Wes Ball's epic 'Planet of the Apes' adventure takes the evening's final and top award, while 'Dune: Part Two' takes home the most feature wins; 'The Wild Robot' the most animated feature wins; and 'Shōgun' the most episodic wins.
The 23rd Annual VES Awards just concluded at the The Beverly Hilton Hotel, and the festivities did not dissapoint. Keanu Reeves and his ferocious beard were in the house and everyone felt the buzz.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes took the top award of the evening for best photoreal feature, though Dune: Part Two took home the most photoreal feature wins with four awards. The Wild Robot was named top animated film, winning four awards. Shōgun was named best photoreal episode, winning three awards; The Penguin also garnered three awards. Coca-Cola: The Heroes topped the commercial field.
Comedy duo The Sklar Brothers made their debut as VES Awards hosts. I thought they were the funniest Jewish twin comics I've ever seen. The previously mentioned John Wick star presented Golden Globe-winning actor-producer Hiroyuki Sanada with the VES Award for Creative Excellence. Renowned computer graphics researcher Paul Debevec, VES, presented Virtual Reality/Immersive Technology Pioneer Dr. Jacquelyn Ford Morie with the Georges Méliès Award. Writer-director Michael Dougherty presented Academy Award-winning filmmaker and VFX Supervisor Takashi Yamazaki with the Visionary Award. Award presenters included: Kelvin Harrison, Jr., Krys Marshall, Mary Mouser, Russell Hornsby, Tanner Buchanan, Eric Winter, and Autodesk’s Senior Director, Business Strategy Rachael Appleton presented the VES-Autodesk Student Award.
This year’s nominees and winners are as follows - congrats to everyone!
OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE
Better Man
- Luke Millar
- Andy Taylor
- David Clayton
- Keith Herft
- Peter Stubbs
Dune: Part Two
- Paul Lambert
- Brice Parker
- Stephen James
- Rhys Salcombe
- Gerd Nefzer
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (winner)
- Erik Winquist
- Julia Neighly
- Paul Story
- Danielle Immerman
- Rodney Burke
Mufasa: The Lion King
- Adam Valdez
- Barry St. John
- Audrey Ferrara
- Daniel Fotheringham
Twisters
- Ben Snow
- Mark Soper
- Florian Witzel
- Susan Greenhow
- Scott Fisher
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE
Blitz
- Andrew Whitehurst
- Sona Pak
- Theo Demiris
- Vincent Poitras
- Hayley Williams
Civil War (winner)
- David Simpson
- Michelle Rose
- Freddy Salazar
- Chris Zeh
- J.D. Schwalm
Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1
- Jason Neese
- Armen Fetulagian
- Jamie Neese
- J.P. Jaramillo
Nosferatu
- Angela Barson
- Lisa Renney
- David Scott
- Dave Cook
- Pavel Ságner
Young Woman and the Sea
- Richard Briscoe
- Carrie Rishel
- Jeremy Robert
- Stéphane Dittoo
- Ivo Jivkov
OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE
Inside Out 2
- Kelsey Mann
- Mark Nielsen
- Sudeep Rangaswamy
- Bill Watral
Moana 2
- Carlos Cabral
- Tucker Gilmore
- Ian Gooding
- Gabriela Hernandez
The Wild Robot (winner)
- Chris Sanders
- Jeff Hermann
- Jeff Budsberg
- Jacob Hjort Jensen
Transformers One
- Frazer Churchill
- Fiona Chilton
- Josh Cooley
- Stephen King
Ultraman: Rising
- Hayden Jones
- Sean M. Murphy
- Shannon Tindle
- Mathieu Vig
OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL EPISODE
Fallout; The Head
- Jay Worth
- Andrea Knoll
- Grant Everett
- Joao Sita
- Devin Maggio
House of the Dragon; Season 2; The Red Dragon and the Gold
- Daði Einarsson
- Tom Horton
- Sven Martin
- Wayne Stables
- Mike Dawson
Shōgun; Anjin (winner)
- Michael Cliett
- Melody Mead
- Philip Engström
- Ed Bruce
- Cameron Waldbauer
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew; Episode 5
- John Knoll
- Pablo Molles
- Jhon Alvarado
- Jeff Capogreco
The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power; Season 2; Eldest
- Jason Smith
- Tim Keene
- Ann Podlozny
- Ara Khanikian
- Ryan Conder
