VES Awards 2021: a The Midnight Sky il premio principale, i vincitori

Questa notte sono stati assegnati i Visual Effects Society Awards 2021 (VES Awards), ovvero i premi assegnati dall’associazione hollywoodiana dei tecnici degli effetti visivi ai migliori film dell’anno.

Attraverso una cerimonia di premiazione rigorosamente virtuale, la VES ha premiato il meglio degli effetti visivi della stagione cinematografica – e televisiva – appena passata, strizzando ovviamente un’occhio alle prossime premiazioni degli Oscar 2021. A portare a casa il premio più importante è stato The Midnight Sky, lo sci-fi di George Clooney, il quale però si è aggiudicato nel complesso due premi. A portare a casa premi dalla VES Awards sono stati anche Mank e Mulan, con Soul che ha spazzato via la concorrenza nelle categorie d’animazione.

Nelle categorie televisive ha portato a casa tre premi The Mandalorian, mentre sono stati due quelli di Lovecraft Country. La cerimonia si è conclusa con il premio alla carriera assegnato a Peter Jackson, simpatica a tal proposito la scenetta virtuale che ha accompagnato la premiazione del regista, con James Cameron e Jon Landau travestiti da Hobbit.

I VINCITORI DEI VES AWARDS 2021

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature

• Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey – Brad Parker Roma Van Den Bergh Eric Guaglione Carlos Monzon Stefano Pepin
• Project Power – Ivan Moran Leslie Hough Joao Sita Matthew Twyford Yves Debono
• Tenet – Andrew Jackson Mike Chambers Andrew Lockley David Lee Scott Fisher
• WINNER The Midnight Sky – Matt Kasmir Greg Baxter Chris Lawrence Max Solomon David Watkins
• The Witches – Kevin Baillie Sandra Scott Sean Konrad Glenn Melenhorst Mark Holt

Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature

• Da 5 Bloods – Randall Balsmeyer James Cooper Watcharachai “Sam” Panichsuk
• Extraction – Marko Forker Lynzi Grant Craig Wentworth Olivier Sarda
• WINNER Mank WeiZheng Peter Mavromates Simon Carr James Pastorius
• News of the World – Roni Rodrigues Dayaliyah Lopez Ian Fellows Andrew Morley Brandon K. McLaughlin
• Welcome to Chechnya – Ryan Laney Eugen Bräunig Maxwell Anderson Johnny Han Piers Dennis

Outstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Feature 

• Onward – Dan Scanlon Kori Rae Sanjay Bakshi Vincent Serritella
• Over the Moon – Glen Keane Gennie Rim Céline Desrumaux David Alexander Smith
• WINNER Soul – Pete Docter Dana Murray Michael Fong Bill Watral
• The Croods: A New Age – Joel Crawford Mark Swift, PGA Betsy Nofsinger Jakob Hjort Jensen
• Trolls World Tour –Walt Dohrn Gina Shay, PGA Kendal Cronkhite-Shaindlin Matt Baer

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode

• Lovecraft Country – “Jig-A-Bobo” – Kevin Blank Robin Griffin Pietro Ponti Francois Dumoulin
• Star Trek: Discovery – “Su’Kal” – Jason Michael Zimmerman Aleksandra Kochoska Ante Dekovic Ivan Kondrup Jensen
• WINNER The Mandalorian – “The Marshal” – Joe Bauer Abbigail Keller Hal Hickel Richard Bluff Roy Cancino 
• Timmy Failure – Rich McBride Leslie Lerman Nicolas Chevallier Anders Beer Tony Lazarowich
• Westworld – “Crisis Theory” – Jay Worth Elizabeth Castro Bruce Branit Joe Wehmeyer Mark Byers

Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode

• I Know This Much Is True – “Episode 1” – Eric Pascarelli Keith Kolder Ariel Altman
• Mrs. America – “Shirley” – Janelle Croshaw Kaylie Whitcher Leonardo Silva Zena Bielewicz Michael Innanen
• Survive – Ariel Altman Rae Welty Caius Wong Carl Fong
• WINNER The Crown – “Gold Stick” – Ben Turner Reece Ewing Andrew Scrase Jonathan Wood
• Vikings – “Best Laid Plans” – Dominic Remane Bill Halliday Tom Morrison Ovidiu Cinazan Paul Byrne
• Warrior – “Learn to Endure, Or Hire a Bodyguard” – Jonathan Alenskas Leah Orsini Nate Overstrom David Eschrich

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Real-Time Project

• Assassin’s Creed Valhalla – Raphael Lacoste Jean-Sebastien Guay Virginie Cinq-Mars Thierry Beaumont
• Cyberpunk 2077  – Jakub Knapik Małgorzata Mitręga Piotr Suchodolski Krzysztof Krzyścin
• WINNER Ghost Of Tsushima – Jason Connell Matt Vainio Jasmin Patry Joanna Wang
• Spider-Man: Miles Morales – Reactor Finale – Gavin Goulden Jess Reed Bryanna LindseyMike Yosh
• The Last Of Us Part II – Neil Druckmann Eben Cook Erick Pangilinan John Sweeney

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Commercial

• Arm & Hammer – “Once Upon a Time” – Kiril Mirkov Solomon Tiigah Vanessa Duquesnay Prashanth Paramasivam
• Burberry – “Singin’ In the Rain” – Fabian Frank Ryan Hancocks Rob Richardson Alex Lovejoy
• Hornbach – “It Seems Impossible Until You Do It” – Ben Cronin Tomek Zietkiewicz Amir Bazzazi Bruno Fukumothi
• PlayStation – “The Edge” – Diarmid Harrison-Murray Tom Igglesden Alex Gabucci Tom Raynor
• WINNER Walmart – “Famous Visitors” – Chris “Badger” Knight Lori Talley Yarin Mares Matt Fuller
• Xbox – “Us Dreamers” – Dan Seddon Elexis Stearn Fabian Frank Zhenya Vladi

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project

• Asteroid Hunters – Antoine DurrJini Durr Bert Poole Neishaw Ali
• WINNER The Bourne Stuntacular – Salvador ZalvideaTracey GibbonsGeorge AllanMatthías BjarnasonScott Smith
• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway – Ryan Donoghue Becky Train Blaine Kennison Nick da Silva Corban Prim
• The March – Aruna Inversin Peter Nelson Kevin Williams Sean Kealey

Outstanding Animated Character in a Photoreal Feature

• Die Känguru-Chroniken – Kangaroo – Claudius Urban Sebastian Badea Dorian Knapp Ruth Wiegand
• Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey – Don Juan Diego – Eric Guaglione Shuchi Singhal Adrien Annesley Mahmoud Ellithy 
• WINNER The One And Only Ivan – Ivan – Valentina Rosselli Thomas Huizer Andrea De Martis William Bell
• The Witches – Daisy – Jye Skinn Sarah Fuller Marco Iannaccone Fredrik Sundqvist

Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature

• Onward – Dad Pants – Kristopher Campbell Jonas Jarvers Rob Jensen Jacob Kuenzel
• Over the Moon – Chang’e – Siggi Orri Thorhannesson Hyesook Kim Javier Solsona Alan Chen
• WINNER Soul – Terry – Jonathan Hoffman Jonathan PagePeter Tieryas Ron Zorman
• The Spongebob Movie: Sponge On The Run – SpongeBob – Jacques Daigle Guillaume Dufief Adrien Montero Liam Hill

