The Visual Effects Society (VES) has announced the nominees for the 5th Annual VES Awards, a gala event recognizing outstanding visual effects in 21 categories encompassing film, television, commercials, music videos and games. And while it’s no surprise that Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest is up for the award for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects Driven Motion Picture, it is interesting that it’s going up against two deserving films that were left off of the Academy’s short list this year’Paramount’s Charlotte’s Web and Warner Bros.’ The Fountain. Winners will be announced during the ceremony on Feb. 11 at the Kodak Grand Ballroom in Hollywood.
Charlotte’s Web also has two digital critters in the running for Outstanding Animated Character in a Live-Action Motion Picture. Wilbur the pig and Templeton the rat will take on Davy Jones from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest for the award. As for animated characters in animated movies, the nominees are Mater from Disney/Pixar’s Cars, the House from Sony’s Monster House and Mumble from Warner Bros.’ Happy Feet.
Pirates garnered a total of six nominations, more than any other film in contention. The pic is also up for Outstanding Created Environment in a Live Action Motion Picture, Outstanding Models and Miniatures in a Motion Picture, Outstanding Compositing in a Motion Picture, and Best Single Visual Effect of the Year. Other nominees in this last category are Universal’s Children of Men, Warner Bros.’ Poseidon and 20 Century Fox’s X-Men: The Last Stand.
The leader of the pack in the television categories is SCI FI Channel’s Battlestar Galactica. The critically acclaimed series is up for four awards, including Outstanding Visual Effects in a Broadcast Series. Also nominated in this category are Animal Planet’s Prehistoric Park and The CW’s Smallville.
Ubsoft’s Assassin’s Creed for PlayStation 3 leads in the video game categories, grabbing nominations for Outstanding Real-time Visuals and Outstanding Pre-Rendered Visuals. The title will face some tough competition in EA SPORTS’ Fight Night Round 3 for PlayStation 3, Flagship Studio’s Hellgate: London 2006 for PC and Namco Hometek’s Warhammer Fantasy.
Nominees were chosen on Saturday, Jan. 6, by a panel of more than 80 visual effects professionals, all VES members. VES executive director Eric Roth says they received 30% more submissions than they saw last year, with entries coming in from seven different countries. All nominees will be able demonstrate their effects prowess during the VES Show And Tell Event, taking place again at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles on Jan 13. The event is ree to all VES members and is open to the public at $20 per ticket.
‘The sophistication of the work increases constantly.’ says Jeff Okun, VES Awards Committee Chair. ‘We’re now at the point where even the industry professionals can’t tell what’s real and what’s a visual effect. Our Show and Tell gives the artists a chance to show their colleagues and the public what the current state of the art is. I know I always learn something new at this event and that’s what makes it vital to the concept of competing for awards. Our voters are educated.’
The complete list of 2007 VES Awards nominees can be found at www.vesawards.com.
Leave a Reply