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL EPISODE
Expats: Home
- Robert Bock
- Glorivette Somoza
- Charles Labbé
- Tim Emeis
Lady in the Lake; It Has to Do With the Search for the Marvelous
- Jay Worth
- Eddie Bonin
- Joe Wehmeyer
- Eric Levin-Hatz
- Mike Myers
Masters of the Air; Part Three; The Regensburg-Schweinfurt Mission
- Stephen Rosenbaum
- Bruce Franklin
- Xavier Matia Bernasconi
- David Andrews
- Neil Corbould
The Penguin; Bliss (winner)
- Johnny Han
- Michelle Rose
- Goran Pavles
- Ed Bruce
- Devin Maggio
The Tattooist of Auschwitz; Pilot
- Simon Giles
- Alan Church
- David Schneider
- James Hattsmith
OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A REAL-TIME PROJECT
[REDACTED]
- Fabio Silva
- Matthew Sherman
- Caleb Essex
- Bob Kopinsky
Destiny 2: The Final Shape
- Dave Samuel
- Ben Fabric
- Eric Greenlief
- Glenn Gamble
Star Wars Outlaws (winner)
- Stephen Hawes
- Lionel Le Dain
- Benedikt Podlesnigg
- Bogdan Draghici
What If…? – An Immersive Story
- Patrick N.P. Conran
- Shereif Fattouh
- Zain Homer
- Jax Lee
Until Dawn
- Nicholas Chambers
- Jack Hidde Glavimans
- Alex Gabor
OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A COMMERCIAL
YouTube TV NFL Sunday Ticket: The Magic of Sunday
- Chris Bayol
- Jeremy Brooks
- Lane Jolly
- Jacob Bergman
Disney; Holidays 2024
- Adam Droy
- Helen Tang
- Christian Baker-Steele
- David Fleet
Virgin Media; Walrus Whizzer
- Sebastian Caldwell
- Ian Berry
- Ben Cronin
- Alex Grey
Coca-Cola; The Heroes (winner)
- Greg McKneally
- Antonia Vlasto
- Ryan Knowles
- Fabrice Fiteni
Six Kings Slam; Call of the Kings
- Ryan Knowles
- Joe Billington
- Dean Robinson
- George Savvas
OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A SPECIAL VENUE PROJECT
D23; Real-Time Rocket (winner)
- Evan Goldberg
- Alyssa Finley
- Jason Breneman
- Alice Taylor
The Goldau Landslide Experience
- Roman Kaelin
- Gianluca Ravioli
- Florian Baumann
MTV Video Music Awards; Slim Shady Live
- Jo Plaete
- Sara Mustafa
- Cameron Jackson
- Andries Courteaux
Tokyo DisneySea; Peter Pan's Never Land Adventure
- Michael Sean Foley
- Kirk Bodyfelt
- Darin Hollings
- Bert Klein
- Maya Vyas
Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony; Run
- Benjamin Le Ster
- Gilles De Lusigman
- Gerome Viavant
- Romain Tinturier
OUTSTANDING CHARACTER IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE
Better Man; Robbie Williams (winner)
- Milton Ramirez
- Andrea Merlo
- Seoungseok Charlie Kim
- Eteuati Tema
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes; Noa
- Rachael Dunk
- Andrei Coval
- John Sore
- Niels Peter Kaagaard
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes; Raka
- Seoungseok Charlie Kim
- Giorgio Lafratta
- Tim Teramoto
- Aidan Martin
Mufasa: The Lion King; Taka
- Klaus Skovbo
- Valentina Rosselli
- Eli De Koninck
- Amelie Talarmain
OUTSTANDING CHARACTER IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE
Inside Out 2; Anxiety
- Alexander Alvarado
- Brianne Francisco
- Amanda Wagner
- Brenda Lin Zhang
The Wild Robot; Roz (winner)
- Fabio Lignini
- Yukinori Inagaki
- Owen Demers
- Hyun Huh
Thelma The Unicorn; Vic Diamond
- Guillaume Arantes
- Adrien Montero
- Anne-Claire Leroux
- Gaspard Roche
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl; Gromit
- Jo Fenton
- Alison Evans
- Andy Symanowski
- Emanuel Nevado
OUTSTANDING CHARACTER IN AN EPISODE, COMMERCIAL, GAME CINEMATIC, OR REAL-TIME PROJECT
Secret Level; Armored Core: Asset Management; Mech Pilot
- Zsolt Vida
- Péter Krucsai
- Ágnes Vona
- Enric Nebleza Pañella
Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred; Neyrelle
- Chris Bostjanick
- James Ma
- Yeon-Ho Lee
- Atsushi Ikarashi
Disney; Holidays 2024; Octopus
- Alex Doyle
- Philippe Moine
- Lewis Pickston
- Andrea Lacedelli
Ronja the Robber's Daughter; Vildvittran the Queen Harpy (winner)
- Nicklas Andersson
- David Allan
- Gustav Åhren
- Niklas Wallén
OUTSTANDING ENVIRONMENT IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE
Civil War; Washington, D.C.