Outstanding Animated Character in an Episode or Real-Time Project

• The Crown – “The Balmoral Test” – Imperial Stag – Ahmed Gharraph Ross Burgess Gabriela Ruch Salmeron Joel Best
• WINNER The Mandalorian – “The Jedi” – The Child – John Rosengrant Peter Clarke Scott Patton Hal Hickel
• The Mandalorian – “The Marshal” – Krayt Dragon – Paul Kavanagh Zaini Mohamed Jalani Michal Kriukow Nihal Friedel
• Timmy Failure – “Mistakes Were Made” – Total – Maxime Masse Hennadii Prykhodko Luc Girard Sophie Burie

Outstanding Animated Character in a Commercial

• Afk Arena – “Toilet” – Uzgahk Chloe Dawe Brad Noble Tim van Hussen Simon Legrand
• WINNER Arm & Hammer – “Once Upon a Time” – Tuxedo – Tom Shiny Rajan Silvia Bartoli Matias Heker Tiago Dias Mota
• Far Cry – “Legacy” – Anton Maxime Luere Leon Berelle Rémi Kozyra Dominique Boidin
• Legends Of Runeterra – “Breathe” – Darius Maxime Luere Leon Berelle Rémi Kozyra Dominique Boidin
• TK MAXX – “The Lil Goat” – Kiril Mirkov Silvia Bartoli Chris Welsby David Bryan

Outstanding Created Environment in a Photoreal Feature

• Bloodshot – Neuralspace – Arnaud Brisebois Patrick Bacon Dawid Borkiewicz Gérôme Viavant
• WINNER Mulan – Imperial City – Jeremy Fort Matt Fitzgerald Ben Walker Adrian Vercoe
• The Eight Hundred – 1937 Shanghai Downtown – Stefano Cieri Aaron Auty Simon Carlile Patrick Zentis
• The Eight Hundred – Shanghai Warehouse District – Jamie Macdougall Julian Hutchens Mark Honer David Pekarek

Outstanding Created Environment in an Animated Feature

• Onward – Swamp Gas – Eric Andraos Laura Grieve Nick Pitera Michael Rutter
• WINNER Soul – You Seminar – Hosuk Chang Sungyeon Joh Peter Roe Frank Tai
• Trolls World Tour – Techno Reef – Luke Heathcock Zachary Glynn Marina Ilic Michael Trull
• Trolls World Tour – Volcano Rock City – Brian LaFrance Sara Cembalisty Christopher Sprunger Ruben Perez

Outstanding Created Environment in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project

• Brave New World – New London – Guy Williams Justin Gros-Désir Markus Sterner Ryan Clarke
• Cyberpunk 2077 – Night City – Jakub Knapik Lucjan Więcek
• Lovecraft Country – Tulsa 1921 – Patrice Poissant Pauline Lavelle Mohamed Abdou Elhakim Alan Lam
• WINNER The Mandalorian – “The Believer” – Morak Jungle -Enrico Damm Johanes Kurnia Phi Tran Tong Tran
• The Mandalorian – “The Siege” – Nevarro Canyon – Kevin George Aaron Barr Piotr Tatar Abel Milanés Betancourt

Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a CG Project

• Ghost Of Tsushima – “A Storm is Coming” – Aladino Debert Matt Dougan Eric Beaver David Liu 
• WINNER Soul – Matt Aspbury Ian Megibben
• The Mandalorian – “The Believer” – Richard Bluff Matt Jensen Chris Williams Landis Fields IV
• The Mandalorian – “The Siege” – Dave Crispino Kyle Winkelman Paul Kavanagh Jose Burgos

Outstanding Model in a Photoreal or Animated Project

• The Mandalorian –  Boba Fett’s Ship – Jay Machado Enrico Damm Gerald Blaise Ryan Church
• The Mandalorian – “The Rescue” – Light Cruiser – John Knoll John Goodson Dan Patrascu Rene Garcia
• WINNER The Midnight Sky – Aether – Michael Balthazart Jonathan Opgenhaffen John-Peter Li Simon Aluze
• The Witches – Rollercoaster – Jared Michael Peter Dominik Sylvain Lesaint Emily Tilson

