2015 Precursor Predictions: Visual Effects Society

It’s a tight competition and even our contributors can’t unify on any of the selections, splitting most of their votes. We only required commentary on the top two categories.

VISUAL EFFECTS SOCIETY AWARDS

Best Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature

Furious 7 (RU:Thomas)
Mad Max: Fury Road (Thomas, RU:Wesley, RU:Peter, RU:Tripp)
The Martian
San Andreas
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Wesley, Peter, Tripp)

Wesley Lovell: I’d love to predict Mad Max: Fury Road here, but this group is so heavily populated with CGI technicians that I don’t think the CGI-limited Mad Max will be able to triumph over Star Wars: The Force Awakens. While both used fairly older styles of visual effects, it’s clear which one looks more like a visual effects piece.
Peter J. Patrick: I don’t know what the Visual Effects Society is going to do, but I have seen most of the nominees so my predictions are based on what I would vote for in each of their categories.
Tripp Burton: At this point, I realize that I shouldn’t be voting against Mad Max in these categories, but I imagine that the sheer number of visual effects, and the return to practical effects, will go in favor of nominations leader Star Wars here.
Thomas LaTourette: Mad Max: Fury Road will most likely win. It was all one big chase scene, and the sheer volume of work should help it win. If, for some bizarre reason, it does not win, I would expect the over the top chase scenes of Furious 7 to prevail, but I think Mad Max will easily win.

Best Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature

Bridge of Spies (RU:Peter)
Everest
In the Heart of the Sea
The Revenant (Wesley, Thomas, RU:Tripp)
The Walk (Peter, Tripp, RU:Wesley, RU:Thomas)

Wesley Lovell: The bear attack is the primary reason this film is here and I don’t see Best Picture nominee The Revenant losing out, though The Walk could beat it.
Tripp Burton: The climax of The Walk was one of the more talked about sequences of the year, and even the film’s detractors acknowledged the accomplishment of the effects, so this should win in a cake walk. If not, it is because The Revenant is picking up steam.
Thomas LaTourette: The Revenant seems to be racking up the awards, so it would seem fitting if it won here too. The bear attack is not something people will soon forget. Both Everest and In the Heart of the Sea have longer set pieces and more created environments, but I think they are unlikely to triumph. The created world of the twin towers and the tightrope walk between them were impressive and probably most deserve to win, but they may be trumped by the bear from The Revenant.

Best Animation in an Animated Feature

Anomalisa (RU:Peter)
The Good Dinosaur (RU:Wesley, RU:Thomas)
Hotel Transylvania 2
Inside Out (Wesley, Peter, Thomas)
The Peanuts Movie

Wesley Lovell: I almost picked The Good Dinosaur here simply because the backdrops were so spectacular. However, I think the inventiveness of Inside Out will probably triumph.
Thomas LaTourette: I would think that Inside Out should easily triumph here. It was an inventive and fun movie and being a box office smash will only help it win. The one thing that might help The Good Dinosaur win were the beautifully animated scenes of forests and, especially, water. The water shots were especially breathtaking, but I don’t think that will be enough to beat Inside Out.

Best Animated Performance in a Photoreal Feature

Avengers: Age of Ultron – Hulk (RU:Thomas)
Chappie – Chappie
The Revenant – The Bear (Wesley, Peter, Thomas)
Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Maz (RU:Wesley, RU:Peter)

Wesley Lovell: Not a traditional performance, there’s no question that everyone’s talking about the bear more than anything else in visual effects this year.

Best Animated Performance in an Animation Feature

The Good Dinosaur – Spot (RU:Thomas)
Inside Out – Joy (Wesley, Peter, Thomas)
The Peanuts Movie – Charlie Brown
The Peanuts Movie – Snoopy (RU:Wesley, RU:Peter)

Wesley Lovell: Edge to Inside Out, but only barely.

Best Created Environment in a Photoreal Feature

Ant-Man – The Microverse
Jurassic World – Jungle Chase
Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Falcon Chase / Graveyard (Wesley, RU:Peter)
Tomorrowland – Tomorrowland Center (RU:Thomas)
The Walk – World Trade Center (Peter, Thomas, RU:Wesley)

Wesley Lovell: I think Star Wars will have a big night and that chase scene was rather intense and incredibly creative, especially compared to a simple (not really that simple) recreation of two established historical buildings.

Best Created Environment in an Animated Feature

The Good Dinosaur – The Farm (RU:Peter)
Inside Out – Imagination Land (Wesley, Peter, Thomas)
The Peanuts Movie – Charlie Brown’s Neighborhood
Shaun the Sheep Movie – Under the Arches (RU:Wesley, RU:Thomas)

Wesley Lovell: The utter spectacle of Imagination Land should handily triumph, but the others have just as good a shot.

Best Models in a Photoreal or Animated Project

Avengers: Age of Ultron – Hulkbuster
Everest – Mt. Everest (Peter)
Jurassic World – Indominous Rex (RU:Wesley, RU:Peter, RU:Thomas)
Star Wars: The Force Awakens – BB-8 (Wesley, Thomas)

Wesley Lovell: BB-8 was too cute not to take this prize. At least that’s what most people will think.

Best Compositing in a Photoreal Feature

Mad Max: Fury Road (Thomas, RU:Wesley)
The Revenant – Bear Attack (Wesley)
San Andreas – Los Angeles Destruction (RU:Peter)
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Peter, RU:Thomas)
Tomorrowland

Wesley Lovell: Compositing is, essentially, the combination of multiple image layers into one cohesive image, making the audience believe that there is no seam. That should help the utter frenetic imagery and realism of The Revenant‘s bear attack take the win.

Best Virtual Cinematography in a Photoreal Project

Ant-Man – Macro Action
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation – Underwater Torus Chamber
Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Falcon Chase / Graveyard (Wesley, Thomas, RU:Peter)
The Walk – Towers Walk (Peter, RU:Wesley, RU:Thomas)

Wesley Lovell: The varied lighting schemes of the Falcon Chase should be difficult to ignore.

Best Effects Simulations in an Photoreal Feature

Avengers: Age of Ultron – Hulk vs. Hulkbuster
Mad Max: Fury Road – Toxic Storm (Wesley, RU:Thomas)
San Andreas – Hoover Dam / San Francisco Tsunami (Peter)
San Andreas – Los Angeles Destruction (RU:Peter)
Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Starkiller Base (Thomas, RU:Wesley)

Wesley Lovell: Any one of these contenders could win, but since I think Star Wars will otherwise dominate, this may be one of the easier places for the VES to recognize the work on Mad Max even if it isn’t the most important set of effects in the film.