- Matthew Chandler
- James Harmer
- Robert Moore
- Adrien Zeppieri
Dune: Part Two; The Arrakeen Basin (winner)
- Daniel Rhein
- Daniel Anton Fernandez
- Marc James Austin
- Christopher Anciaume
Gladiator II; Rome
- Oliver Kane
- Stefano Farci
- John Seru
- Frederick Vallee
Wicked; The Emerald City
- Alan Lam
- Steve Bevins
- Deepali Negi
- Miguel Sanchez López-Ruíz
OUTSTANDING ENVIRONMENT IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE
Kung Fu Panda 4; Juniper City
- Benjamin Lippert
- Ryan Prestridge
- Sarah Vawter
- Peter Maynez
The Wild Robot; The Forest (winner)
- John Wake
- He Jung Park
- Woojin Choi
- Shane Glading
Transformers One; Iacon City
- Alex Popescu
- Geoffrey Lebreton
- Ryan Kirby
- Hussein Nabeel
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl; Aqueduct
- Matt Perry
- Dave Alex Riddett
- Matt Sanders
- Howard Jones
OUTSTANDING ENVIRONMENT IN AN EPISODE, COMMERCIAL, GAME CINEMATIC, OR REAL-TIME PROJECT
Dune: Prophecy; Pilot; The Imperial Palace
- Scott Coates
- Sam Besseau
- Vincent l'Heureux
- Lourenco Abreu
Dune: Prophecy; Two Wolves; Zimia Spaceport
- Nils Weisbrod
- David Anastacio
- Rene Borst
- Ruben Valente
Shōgun; Osaka (winner)
- Manuel Martinez
- Phil Hannigan
- Keith Malone
- Francesco Corvino
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power; Season 2; Doomed to Die; Eregion
- Yordan Petrov
- Bertrand Cabrol
- Lea Desrozier
- Karan Dhandha
OUTSTANDING CG CINEMATOGRAPHY
Better Man
- Blair Burke
- Shweta Bhatnagar
- Tim Walker
- Craig Young
Dune: Part Two; Arrakis (winner)
- Greig Fraser
- Xin Steve Guo
- Sandra Murta
- Ben Wiggs
House of the Dragon; Season 2; The Red Dragon and the Gold; Battle at Rook's Rest
- Matt Perrin
- James Thompson
- Jacob Doehner
- P.J. Dillon
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes ; Egg Climb
- Dennis Yoo
- Angelo Perrotta
- Samantha Erickstad
- Miae Kang
OUTSTANDING MODEL IN A PHOTOREAL OR ANIMATED PROJECT
Alien: Romulus; Renaissance Space Station (winner)
- Waldemar Bartkowiak
- Trevor Wide
- Matt Middleton
- Ben Shearman
Deadpool & Wolverine; Ant-Man Arena
- Carlos Flores Gomez
- Corinne Dy
- Chris Byrnes
- Gerald Blaise
Dune: Part Two; The Harkonnen Harvester
- Andrew Hodgson
- Timothy Russell
- Erik Lehmann
- Louie Cho
Gladiator II; The Colosseum
- Oliver Kane
- Marnie Pitts
- Charlotte Fargier
- Laurie Priest
OUTSTANDING EFFECTS SIMULATIONS IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE
Dune: Part Two; Atomic Explosions and Wormriding (winner)
- Nicholas Papworth
- Sandy la Tourelle
- Lisa Nolan
- Christopher Phillips
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes; Burning Village, Rapids and Floods
- Alex Nowotny
- Claude Schitter
- Frédéric Valleur
- Kevin Kelm
Twisters
- Matthew Hanger
- Joakim Arnesson
- Laurent Kermel
- Zheng Yong Oh
Venom: The Last Dance; Water, Fire & Symbiote Effects
- Xavi Martin Ramirez
- Oscar Dahlen
- Hedi Namar
- Yuri Yang
OUTSTANDING EFFECTS SIMULATIONS IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE
Kung Fu Panda 4
- Jinguang Huang
- Zhao Wang
- Hamid Shahsavari
- Joshua LaBrot
Moana 2
- Zoran Stojanoski
- Jesse Erickson
- Shamintha Kalamba Arachchi
- Erin V. Ramos
The Wild Robot (winner)
- Derek Cheung
- Michael Losure
- David Chow
- Nyoung Kim
Ultraman: Rising
- Goncalo Cabaca
- Zheng Yong Oh
- Nicholas Yoon Joo Kuang
- Praveen Boppana
OUTSTANDING EFFECTS SIMULATIONS IN AN EPISODE, COMMERCIAL, GAME CINEMATIC, OR REAL-TIME PROJECT
Avatar: The Last Airbender; Legends; Koizilla
- Ioan Boieriu
- David Stopford
- Per Balay
- Saysana Rintharamy
