Going into Wednesday night’s 12th annual Visual Effects Society Awards, there was little doubt that “Gravity” would be walking away with the lion’s share of the hardware. After all, it led the field with eight nominations and has asserted itself in the category as one of few no-brainer picks in the Oscar race this year (sorry all other nominees, it happens).
When the dust settled, it sported six trophies to show for itself. That’s the most wins for any film since “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” won as many seven years ago. Even “Avatar” didn’t hit that number. (The record is eight, for “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,” back when there were a number of other categories that aren’t in play any longer.)
“Gravity” would have swept with seven total wins (it was nominated against itself in one category), but “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” snatched the award for Outstanding Animated Character in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture. A win for Dr. Ryan Stone there would have been a bit much, surely. But speaking of which, Dr. Stone herself, Sandra Bullock, was on hand to present “Gravity” director Alfonso Cuarón with the Society’s Visionary Award.
The only live action category totally free of the “Gravity” shadow was Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Feature Motion Picture, where “The Lone Ranger” was the only Oscar nominee of the bunch and, ergo, took the prize.
One film that did sweep all its fields was Disney’s “Frozen.” It won in all four of the animated feature categories, asserting itself further as the dominant toon player this season.
The Society also paid tribute to the late, great pioneer of stop-motion animation, Ray Harryhausen. The recipient of the VES Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010 passed away last year. This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award, meanwhile, went to Oscar-winner John Dykstra (“Star Wars,” “Spider-Man 2”). Dykstra won a Scientific and Engineering Award at the 1978 Oscars for the development of the Dykstraflex Camera and the engineering of the Electronic Motion Control System used in concert for multiple exposure visual effects motion picture photography.
Check out the nominees here, the full list of winners below, and as always, remember to keep track of it all this season at The Circuit.
MOTION PICTURES
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects-Driven Feature Motion Picture
“Gravity”
Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Feature Motion Picture
“The Lone Ranger”
Outstanding Animation in an Animated Feature Motion Picture
“Frozen”
Outstanding Animated Character in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture
“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” – Smaug
Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature Motion Picture
“Frozen” – Bringing the Snow Queen to Life
Outstanding Created Environment in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture
“Gravity” – Exterior
Outstanding Created Environment in an Animated Feature Motion Picture
“Frozen” – Elsa”s Ice Palace
Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture
“Gravity”
Outstanding Models in a Feature Motion Picture
“Gravity” – ISS Exterior
Outstanding FX and Simulation Animation in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture
“Gravity” – Parachute and ISS Destruction
Outstanding FX and Simulation Animation in an Animated Feature Motion Picture
“Frozen” – Elsa”s Blizzard
Outstanding Compositing in a Feature Motion Picture
“Gravity”
TELEVISION AND COMMERCIALS
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Broadcast Program
“Game of Thrones” – “Valar Dohaeris”
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Commercial
PETA – “98% Human”
Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Broadcast Program
“Banshee” – Pilot
Outstanding Animated Character in a Commercial or Broadcast Program
PETA – “98% Human”
Outstanding Created Environment in a Commercial or Broadcast Program
“Game of Thrones” – “The Climb”
Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a Live Action Commercial or Broadcast Program
“The Crew”
Outstanding FX and Simulation Animation in a Commercial or Broadcast Program
PETA – “98% Human”
Outstanding Compositing in a Broadcast Program
“Game of Thrones” – “The Climb”
Outstanding Compositing in a Commercial
“Call of Duty” – “Epic Night Out”
OTHER MEDIA
Outstanding Real-Time Visuals in a Video Game
“Call of Duty: Ghosts”
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project
“Space Shuttle Atlantis”
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Student Project
“Rugbybugs”
Lifetime Achievement Award
John Dykstra
Visionary Award
Alfonso Cuarón