercial
Citron C3 The Spacebox – Citro
Michael Nauzin, Anne Chatelain, Gregory Mougne, Cedric Nicolas  
           
Outstanding Animated Character in a Video Game
StarCraft II – Sarah Kerrigan
Fausto De Martini, Xin Wang, Glenn Ramos, Scott Lange   
 

Outstanding Effects Animation in an Animated Feature Motion Picture
How to Train Your Dragon
Andy Hayes, Laurent Kermel, Jason Mayer, Brett Miller       

Outstanding Created Environment in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture
Inception – Paris Dreamscape
Bruno Baron, Dan Neal, Graham Page, Per Mork-Jensen   

Outstanding Created Environment in a Live Action Broadcast Program
The Pacific – The Battle of Iwo Jima
Marco Recuay, Morgan McDermott, Nick Lund-Ulrich          

Outstanding Models & Miniatures in a Feature Motion Picture
Inception – Hospital Fortress Destruction
Ian Hunter, Scott Beverly, Forest Fischer, Robert Spurlock

Outstanding Models & Miniatures in a Broadcast Program or Commercial
Boardwalk Empire – The Ivory Tower
J. John Corbett, Matthew Conner, Brendan Fitzgerald

Outstanding Compositing in a Feature Motion Picture
Inception
Astrid Busser-Casas, Scott Pritchard, Jan Maroske, George Zwier

Outstanding Compositing in a Broadcast Program or Commercial
The Pacific – Peleliu landing
Jeremy Nelson, John P. Mesa, Dan Novy, Tyler Cote

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Student Project
LOOM
Regina Welker, Jan Bitzer, Ilija Brunck, Csaba Letay