Shōgun; Broken to the Fist; Landslide (winner)
- Dominic Tiedeken
- Heinrich Löwe
- Charles Guerton
- Timmy Lundin
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew; Pilot; Spaceship Hillside Takeoff
- Travis Harkleroad
- Xiaolong Peng
- Marcella Brown
- Mickael Riciotti
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power; Season 2; Shadow and Flame; Balrog Fire and Collapsing Cliff
- Koenraad Hofmeester
- Miguel Perez Senent
- Miguel Santana Da Silva
- Billy Copley
Three Body Problem; Judgement Day
- Yves D'Incau
- Gavin Templer
- Martin Chabannes
- Eloi Andaluz Fullà
OUTSTANDING COMPOSITING & LIGHTING IN A FEATURE
Better Man
- Mark McNicholl
- Gordon Spencer de Haseth
- Eva Snyder
- Markus Reithoffer
Dune: Part Two; Wormriding, Geidi Prime, and the Final Battle (winner)
- Christopher Rickard
- Francesco Dell'Anna
- Paul Chapman
- Ryan Wing
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
- Joerg Bruemmer
- Zachary Brake
- Tim Walker
- Kaustubh A. Patil
The Wild Robot
- Sondra L. Verlander
- Baptiste Van Opstal
- Eszter Offertaler
- Austin Casale
OUTSTANDING COMPOSITING & LIGHTING IN AN EPISODE
Shōgun; Broken to the Fist; Landslide (winner)
- Benjamin Bernon
- Douglas Roshamn
- Victor Kirsch
- Charlie Raud
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew; Episode 6; Jaws
- Rich Grande
- Tomas Lefebvre
- Ian Dodman
- Rey Reynolds
The Boys; Season 4; Life Among the Septics
- Tristan Zerafa
- Mike Stadnyckyj
- Toshi Kosaka
- Rajeev BR
The Penguin; After Hours
- Jonas Stuckenbrock
- Karen Chang
- Eugene Bondar
- Miky Girón
OUTSTANDING COMPOSITING & LIGHTING IN A COMMERCIAL
Virgin Media; Walrus Whizzer
- Sebastian Caldwell
- Alex Grey
- Kanishk Chouhan
- Shubham Mehta
Coca-Cola; The Heroes (winner)
- Ryan Knowles
- Alex Gabucci
- Jack Powell
- Dan Yarcigi
Corcept; Marionette
- Yongchan Kim
- Arman Matin
- Yoon Bae
- Rajesh Kaushik
Disney; Holidays 2024
- Christian Baker-Steele
- Luke Warpus
- Pritesh Kotian
- Jack Harris
OUTSTANDING SPECIAL (PRACTICAL) EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL PROJECT
Blitz
- Hayley Williams
- David Eves
- Alex Freeman
- David Watson
Constellation
- Martin Goeres
- Johara Raukamp
- Lion David Bogus
- Leon Mark
The Penguin; Safe Guns (winner)
- Devin Maggio
- Johnny Han
- Cory Candrilli
- Alexandre Prod'homme
EMERGING TECHNOLOGY AWARD
Dune: Part Two; Nuke CopyCat
- Ben Kent
- Guillaume Gales
- Mairead Grogan
- Johanna Barbier
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga; Artist-driven Machine Learning Character
- John Bastian
- Ben Ward
- Thomas Rowntree
- Robert Beveridge
Here; Neural Performance Toolset (winner)
- Jo Plaete
- Oriel Frigo
- Tomas Koutsky
- Matteo Oliviero Dancy
Mufasa: The Lion King; Real-Time Interactive Filmmaking, From Stage To Post
- Callum James
- James Hood
- Lloyd Bishop
- Bruno Pedrinha
The Penguin; Phase Synced Flash-Gun System
- Johnny Han
- Jefferson Han
- Joseph Menafra
- Michael Pynn
OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A STUDENT PROJECT
Dawn (entry from ESMA – École Supérieure Des Métiers Artistiques)
- Noah Mercier
- Apolline Royer
- Lorys Stora
- Marie Pradeilles
Student Accomplice (entry from Brigham Young University)
- Spencer Blanchard
- Lisa Bird
- Anson Savage
- Kiara Spencer
Pittura (entry from ARTFX – Schools of Digital Arts) (winner)
- Lauriol Adam
- Lassère Titouan
- Vivenza Rémi
- Marre Helloïs
Courage (entry from Supinfocom – Rubika)
- Salomé Cognon
- Margot Jacquet
- Nathan Baudry
- Lise Delcroix
Source: Visual Effects Society
Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
