For our fifteenth Rundown article, we look at the visual foundations of all films. After the jump, you’ll find our winner and runner-up predictions for Best Production Design and Best Costume Design as well as general commentary about the race. Thursday, we’ll cover the final category.

Best Production Design

Winner Predictions

• The Grand Budapest Hotel (WL O) (PP O) (TB O) (TL O)
• The Imitation Game
• Interstellar
• Into the Woods
• Mr. Turner

Runner-Up Predictions

• Into the Woods (WL O) (PP R) [New](TL R) [New]
• Mr. Turner (TB R) [New]

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Wesley Lovell: Without going back over precursor history, this may be the first time ever (with more than a half dozen precursors) that a single film has swept every precursor award. The Grand Budapest Hotel has done that with 16 wins through Oscar season in Best Production Design. The only other winners were the fantasy and contemporary winners at the ADG where Grand Budapest took home the period design award.
Peter J. Patrick: This should be an easy victory for The Grand Budapest Hotel.
Tripp Burton: All the tech categories are real question marks this year, but this one is almost certainly going to the wacky world of Wes Anderson. It has the color and attention to period detail that voters love to award in this category, it is the most nominated film of the evening (and looks like it will be the most awarded film of the evening) and should ratchet up that tally here.
Thomas La Tourrette: This one has long looked like it was going to be going to The Grand Budapest Hotel, and nothing really looks like it will take its place as the frontrunner. The rockets and planetscapes of Interstellar never seemed to have caught on, which seems somewhat surprising. The meticulous period work of both Mr. Turner and The Imitation Game also seem to be coming up short. The only other film that stands a chance would be the varied sets of Into the Woods, which were striking. However, it looks like this will be another win for the whimsy of The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Best Costume Design

Winner Predictions

• The Grand Budapest Hotel (WL R) [New] (PP O) (TB R) [New] (TL R) [New]
• Inherent Vice
• Into the Woods
• Maleficent
• Mr. Turner

Runner-Up Predictions

• Into the Woods (TL R) [New]
• Maleficent (TB R) [New]
• Mr. Turner (WL R) [New] (PP R) [New]

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Wesley Lovell: The CDG win locks this one down for The Grand Budapest Hotel and the Oscar tradition of Production Design and Costume Design going to the same film continues.
Peter J. Patrick: This category has pulled off some major surprises in the past, but I think The Grand Budapest Hotl has it.
Tripp Burton: More and more, this category is going hand in hand with Best Production Design, and in this case The Grand Budapest Hotel could ride the coattails of its Production Design win pretty easily. Plus, costume designer Milena Canonero already has three Oscars, so her work obviously connects with voters. Don’t count out a dark horse like Maleficent, though, who seems in line with recent winners Alice in Wonderland or The Great Gatsby in reimagining iconic looks in a darker way.
Thomas La Tourrette: For a long time it looked like this was the one place that Into the Woods was likely to win an Oscar. Lately, it does feel like momentum has shifted to The Grand Budapest Hotel, which is starting to look like it will win the most Oscars of the night. I don’t know if it is the range of styles of costumes for Woods that has fallen out of favor, but it is starting to look like it will go home empty handed. I think it will be close, but I think The Grand Budapest Hotel will eke out this win.

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