Visual Effects Society announces winners of the 22nd Annual VES Awards
February 21, 2024

Visual Effects Society announces winners of the 22nd Annual VES Awards

Los Angeles. CA – Today, the Visual Effects Society (VES) held the 22nd Annual VES Awards, the prestigious yearly celebration that recognizes outstanding visual effects artistry and innovation in film, animation, television, commercials, video games and special venues, with generous support from premiere sponsor AMD.
Industry guests gathered at The Beverly Hilton hotel to celebrate VFX talent in 25 awards categories and special honorees. The Creator was named the photoreal feature winner, garnering five awards.  Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was named top animated film, winning four awards. The Last of Us was named best photoreal episode, winning four awards. Coca-Cola topped the commercial field. There was a historic tie in the Outstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project category, with honors going to both Rembrandt Immersive Artwork and Postcard From Earth.

Comedian/actor and master impressionist Jay Pharoah marked his debut as VES Awards host. Award-winning actor-producer Seth MacFarlane presented the VES Award for Creative Excellence to legendary actor-director William Shatner. Award-winning VFX Supervisor Richard Hollander, VES presented the VES Lifetime Achievement Award to pioneering VFX Producer Joyce Cox, VES.  

Award presenters included: The Creator director Gareth Edwards; actors Ernie Hudson, Fortune Feimster, Katee Sackhoff, Andrea Savage and Kiersey Clemons; and Leona Frank, Autodesk’s Director of Media & Entertainment Marketing, presented the VES-Autodesk Student Award.

“As we celebrate the 22nd Annual VES Awards, we’re honored to shine a light on outstanding visual effects artistry and innovation,” said VES Chair Kim Davidson. “The honorees and their work represent best-in-class visual effects – work that engages audiences and enhances the art of storytelling. The VES Awards is the only venue that showcases and honors these outstanding global artists across a wide range of disciplines, and we are extremely proud of all our winners and nominees!”

The Winners of the 22nd Annual VES Awards in 25 categories are as follows:

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE

The Creator
  • Jay Cooper
  • Julian Levi
  • Ian Comley
  • Charmaine Chan
  • Neil Corbould, VES

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE

Nyad
  • Jake Braver
  • Fiona Campbell Westgate
  • Christopher White
  • Mohsen Mousavi

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
  • Alan Hawkins
  • Christian Hejnal
  • Michael Lasker
  • Matt Hausman

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL EPISODE

The Last of Us; Season 1; "Infected"
  • Alex Wang
  • Sean Nowlan
  • Stephen James
  • Simon Jung
  • Joel Whist

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL EPISODE

Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty; Season 2; "BEAT LA"
  • Raymond McIntyre Jr.
  • Victor DiMichina
  • Javier Menéndez Platas
  • Damien Stantina

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A REAL-TIME PROJECT

Alan Wake 2
  • Janne Pulkkinen
  • Johannes Richter
  • Daniel Kończyk
  • Damian Olechowski

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A COMMERCIAL

Coca-Cola; "Masterpiece"
  • Ryan Knowles
  • Antonia Vlasto
  • Gregory McKneally
  • Dan Yargici

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A SPECIAL VENUE PROJECT- TIE (two winners)

"Postcard From Earth"
  • Aruna Inversin
  • Eric Wilson
  • Corey Turner
  • William George

"Rembrandt Immersive Artwork"
  • Andrew McNamara
  • Sebastian Read
  • Andrew Kinnear
  • Sam Matthews

OUTSTANDING ANIMATED CHARACTER IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3; Rocket
  • Nathan McConnel
  • Andrea De Martis
  • Antony Magdalinidis
  • Rachel Williams

OUTSTANDING ANIMATED CHARACTER IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse; Spot
  • Christopher Mangnall
  • Craig Feifarek
  • Humberto Rosa
  • Nideep Varghese

OUTSTANDING ANIMATED CHARACTER IN AN EPISODE, COMMERCIAL, GAME CINEMATIC OR REAL-TIME PROJECT

The Last of Us; "Endure and Survive"; Bloater
  • Gino Acevedo
  • Max Telfer
  • Dennis You
  • Fabio Leporelli

OUTSTANDING CREATED ENVIRONMENT IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE

The Creator; Floating Village
  • John Seru
  • Guy Williams
  • Vincent Techer
  • Timothée Maron

OUTSTANDING CREATED ENVIRONMENT IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse; Mumbattan City
  • Taehyun Park
  • YJ Lee
  • Pepe Orozco
  • Kelly Han

OUTSTANDING CREATED ENVIRONMENT IN AN EPISODE, COMMERCIAL, GAME CINEMATIC OR REAL-TIME PROJECT

The Last of Us: Post-Outbreak Boston
  • Melaina Mace
  • Adrien Lambert
  • Juan Carlos Barquet
  • Christopher Anciaume

OUTSTANDING VIRTUAL CINEMATOGRAPHY IN A CG PROJECT

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
  • Joanna Davison
  • Cheyana Wilkinson
  • Michael Cozens
  • Jason Desjarlais

OUTSTANDING MODEL IN A PHOTOREAL OR ANIMATED PROJECT

The Creator; Nomad
  • Oliver Kane
  • Mat Monro
  • Florence Green
  • Serban Ungureanu

OUTSTANDING EFFECTS SIMULATIONS IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE

The Creator
  • Ludovic Ramisandraina
  • Raul Essig
  • Mathieu Chardonnet
  • Lewis Taylor

OUTSTANDING EFFECTS SIMULATIONS IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
  • Pav Grochola
  • Filippo Maccari
  • Naoki Kato
  • Nicola Finizio

OUTSTANDING EFFECTS SIMULATIONS IN AN EPISODE, COMMERCIAL, GAME CINEMATIC OR REAL-TIME PROJECT

The Mandalorian; Season 3; Lake Monster Attack Water
  • Travis Harkleroad
  • Florian Witzel
  • Rick Hankins
  • Aron Bonar

OUTSTANDING COMPOSITING & LIGHTING IN A FEATURE

The Creator; Bar
  • Phil Prates
  • Min Kim
  • Nisarg Suthar
  • Toshiko Miura

OUTSTANDING COMPOSITING & LIGHTING IN AN EPISODE

The Last of Us; "Endure and Survive"; Infected Horde Battle
  • Matthew Lumb
  • Ben Roberts
  • Ben Campbell
  • Quentin Hema

OUTSTANDING COMPOSITING & LIGHTING IN A COMMERCIAL

Coca-Cola; "Masterpiece"
  • Ryan Knowles
  • Greg Mckneally
  • Taran Spear
  • Jordan Dunstall

OUTSTANDING SPECIAL (PRACTICAL) EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL PROJECT

Oppenheimer
  • Scott Fisher
  • James Rollins
  • Mario Vanillo

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY AWARD

The Flash; Volumetric Capture
  • Stephan Trojansky
  • Thomas Ganshorn
  • Oliver Pilarski
  • Lukas Lepicovsky

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A STUDENT PROJECT (AWARD SPONSORED BY AUTODESK)

Silhouette
  • Alexis Lafuente
  • Antoni Nicolaï
  • Chloé Stricher
  • Elliot Dreuille

More about VES: vesglobal.org