As expected, Star Wars: The Force Awakens had a huge night. After a longstanding history in the visual effects community of being the industry leader in visual effects, the Star Wars franchise seemed like the perfect honoree here. This also bolsters its chances of winning the Oscar, something that some had thought might be shifting towards Mad Max: Fury Road. In spite of its precursor wins, Mad Max isn’t the kind of film that typically wins the Oscar and its single victory here, for its least remarkable and least important scene shows that the level of industry support isn’t high and a highly visible loss makes it look like an also-ran to voters.

Award Tallies

(4) Star Wars: The Force Awakens
(3) The Good Dinosaur, The Revenant

The Awards

Best Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Wesley, Peter, Tripp)

Best Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature

The Revenant (Wesley, Thomas, RU:Tripp)

Best Animation in an Animated Feature

The Good Dinosaur (RU:Wesley, RU:Thomas)

Best Animated Performance in a Photoreal Feature

The Revenant – The Bear (Wesley, Peter, Thomas)

Best Animated Performance in an Animation Feature

Inside Out – Joy (Wesley, Peter, Thomas)

Best Created Environment in a Photoreal Feature

Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Falcon Chase / Graveyard (Wesley, RU:Peter)

Best Created Environment in an Animated Feature

The Good Dinosaur – The Farm (RU:Peter)

Best Models in a Photoreal or Animated Project

Star Wars: The Force Awakens – BB-8 (Wesley, Thomas)

Best Compositing in a Photoreal Feature

The Revenant – Bear Attack (Wesley)

Best Virtual Cinematography in a Photoreal Project

Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Falcon Chase / Graveyard (Wesley, Thomas, RU:Peter)

Best Effects Simulations in an Photoreal Feature

Mad Max: Fury Road – Toxic Storm (Wesley, RU:Thomas)

Best Effects Simulations in an Animated Feature

The Good Dinosaur (RU:Wesley, RU:Peter, RU:Thomas)

Visual Effects Society Data

First Awards: 2002 (14)