21st Visual Effects Society Awards
February 15, 2023
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature: Avatar: The Way of Water
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power - "Udûn"
The 21st Visual Effects Society Awards is an awards ceremony presented by the Visual Effects Society to recognize the best in visual effects in film, television and other media in 2022. Nominations were announced on January 17, 2023, [1] and the ceremony took place on February 15, 2023. [2] Avatar: The Way of Water received a record number of nominations with fourteen, [3] surpassing the number of previous nominations for film ( Avatar ) and television ( The Mandalorian ). [4] The society introduced a new "Emerging Technology Award" this year. [1] [2]
Lifetime Achievement Award:
VES Award for Creative Excellence
| Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature | Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature |
|---|---|
Avatar: The Way of Water – Richard Baneham, Walter Garcia, Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, J. D. Schwalm
| Thirteen Lives – Jason Billington, Thomas Horton, Denis Baudin, Michael Harrison, Brian Cox
|
| Outstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Feature | Outstanding Animated Character in a Photoreal Feature |
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio – Aaron Weintraub, Jeffrey Schaper, Cameron Carson, Emma Gorbey
| Avatar: The Way of Water : Kiri – Anneka Fris, Rebecca Louise Leybourne, Guillaume Francois, Jung-Rock Hwang
|
| Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature | Outstanding Created Environment in a Photoreal Feature |
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio : Pinocchio – Oliver Beale, Richard Pickersgill, Brian Leif Hansen, Kim Slate
| Avatar: The Way of Water : The Reef – Jessica Cowley, Joe W. Churchill, Justin Stockton, Alex Nowotny
|
| Outstanding Created Environment in an Animated Feature | Outstanding Effects Simulations in a Photoreal Feature |
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio : In the Stomach of a Sea Monster – Warren Lawtey, Anjum Sakharkar, Javier Gonzalez Alonso, Quinn Carvalho
| Avatar: The Way of Water : Water Simulations – Jonathan M. Nixon, David Moraton, Nicolas Illingworth, David Caeiro Cebrian
|
| Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Animated Feature | Outstanding Compositing and Lighting in a Feature |
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish – Derek Cheung, Michael Losure, Kiem Ching Ong, Jinguang Huang
| Avatar: The Way of Water : Water Integration – Sam Cole, Francois Sugny, Florian Schroeder, Jean Matthews
|
| Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a CG Project | Outstanding Model in a Photoreal or Animated Project |
Avatar: The Way of Water – Richard Baneham, Dan Cox, Eric Reynolds, A.J Briones
| Avatar: The Way of Water : The Sea Dragon – Sam Sharplin, Stephan Skorepa, Ian Baker, Guillaume Francois
|
| Outstanding Special (Practical) Effects in a Photoreal or Animated Project | |
Avatar: The Way of Water : Current Machine and Wave Pool – J. D. Schwalm, Richie Schwalm, Nick Rand, Robert Spurlock
|
| Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode | Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode |
|---|---|
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power : "Udûn" – Jason Smith, Ron Ames, Nigel Sumner, Tom Proctor, Dean Clarke
| Five Days at Memorial : "Day Two" – Eric Durst, Danny McNair, Matt Whelan, Goran Pavles, John MacGillivray
|
| Outstanding Visual Effects in a Commercial | Outstanding Animated Character in an Episode or Real-Time Project |
Frito-Lay "Push It" – Tom Raynor, Sophie Harrison, Ben Cronin, Martino Madeddu
| The Umbrella Academy : Pogo – Aidan Martin, Hannah Dockerty, Olivier Beierlein, Miae Kang
|
| Outstanding Created Environment in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project | Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project |
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power : "Adar": Númenor City – Dan Wheaton, Nico Delbecq, Dan LeTarte, Julien Gauthier
| The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power : "Udûn" Water and Magma – Rick Hankins, Aron Bonar, Branko Grujcic, Laurent Kermel
|
| Outstanding Compositing and Lighting in an Episode | Outstanding Compositing and Lighting in a Commercial |
Love, Death and Robots : Night of the Mini Dead – Tim Emeis, José Maximiano, Renaud Tissandié, Nacere Guerouaf
| Ladbrokes "Rocky" – Greg Spencer, Theajo Dharan, Georgina Ford, Jonathan Westley |
| Outstanding Visual Effects in a Real-Time Project | Outstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project |
|---|---|
The Last of Us Part I – Erick Pangilinan, Evan Wells, Eben Cook, Mary Jane Whiting
| ABBA Voyage – Ben Morris, Edward Randolph, Stephen Aplin, Ian Comley
|
| Outstanding Visual Effects in a Student Project | Emerging Technology Award |
A Calling. From the Desert to the Sea – Mario Bertsch, Max Pollmann, Lukas Löffler, Till Sander-Titgemeyer
| Avatar: The Way of Water : Water Toolset – Alexy Dmitrievich Stomakhin, Steve Lesser, Sven Joel Wretborn, Douglas McHale
|
The Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Feature is one of the annual awards given by the Visual Effects Society starting from 2008.
The Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Animated Character in a Photoreal Feature is one of the annual awards given by the Visual Effects Society starting from 2002. Since its inception, the award's title has gone through six different title changes, and one major category shift. First awarded in 2002, the award was titled "Outstanding Character Animation in a Live Action Motion Picture" and given to the best character animation in a live action film, with no specific character cited. This would change in 2004, when the category was re-titled "Outstanding Performance by an Animated Character in a Live Action Motion Picture", and given to visual effects artists for work on a specified character. The category was again re-titled in 2008, this time to "Outstanding Animated Character in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture". In 2014, it was titled "Outstanding Performance of an Animated Character in a Photoreal/Live Action Feature Motion Picture", but changed in 2016 to "Outstanding Animated Performance in a Photoreal Feature" and once again in 2017 to its current title.
The Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Created Environment in a Photoreal Feature is one of the annual awards given by the Visual Effects Society starting from 2004. The award was originally titled "Outstanding Created Environment in a Live Action Motion Picture", and changed in 2007 to "Outstanding Created Environment in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture". It was again changed in 2009, this time to "Outstanding Created Environment in a Feature Motion Picture", and again in 2011 to "Outstanding Created Environment in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture". Before its final change in 2015, to its current title, it was re-titled in 2014 to "Outstanding Created Environment in a Photoreal/Live Action Feature Motion Picture".
The Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Picture is one of the annual awards given by the Visual Effects Society starting in 2002. While the award's title has changed several time within this period, the recipient has always been a visual effects-heavy feature film; film's with more background effects work have their own category, the Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Feature Motion Picture.
The Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature is one of the annual awards given by the Visual Effects Society starting from 2002. Since its inception, the award's title has gone through six title changes, and one major category shift. First awarded in 2002, the award was titled "Best Character Animation in an Animated Motion Picture" and given to the best character animation in an animated film, with no specific character cited. This would change in 2004, when the category was re-titled "Outstanding Performance by an Animated Character in an Animated Motion Picture", and given to visual effects artists for work on a specified character. as well as the voice actor for the character. The category was again re-titled in 2008, this time to "Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature Motion Picture". In 2015, it was titled "Outstanding Animated Performance in an Animated Feature", but changed in 2017 to "Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature", its current title.
The Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Created Environment in an Animated Feature is one of the annual awards given by the Visual Effects Society starting from 2011. The award was originally titled "Outstanding Created Environment in an Animated Feature Motion Picture", before being re-titled in 2016.
The Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Model in a Photoreal or Animated Project is one of the annual awards given by the Visual Effects Society. The award goes to artists whose work in models, miniatures, have been deemed worthy of recognition. Originally, the award was given separately to artists in both film and television, with the categories "Best Models and Miniatures in a Motion Picture" and "Best Models and Miniatures in a Televised Program, Music Video or Commercial". In 2004, there was only one category, recognizing only work in motion pictures with "Outstanding Models and Miniatures in a Motion Picture". In 2005, television was honored, once again, with "Outstanding Models and Miniatures in a Broadcast Program, Commercial or Music Video". Television series and/or televised content would be honored, intermittently, until 2015, when the category was redesigned to honor any motion media project. It has continued to do so since then.
The Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a CG Project is one of the annual awards given by the Visual Effects Society. The award goes to artists whose work in virtual cinematography. It was first awarded in 2003 and 2004 for, under the title "Best Visual Effects Photography in a Motion Picture", before being scrapped from the ceremony. The award was given separately to artists in live-action film, animated film, and commercials/television. These categories were first awarded in 2012. The following year, the category specifically awarding animated film was dropped, with only live-action film and commercial/television being awarded. In 2015, only live-action films were awarded. The following year, the category's title changed to "Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a Photoreal Project". It has held its current title since 2020.
The Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Compositing in a Photoreal Feature is one of the annual awards given by the Visual Effects Society, starting in 2002. It is awarded to visual effects artists for their work in compositing.
The Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode is one of the annual awards given by the Visual Effects Society starting in 2002. While the award's title has changed several time within this period, the recipient has always been a visual effects-heavy television episode. Episodes with more background effects work have their own category, the Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode. Until 2012, miniseries and television movies had their own category.
The Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode is one of the annual awards given by the Visual Effects Society, starting in 2004. While the award's title has changed several time within this period, the recipients have been television episodes and/or movies or specials with less prominent, more subtle visual effects work.
The Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Compositing in a Photoreal Feature is one of the annual awards given by the Visual Effects Society, starting in 2012. It is awarded to visual effects artists for their work in effects simulations.
The Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Special (Practical) Effects in a Photoreal or Animated Project is one of the annual awards given by the Visual Effects Society. The award goes to artists whose work in special/practical effects, have been deemed worthy of recognition. The award has been handed out intermittently since the first VES awards. Only twice was it awarded to television broadcasts or commercials, and was award for film from 2003 to 2009, with the exception being 2006. It was reintroduced in 2020, awarding any photoreal and/or animated project.
The Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Compositing in a Photoreal Episode is one of the annual awards given by the Visual Effects Society, starting in 2003. It is awarded to visual effects artists for their work in compositing. It has gone through several title changes over the years; from 2003 to 2012, the category included commercials in the category, before refocusing in 2013, specifically nominating television programs.
The Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Animated Character in an Episode or Real-Time Project is one of the annual awards given by the Visual Effects Society, starting from 2002. Since its inception, the award's title has gone through several title changes, and one major category shift. First awarded in 2002, the award was titled "Best Character Animation in a Live Action Televised Program, Music Video or Commercial" and given to the best character animation in a televised program, with no specific character cited. This would change in 2004, when the category was re-titled "Outstanding Performance by an Animated Character in a Live Action Broadcast Program", and given to visual effects artists for work on a specified character. The category was again re-titled the following year, this time to "Outstanding Performance by an Animated Character in a Live Action Broadcast Program, Commercial, or Music Video". In 2008, it was titled "Outstanding Animated Character in a Live Action Broadcast Program or Commercial", but changed in 2014 to "Outstanding Performance of an Animated Character in a Commercial, Broadcast Program, or Video Game" and once again the next year to "Outstanding Animated Performance in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project". In the title changed to "Outstanding Animated Performance in an Episode or Real-Time Project" and, finally, in 2017 to "Outstanding Animated Character in an Episode or Real-Time Project"
The Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project is one of the annual awards given by the Visual Effects Society, starting in 2012. It is awarded to visual effects artists for their work in effects simulations.
The Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Created Environment in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project is one of the annual awards given by the Visual Effects Society starting from 2004. The award was originally titled "Outstanding Created Environment in a Live Action Broadcast Program", and changed in 2005 to "Outstanding Created Environment in a Live Action Broadcast Program, Commercial, or Music Video". It was again changed in 2009, this time to "Outstanding Created Environment in a Feature Motion Picture", and again in 2011 to "Outstanding Created Environment in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture". Before its final change in 2015, to its current title, it was re-titled in 2014 to "Outstanding Created Environment in a Photoreal/Live Action Feature Motion Picture".
Valentina Rosselli is a visual effects artist who won the Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Animated Character in a Photoreal Feature for the work on Ivan, the gorilla in Disney's The One and Only Ivan.
The 22nd Visual Effects Society Awards is an awards ceremony presented by the Visual Effects Society to recognize the best in visual effects in film, television and other media in 2023. Nominations were announced on January 16, 2024 and the ceremony took place on February 21, 2024.