Their impact on the Oscars is felt in its top categories but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn about the strength of the competitors by the down-ballot selections.
VISUAL EFFECTS SOCIETY AWARDS
Best Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature
The Creator (Wesley, Peter, Thomas)
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (RU:Wesley)
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (RU:Thomas)
Oppenheimer (RU:Peter)
Wesley Lovell: It’s difficult to tell what will win. The Creator seemed to be the go-to choice for most organizations but then BAFTA went Poor Things. The Visual Effects Society, which definitely knows what it’s talking about, is more likely to go for The Creator or Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. I could see Indiana Jones winning and they might go for the non-Oscar nominee Oppenheimer, but I think The Creator has the best chance.
Pete Patrick: The Creator seems to be the favorite at the moment, but don’t count out Oscar front-runner Oppenheimer.
Thomas La Tourette: I would think this would be between the two Oscar-nominated films, The Creator and Guardians of the Galaxy, with the edge going to The Creator. But I do wonder if Indiana Jones might sneak in. Not only was there a lot of impressive set work, but the de-aging of Harrison Ford was very well done. I was surprised that it did not garner an Oscar nomination.
Best Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature
John Wick: Chapter 4 (Peter)
Killers of the Flower Moon
Napoleon (Thomas, RU:Wesley)
Nyad
Society of the Snow (Wesley, RU:Peter, RU:Thomas)
Wesley Lovell: Society of the Snow and Napoleon were Oscar shortlisters and Napoleon pulled off a nomination. While I should go Napoleon, I can see Society of the Snow winning out in the end.
Pete Patrick: The John Wick sequel should take it unless they want to go highbrow and give it to Society of the Snow.
Thomas La Tourette: Napoleon may well win for the epic battle scenes, especially the ones of cannon balls hitting the frozen lake.
Best Visual Effects in an Animated Feature
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (RU:Thomas)
Elemental (RU:Wesley)
Nimona (RU:Peter)
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Wesley, Peter, Thomas)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
Wesley Lovell: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has barely been defeated this season and I don’t see any reason it shouldn’t win. If it loses, it loses to Elemental, which has the most overall unique effects.
Pete Patrick: Spider-Man rules the day, but the well-liked Nimona is also possible.
Thomas La Tourette: Spider-Man probably has this in the bag unless they go for the intricate stop motion work of Chicken Run.
Best Animated Character in a Photoreal Feature
Godzilla – Godzilla Minus One (Wesley, Peter, Thomas)
Oompa Loompa – Wonka (RU:Peter, RU:Thomas)
Rocket – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (RU:Wesley)
Topo the Octopus – Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
Wesley Lovell: Godzilla seems like a solid choice, as do the rest, but Rocket was the central focus of Guardians and may well win out for simply being the emotional center of it.
Pete Patrick: XXXXX
Thomas La Tourette: XXXXX
Best Animated Character in an Animation Feature
Ember – Elemental (RU:Wesley, RU:Thomas)
Spot – Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Wesley, Peter)
Superfly – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (RU:Peter)
Wade – Elemental (Thomas)
Wesley Lovell: The only original character from Spider-Man, I don’t see why it wouldn’t win. However, both of the stars of Elemental were crucially important so could win as well.
Pete Patrick: XXXXX
Thomas La Tourette: XXXXX
Best Created Environment in a Photoreal Feature
Floating Village – The Creator (Wesley, Peter, Thomas)
Knowhere – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (RU:Wesley, RU:Thomas)
Place de l’Etoile – John Wick: Chapter 4
Underwater Wreck – Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (RU:Peter)
Wesley Lovell: I’m going for the floating village in the Oscar frontrunner while runner-up is the other Oscar nominee of the bunch.
Pete Patrick: XXXXX
Thomas La Tourette: XXXXX
Best Created Environment in an Animated Feature
Chicken Island – Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (RU:Peter, RU:Thomas)
Element City – Elemental (RU:Wesley)
Midtown Manhattan – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
Mumbattan City – Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Wesley, Peter, Thomas)
Wesley Lovell: Another win for Spider-Man over Elemental.
Pete Patrick: XXXXX
Thomas La Tourette: XXXXX
Best Effects Simulations in an Photoreal Feature
The Creator (Wesley, Peter, Thomas)
Napoleon (RU:Wesley, RU:Thomas)
The Nun 2
Nyad (RU:Peter)
Wesley Lovell: The Creator would seem to have the edge over Napoleon.
Pete Patrick: XXXXX
Thomas La Tourette: XXXXX
Best Effects Simulations in an Animated Feature
Elemental (RU:Wesley, RU:Thomas)
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Wesley, Peter, Thomas)
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (RU:Peter)
Wesley Lovell: Another win for Spider-Verse, another runner-up slot for Elemental.
Pete Patrick: XXXXX
Thomas La Tourette: XXXXX
Best Special (Practical) Effects in a Photoreal or Animated Project
I’m a Virgo
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (Thomas)
Oppenheimer (Wesley, Peter)
Society of the Snow (RU:Wesley, RU:Peter, RU:Thomas)
Wesley Lovell: Oppenheimer needs to win something and this is probably where they’ll recognize it, especially considering Christopher Nolan’s appreciation for practical effects. Society of the Snow and Mission: Impossible could surprise.
Pete Patrick: XXXXX
Thomas La Tourette: XXXXX
Best Model in a Photoreal or Animated Project
The Arête – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (RU:Wesley)
Jolly Roger – Peter Pan & Wendy
Nomad – The Creator (Thomas, RU:Peter)
Spider HQ – Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Wesley, Peter, RU:Thomas)
Wesley Lovell: It’s rare for an animated film that isn’t stop-motion to get a nomination here and so I think it might win but I wouldn’t count out Creator or Guardians.
Pete Patrick: XXXXX
Thomas La Tourette: XXXXX
Best Virtual Cinematography in a CG Project
The Creator (Wesley, Thomas, RU:Peter)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (RU:Wesley)
Migration
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Peter, RU:Thomas)
Wesley Lovell: The Creator would seem custom-made for this, but so too would Guardians.
Pete Patrick: XXXXX
Thomas La Tourette: XXXXX
Best Compositing & Lighting in a Feature
Apartment Massacre Videogame Style – John Wick: Chapter 4
Bar – The Creator (RU:Wesley, RU:Thomas)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (Wesley, RU:Peter)
Spaceships – The Creator (Peter, Thomas)
Wesley Lovell: Guardians has the most effects per frame, so it seems like the perfect option for this, though The Creator could win for its bar scene.
Pete Patrick: XXXXX
Thomas La Tourette: XXXXX
Emerging Technology Award
Dynamic Screen Space Textures for Coherent Stylization – Wish (Thomas, RU:Wesley)
Machine-Learning Cloth – Blue Beetle
Volumetric Capture – The Flash (RU:Peter)
Volumetric Neural Style Transfer – Elemental (Wesley, Peter, RU:Thomas)
Wesley Lovell: Disney/Pixar is at the forefront of innovation, so Elemental seems like the best bet but Wish could surprise.
Pete Patrick: XXXXX
Thomas La Tourette: XXXXX
