LOS ANGELES — The Visual Effects Society (VES), the industry’s professional global honorary society, recently held the 19th Annual VES Awards, the prestigious yearly celebration that recognizes outstanding visual effects artistry and innovation in film, animation, television, commercials and video games and the VFX supervisors, VFX producers and hands-on artists who bring this work to life. Among the top winners were The Midnight Sky (feature film) and
Soul (animated feature film). Meanwhile, in the broadcast arena, the top winner was
The Mandalorian.
Comedian Patton Oswalt served as host for the 10th time for the dynamic virtual production, that celebrated VFX talent in 25 awards categories. The Midnight Sky was named the photoreal feature winner, garnering two awards. Soul was named top animated film, winning five awards. The Mandalorian was named best photoreal episode and garnered three awards. Walmart won top commercial honors.
Sacha Baron Cohen presented the VES Award for Creative Excellence to acclaimed visual effects supervisor, second unit director and director of photography Robert Legato, ASC. Cate Blanchett presented the VES Lifetime Achievement Award to award-winning filmmaker Sir Peter Jackson – along with a star-studded tribute from Andy Serkis, Naomi Watts, Elijah Wood, Sir Ian McKellen, James Cameron and Gollum. Jocelyn Moffatt, Autodesk Entertainment Industry Marketing Manager, presented the Autodesk Student Award.
Winners of the 19th Annual VES Awards are as follows:
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature
THE MIDNIGHT SKY
Matt Kasmir
Greg Baxter
Chris Lawrence
Max Solomon
David Watkins
Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature
MANK
Wei Zheng
Peter Mavromates
Simon Carr
James Pastorius
Outstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Feature
SOUL
Pete Docter
Dana Murray
Michael Fong
Bill Watral
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode
THE MANDALORIAN, The Marshal
Joe Bauer
Abbigail Keller
Hal Hickel
Richard Bluff
Roy Cancino
Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode
THE CROWN; Gold Stick
Ben Turner
Reece Ewing
Andrew Scrase
Jonathan Wood
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Real-Time Project
GHOST OF TSUSHIMA
Jason Connell
Matt Vainio
Jasmin Patry
Joanna Wang
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Commercial
WALMART; Famous Visitors
Chris “Badger” Knight
Lori Talley
Yarin Manes
Matt Fuller
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project
THE BOURNE STUNTACULAR
Salvador Zalvidea
Tracey Gibbons
George Allan
Matthías Bjarnason
Scott Smith
Outstanding Animated Character in a Photoreal Feature
THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN; Ivan
Valentina Rosselli
Thomas Huizer
Andrea De Martis
William Bell
Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature
SOUL; Terry
Jonathan Hoffman
Jonathan Page
Peter Tieryas
Ron Zorman
Outstanding Animated Character in an Episode or Real-Time Project
THE MANDALORIAN; The Jedi; The Child
John Rosengrant
Peter Clarke
Scott Patton
Hal Hickel
Outstanding Animated Character in a Commercial
ARM & HAMMER; Once Upon a Time; Tuxedo Tom
Shiny Rajan
Silvia Bartoli
Matías Heker
Tiago Dias Mota
Outstanding Created Environment in a Photoreal Feature
MULAN; Imperial City
Jeremy Fort
Matt Fitzgerald
Ben Walker
Adrian Vercoe
Outstanding Created Environment in an Animated Feature
SOUL; You Seminar
Hosuk Chang
Sungyeon Joh
Peter Roe
Frank Tai
Outstanding Created Environment in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project
THE MANDALORIAN; The Believer; Morak Jungle
Enrico Damm
Johanes Kurnia
Phi Tran
Tong Tran
Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a CG Project
SOUL
Matt Aspbury
Ian Megibben
Outstanding Model in a Photoreal or Animated Project
THE MIDNIGHT SKY; Aether
Michael Balthazart
Jonathan Opgenhaffen
John-Peter Li
Simon Aluze
Outstanding Effects Simulations in a Photoreal Feature
PROJECT POWER
Yin Lai Jimmy Leung
Jonathan Edward Lyddon-Towl
Pierpaolo Navarini
Michelle Lee
Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Animated Feature
SOUL
Alexis Angelidis
Keith Daniel Klohn
Aimei Kutt
Melissa Tseng
Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project
LOVECRAFT COUNTRY; Strange Case; Chrysalis
Federica Foresti
Johan Gabrielsson
Hugo Medda
Andreas Krieg
Outstanding Compositing in a Feature
PROJECT POWER
Russell Horth
Matthew Patience
Julien Rousseau
Outstanding Compositing in an Episode
LOVECRAFT COUNTRY; Strange Case; Chrysalis
Viktor Andersson
Linus Lindblom
Mattias Sandelius
Crawford Reilly
Outstanding Compositing in a Commercial
BURBERRY; Festive
Alex Lovejoy
Mithun Alex
David Filipe
Amresh Kumar
Outstanding Special (Practical) Effects in a Photoreal or Animated Project
FEAR THE WALKING DEAD; Bury Her Next to Jasper’s Leg
Frank Iudica
Scott Roark
Daniel J. Yates
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Student Project
MIGRANTS
Antoine Dupriez
Hugo Caby
Lucas Lermytte
Zoé Devise