VFX & Tech
Matrix Revolves on VES Nom List
Last month, The Matrix Revolutions failed to appear on the Academy Awards Visual Effects branch shortlist, but the movie’s impressive visual effects have not gone unnoticed by the Visual Effects Society, which announced its 2004 VES Awards nomination list today. Revolutions will be duking it out with The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl in the Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects Driven Motion Picture category.
Following The Two Towers virtual sweep of last years first annual VES Awards, its no surprise that New Lines Return of the King is in the lead for nominations again this year, though it shares that lead with Disneys Pirates. Each of the blockbusters garnered a total of eight nods.
VES membership viewing of the nominees and voting will take place on Saturday, February 7. Winners will be announced at the second annual VES Awards event on Wednesday, Feb. 18, at the Hollywood Palladium. The evening will be highlighted by the presentation of the first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award from the Visual Effects Society to filmmaker George Lucas. Making the presentation will be once-and-future “king-of-the-world,” Oscar-winning director James Cameron (Titanic, The Terminator 1 and 2, Aliens).
For a complete list of noms, go to visualeffectssociety.com. Highlights of the nominated categories include:
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects Driven Motion Picture
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: Jim Rygiel, Dean Wright, Joe Letteri, Randall William Cook
The Matrix Revolutions: John Gaeta, Kim Libreri, George Murphy, Craig Hayes
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl: John Knoll, Patrick Myers, Hal Hickel, Jill Brooks
Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Motion Picture
Bad Boys 2: Carey Villegas. Rob Legato, David Taritero, Layne Friedman
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World: Stefen Fangmeier, Robert Stromberg, Nathan McGuinness, Brooke Breton
The Last Samurai: Jeffrey A. Okun, Thomas Boland, Bill Mesa, Ray McIntyre, Jr.
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Television Series
Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Season 7, Episode #22: Loni Peristere, Patti Gannon, Ronald Thornton, Chris Zapara
Carnivale, Episode #1.01: David T. Altenau, Ariel V. Shaw, Thomas L. Bellissimo, Barbara J. Marshall
ER #176008: Sam Nicholson, Kyle J. Healey, Eric Grenaudier, Anthony Ocampo
Sea Monsters: A Walking with Dinosaurs Special: Max Tyrie, Tim Greenwood, Darren Byford, Mike Milne
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Commercial
Johnnie Walker “Fish”: Murray Butler, William Bartlett, Jake Mengers, Helen Mackenzie
Nike “Gamebreaker”:Eric Barba, Richard Morton, Walt Hyneman, Dave Stern
Nike “Speed Chain”: Eric Barba, Greg Teegarden, Dave Stern, Jay Barton
