Today, the Visual Effects Society (VES), the industry’s global professional honorary society, held the 16th Annual VES Awards, the prestigious yearly celebration that recognizes outstanding visual effects artistry and innovation in film, animation, television, commercials, video games and special venues.
Comedian Patton Oswalt served as host for the 7th time to the more than 1000 guests gathered at the Beverly Hilton to celebrate VFX talent in 24 awards categories. War for the Planet of the Apes was named photoreal feature film winner, earning four awards. Coco was named top animated film, also earning four awards. Games of Thrones was named best photoreal episode and garnered five awards – the most wins of the night. Samsung; Do What You Can't; Ostrich won top honors in the commercial field, scoring three awards. These top four contenders collectively garnered 16 of the 24 awards for outstanding visual effects.
President of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige presented the VES Lifetime Achievement Award to acclaimed producer-writer-director Jon Favreau. Academy-Award winning producer Jon Landau presented the Georges Méliès Award to Academy Award-winning visual effects master Joe Letteri, VES. Awards presenters included fan favorite Mark Hamill, Coco director Lee Unkrich, War for the Planet of the Apes director Matt Reeves, Academy Award nominee Diane Warren, Jaime Camil, Dan Stevens, Elizabeth Henstridge, Sydelle Noel, Katy Mixon and Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias.
Winners of the 16th Annual VES Awards are as follows:
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature
War for the Planet of the Apes
Joe Letteri
Ryan Stafford
Daniel Barrett
Dan Lemmon
Joel Whist
Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature
Dunkirk
Andrew Jackson
Mike Chambers
Andrew Lockley
Alison Wortman
Scott Fisher
Outstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Feature
Coco
Lee Unkrich
Darla K. Anderson
David Ryu
Michael K. O’Brien
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode
Game of Thrones; Beyond the Wall
Joe Bauer
Steve Kullback
Chris Baird
David Ramos
Sam Conway
Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode
Black Sails; XXIX
Erik Henry
Terron Pratt
Yafei Wu
David Wahlberg
Paul Dimmer
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Real-Time Project
Assassin’s Creed Origins
Raphael Lacoste
Patrick Limoges
Jean-Sebastien Guay
Ulrich Haar
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Commercial
Samsung; "Do What You Can’t; Ostrich"
Diarmid Harrison-Murray
Tomek Zietkiewicz
Amir Bazazi
Martino Madeddu
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project
Avatar: Flight of Passage
Richard Baneham
Amy Jupiter
David Lester
Thrain Shadbolt
Outstanding Animated Character in a Photoreal Feature
War for the Planet of the Apes; Caesar
Dennis Yoo
Ludovic Chailloleau
Douglas McHale
Tim Forbes
Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature
Coco; Hèctor
Emron Grover
Jonathan Hoffman
Michael Honsel
Guilherme Sauerbronn Jacinto
Outstanding Animated Character in an Episode or Real-Time Project
Game of Thrones; The Spoils of War; Drogon Loot Train Attack
Murray Stevenson
Jason Snyman
Jenn Taylor
Florian Friedmann
Outstanding Animated Character in a Commercial
Samsung; "Do What You Can’t; Ostrich"
David Bryan
Maximilian Mallmann
Tim Van Hussen
Brendan Fagan
Outstanding Created Environment in a Photoreal Feature
Blade Runner 2049; Los Angeles
Chris McLaughlin
Rhys Salcombe
Seungjin Woo
Francesco Dell’Anna
Outstanding Created Environment in an Animated Feature
Coco; City of the Dead
Michael Frederickson
Jamie Hecker
Jonathan Pytko
Dave Strick
Outstanding Created Environment in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project
Game of Thrones; Beyond the Wall; Frozen Lake
Daniel Villalba
Antonio Lado
José Luis Barreiro
Isaac de la Pompa
Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a Photoreal Project
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2; Groot Dance/Opening Fight
James Baker
Steven Lo
Alvise Avati
Robert Stipp
Outstanding Model in a Photoreal or Animated Project
Blade Runner 2049; LAPD Headquarters
Alex Funke
Steven Saunders
Joaquin Loyzaga
Chris Menges
Outstanding Effects Simulations in a Photoreal Feature
War for the Planet of the Apes
David Caeiro Cebrián
Johnathan Nixon
Chet Leavai
Gary Boyle
Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Animated Feature
Coco
Kristopher Campbell
Stephen Gustafson
Dave Hale
Keith Klohn
Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project
Game of Thrones; The Dragon and the Wolf; Wall Destruction
Thomas Hullin
Dominik Kirouac
Sylvain Nouveau
Nathan Arbuckle
Outstanding Compositing in a Photoreal Feature
War for the Planet of the Apes
Christoph Salzmann
Robin Hollander
Ben Morgan
Ben Warner
Outstanding Compositing in a Photoreal Episode
Game of Thrones; The Spoils of War; Loot Train Attack
Dom Hellier
Thijs Noij
Edwin Holdsworth
Giacomo Matteucci
Outstanding Compositing in a Photoreal Commercial
Samsung; "Do What You Can’t; Ostrich"
Michael Gregory
Andrew Roberts
Gustavo Bellon
Rashabh Ramesh Butani
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Student Project
Hybrids
Florian Brauch
Romain Thirion
Matthieu Pujol
Kim Tailhades
About the Visual Effects Society
The Visual Effects Society is a professional global honorary society dedicated to advancing the arts, sciences and applications of visual effects and to upholding the highest standards and procedures for the visual effects profession. It is the entertainment industry's only official organization representing the extended global community of visual effects practitioners, including supervisors, artists, producers, technology developers, educators and studio executives. VES’ more than 3,800 members in 35 countries worldwide contribute to all areas of entertainment – film, television, commercials, animation, music videos, games and new media.
To learn more about the VES, visit www.visualeffectssociety.com and follow us on Twitter @VFX Society
