2014 Precursor Predictions: Visual Effects Society

At the beginning of the season, Interstellar seemed like a slam-dunk winner. Nowadays, that thought isn’t as prevalent.

VISUAL EFFECTS SOCIETY AWARDS

Best Visual Effects in an Effects-Driven Film

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (Peter, RU:Wesley, RU:Tripp)
Guardians of the Galaxy (RU:Peter)
Interstellar (Wesley, Tripp)
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Maleficent
X-Men: Days of Future Past

Wesley Lovell: Will Interstellar continuing chugging away towards the Oscar or will another film stop it in its tracks. This will be the place to find out.
Peter J. Patrick: I’ve no idea how the Society judges these things but Dawn of the Planet of the Apes seems to me to have the most natural looking effects. That’s the one I would vote for.
Tripp Burton: Like the Oscar, I see this coming down to a battle between the Apes and the space opera. Unlike the Oscars, the first Planet of the Apes movie won here, and the effects this time are even more impressive, taking all of that technology and moving it outside. Interstellar, though, had some of the most talked about effects of the year. The question is whether voters will go for the CGI or the practical effects. I’m leaning towards Interstellar, but either win wouldn’t surprise me.

Best Supporting Visual Effects

Birdman (Wesley, Peter, RU:Tripp)
Divergent
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game (RU:Peter)
Unbroken (Tripp, RU:Wesley)

Wesley Lovell: While the war film (Unbroken) would seem like the key victor, I suspect one of the Best Picture nominees may beat it and I’m leaning to the more obvious effects of Birdman.
Peter J. Patrick: The ending of Birdman would seem to make it the one to beat.
Tripp Burton: Can Birdman continue its streak of guild wins? Or will something a little more obvious, like Unbroken, come in and sweep this. This award tends to go to the more blockbuster effort, so I’ll pick the war film here.

Best Animation in an Animated Feature

Big Hero 6
The Boxtrolls (RU:Wesley)
How to Train Your Dragon 2
The Lego Movie (Wesley)
Rio 2

Best Animated Character in a Live Action Film

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes – Caesar (Wesley)
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes – Koba
Guardians of the Galaxy – Rocket (RU:Wesley)
Maleficent – Thistlewit

Best Animated Character in an Animation Film

Big Hero 6 – Baymax (Wesley)
The Boxtrolls – Archibald Snatcher (RU:Wesley)
How to Train Your Dragon 2 – Hiccup
Rio 2 – Gabi

Best Created Environment in a Live Action Film

Captain America: The Winter Soldier – Triskelion Headquarters
Interstellar – Tesseract (Wesley)
Lucy – Times Square
Noah – Antediluvian Earth (RU:Wesley)

Best Created Environment in an Animated Feature

Big Hero 6 – Into the Portal
The Book of Life – Magical Land of the Remembered (Wesley)
The Boxtrolls – Boxtroll Cavern
How to Train Your Dragon 2 – Oasis (RU:Wesley)

Best Models

Big Hero 6 – City of San Fransokyo (RU:Wesley)
The Boxtrolls – Mecha-Drill
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies – Laketown (Wesley)
Transformers: Age of Extinction – Knightship

Best Compositing

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Edge of Tomorrow – Beach
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (RU:Wesley)
Interstellar – Water (Wesley)

Best Virtual Cinematography in a Live Action Film

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Edge of Tomorrow – Beach and Paris Attacks
Interstellar – Tesseract (RU:Wesley)
X-Men: Days of Future Past – Kitchen Scene (Wesley)

Best Effects Simulations in an Live Action Film

Captain America: The Winter Soldier – Helicarrier Broadside and Crash (RU:Wesley)
Edge of Tomorrow – Destruction and Sand
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
X-Men: Days of Future Past – Quicksilver Pentagon Kitchen (Wesley)