Outstanding Effects Simulations in a Photoreal Feature

• Bloodshot – Omar Meradi Jeremy Poupin Sylvain Robert Deak Ferrand
• Greyhound – Mike Nixon Nicholas Papworth Jeremy Smith Yashdeep Sawant
• Monster Hunter – Vimal Mallireddy Warren Lawtey Tom O’Bready Dominik Haase
• Mulan – Theo Vandernoot Sandra Balej James Carson Yuri Rudakov
• WINNER Project Power – Yin Lai Jimmy Leung Jonathan Edward Lyddon-Towl Pierpaolo Navarini Michelle Lee

Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Animated Feature

• Onward – Dave Hale Jonah Blue Laird Stephen Marshall Ricardo Nadu
• Over the Moon – Ian Farnsworth Brian Casper Reinhold Rittinger Jennifer Lasrado
• WINNER Soul – Alexis Angelidis Keith Daniel Klohn Aimei Kutt Melissa Tseng
• Trolls World Tour – Stephen Wood Carl Hooper Spencer Knapp Nick Augello
• The Willoughbys – Helén Ahlberg Kyle McQueen Russell Smith Raehyeon Kim

Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project

• WINNER Lovecraft Country – “Strange Case” – Chrysalis – Federica Foresti Johan Gabrielsson Hugo Medda Andreas Krieg
• PlayStation – “The Edge” – Tom Raynor Andreu Lucio Martin Aufinger Platon Filimonov
• Tales From The Loop – “Loretta’s House” – Dominik Kirouac Gaël Chopin Sylvain Nouveau Laurent Pancaccini
• The Mandalorian – “The Marshal” Krayt Dragon – HuaiYuan Teh Don Wong Mathieu Chardonnet Prashanth Bhagavan

Outstanding Compositing in a Feature

• Greyhound – Chris Gooch Tiago Santos Stu Bruzek Sneha Amin
• Mulan – Christoph Salzmann Beck Veitch Joerg Bruemmer Indah Maretha
• WINNER Project Power – Russell Horth Matthew Patience Julien Rousseau
• Underwater – Sreejith Venugopalan Ruslan Borysov Susil Sabat Andreas Andersson

Outstanding Compositing in an Episode

• WINNER Lovecraft Country – “Strange Case” – Chrysalis – Viktor Andersson Linus Lindblom Mattias Sandelius Crawford Reilly
• The Mandalorian – “The Believer” – Peter Demarest Christopher Balog Shawn Mason David Wahlberg
• The Mandalorian – “The Marshal” – Nicolas Caillier Simon Rafin Siang Kee Poh Simon Marinof
• The Mandalorian – “The Passenger” – TC Harrison Tami Carter Jaume Creus Costabella Shane Davidson

Outstanding Compositing in a Commercial

• WINNER Burberry “Festive”- Alex Lovejoy Mithun Alex David Filipe Amresh Kumar
• Perrier – “Heat” – Stéphane Pivron Franck Lambertz Harry Bardak Christophe Courgeau
• PlayStation – “The Edge” – Alex Gabucci Rebecca Clay Alex Grey Alex Kulikov
• Walmart – “Famous Visitors” – Chris “Badger” Knight Ben Smith Jake Albers Franz Kol

Outstanding Special (Practical) Effects in a Photoreal or Animated Project

• WINNER Fear The Walking Dead – “Bury Her Next to Jasper’s Leg” – Frank Iudica Scott Roark Daniel J. Yates

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Student Project

• Time’s Down – Valentin Soulard François Brugalières Nils Lemonnier Yan Weitlauff
• Aral – Cédric Moens de Hase Benoit Paya Charles Morhain Mathilde Dallamaggiore
• Strands of Mind – Adrian Meyer Laura Messier
• WINNER Migrants – Antoine Dupriez Hugo Caby Lucas Lermytte Zoé Devise

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