LOS ANGELES — The Visual Effects Society recently held its 14th Annual VES Awards, recognizing outstanding visual effects artistry and innovation in film, animation, television, commercials, video games and special venues. Comedian Patton Oswalt served as host to the more than 1,000 guests gathered at the Beverly Hilton to celebrate VFX talent in 23 awards categories.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens was the big winner, garnering four awards, with The Revenant close behind with three wins. The teams from The Good Dinosaur (animated feature), Games of Thrones (photoreal episode), and SSE (commercial) led the wins in their respective categories, taking home three awards each.
Kate Mara, accompanied by taped congratulations from Matt Damon and Juliana Margulies, made a crowd-pleasing presentation to award-winning director/producer Sir Ridley Scott, recipient of the VES Lifetime Achievement Award. Industry veteran Scott Ross presented the VES Visionary Award to acclaimed conceptual artist Syd Mead. The show also featured a salute to ILM’s 40th anniversary.
Awards presenters included directors Pete Docter and Zack Snyder, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Terry Crews, Michael Pena, Dennis Haysbert, Portia Doubleday, Erika Christensen, Camilla Luddington and Sharlto Copley.
Winners of the 14th Annual VES Awards are as follows:
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Roger Guyett
Luke O'Byrne
Patrick Tubach
Paul Kavanagh
Chris Corbould
Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature
The Revenant
Rich McBride
Ivy Agregan
Jason Smith
Nicolas Chevallier
Cameron Waldbauer
Outstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Feature
The Good Dinosaur
Sanjay Bakshi
Denise Ream
Michael Venturini
Jon Reisch
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode
Game of Thrones; The Dance of Dragons
Joe Bauer
Steve Kullback
Eric Carney
Derek Spears
Stuart Brisdon
Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode
Vikings; To the Gates
Dominic Remane
Bill Halliday
Paul Wishart
Ovidiu Cinazan
Paul Byrne
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Real-Time Project
The Order: 1886
Nathan Phail-Liff
Dana Jan
Anthony Vitale
Scot Andreason
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Commercial
SSE; Pier
Neil Davies
Tim Lyall
Hitesh Patel
Jorge Montiel
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project
Fast and Furious: Supercharged
Chris Shaw
Alysia Cotter
Ben White
Diego Guerrero
Outstanding Animated Performance in a Photoreal Feature
The Revenant; The Bear
Matt Shumway
Gaelle Morand
Karin Cooper
Leandro Estebecorena
Outstanding Animated Performance in an Animated Feature
Inside Out; Joy
Shawn Krause
Tanja Krampfert
Jacob Merrell
Alexis Angelidis
Outstanding Animated Performance in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project
SSE; Pier; Orangutan
Jorge Montiel
Sauce Vilas
Philippe Moine
Sam Driscoll
Outstanding Created Environment in a Photoreal Feature
Star Wars: The Force Awakens; Falcon Chase / Graveyard
Yanick Dusseault
Mike Wood
Justin van der Lek
Quentin Marmier
Outstanding Created Environment in an Animated Feature
The Good Dinosaur; The Farm
David Munier
Matthew Webb
Matt Kuruc
Tom Miller
Outstanding Created Environment in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project
Game of Thrones; City of Volantis
Dominic Piche
Christine Leclerc
Patrice Poissant
Thomas Montminy-Brodeur
Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a Photoreal Project
Star Wars: The Force Awakens; Falcon Chase / Graveyard
Paul Kavanagh
Colin Benoit
Susumu Yukuhiro
Greg Salter
Outstanding Models in a Photoreal or Animated Project
Star Wars: The Force Awakens; BB-8
Joshua Lee
Matthew Denton
Landis Fields
Cyrus Jam
Outstanding Effects Simulations in a Photoreal Feature
Mad Max: Fury Road; Toxic Storm
Dan Bethell
Clinton Downs
Chris Young
Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Animated Feature
The Good Dinosaur
Stephen Marshall
Magnus Wrenninge
Michael Hall
Hemagiri Arumugam
Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project
Game of Thrones; Hardhome
David Ramos
Antonio Lado
Piotr Weiss
Félix Bergés
Outstanding Compositing in a Photoreal Feature
The Revenant; Bear Attack
Donny Rausch
Alan Travis
Charles Lai
TC Harrison
Outstanding Compositing in a Photoreal Episode
Game of Thrones; Hardhome
Eduardo Díaz
Guillermo Orbe
Oscar Perea
Inmaculada Nadela
Outstanding Compositing in a Photoreal Commercial
SSE; Pier
Gary Driver
Greg Spencer
Grant Connor
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Student Project
Citipati
Andreas Feix
Francesco Faranna