The Visual Effects Society (VES) has named acclaimed writer-director-producer Jonathan Nolan as the next recipient of the VES Visionary Award in recognition of his valuable contributions to filmed entertainment. The award will be presented at the 17th Annual VES Awards on February 5, 2019 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
The VES Visionary Award, bestowed by the VES Board of Directors, recognizes an individual who has uniquely and consistently employed the art and science of visual effects to foster imagination and ignite future discoveries by way of artistry, invention and groundbreaking work. VES will honor Nolan, a fiercely inventive storyteller, for his inspired vision and distinctive ability to harness craft and technology in creating mysterious new worlds that transport and transfix audiences.
“Jonathan Nolan has been at the forefront in utilizing visual effects to tell remarkable, highly nuanced stories that change the way we think about what is possible to achieve,” said Mike Chambers, VES Board chair. “Jonathan has an innate sense of how to use visual effects intelligently to bring his creative visions to life. As a major force in film and television, he has written, produced, directed and contributed to some of the most compelling and unforgettable narratives in filmed entertainment.”
Nolan is a prolific screenwriter, director, and television producer who heads up his production company Kilter Films with his wife Lisa Joy. He earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay for the acclaimed noir drama Memento, which was based on his short story “Memento Mori” and marked his first feature film writing credit. The nomination was shared with his brother, Christopher Nolan, who directed the film.
The Nolan brothers subsequently teamed up on the screenplays for The Prestige; the blockbuster The Dark Knight, for which they received a Writers Guild of America Award nomination; The Dark Knight Rises, which became the most financially successful Batman movie of all time; and Interstellar.
In television, Jonathan Nolan created the CBS hit drama Person Of Interest under Kilter Films, which ran for five seasons. Nolan and Joy co-created HBO’s Westworld, which aired its first season in 2016 to rave reviews. He received Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Writing and Directing for a Drama Series and directed the pilot and finale of season one, for which he earned a DGA nomination. Westworld is the most-watched first season of an HBO original series ever. In April 2018, Amazon acquired sci-fi drama project The Peripheral, based on William Gibson’s book, from Nolan and Joy.
Previous winners of the VES Visionary Award have been Victoria Alonso, Syd Mead, J.J. Abrams, Alfonso Cuarón, Ang Lee and Christopher Nolan.
