The films "Inception" and "How to Train Your Dragon" and the television programs "Boardwalk Empire" and "The Pacific" were multiple winners at Tuesday night's Visual Effects Society Awards, which honored effects artists in two dozen film, television and video categories.
Christopher Nolan's "Inception" (left), certainly one of the favorites in the Oscar Visual Effects category, won the VES's marquee category, Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects-Driven Feature Motion Picture, as well as awards for its created environment, miniatures and compositing.
Nolan was also honored with the 2011 VES Visionary Award.
"How to Train Your Dragon," a more visually elaborate movie than "Toy Story 3," topped its Pixar competitor in three animated-feature categories. Pixar's "Day & Night," though, won the award for Outstanding Achievement in an Animated Short.
Clint Eastwood's "Hereafter" took the top prize for a non-effects film.
In the television categories, a pair of HBO series dominated, with "The Pacific" receiving three awards and "Boardwalk Empire" two.
VES handed out awards in 10 motion picture categories, seven television categories, and seven categories encompassing commercials, video games and special and student projects.
Going into the awards, "Inception" was the most nominated film, and "Boardwalk Empire" the most nominated television show.
The ceremony took place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. In an honor previously announced along with Nolan's Visionary Award, effects pioneer Ray Harryhausen received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
MOTION PICTURES
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual-Effects Driven Feature Motion Picture: "Inception"
Paul Franklin, Chris Corbould, Mike Chambers and Matthew Plummer
Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Feature Motion Picture:
"Hereafter"
Michael Owens, Joel Mendias, Bryan Grill and Danielle Plantec
Outstanding Animation in an Animated Feature Motion Picture: "How to Train Your Dragon"
Simon Otto, Craig Ring and Bonnie Arnold
Outstanding Animated Character in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture
: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1" – Dobby
Mathieu Vig, Ben Lambert, Laurie Brugger and Marine Poirson
Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature Motion Picture: "How to Train Your Dragon" – Toothless
Gabe Hordos, Cassidy Curtis, Mariette Marinus and Brent Watkins
Outstanding Effects Animation in an Animated Feature Motion Picture: "How to Train Your Dragon"
Andy Hayes, Laurent Kermel, Jason Mayer and Brett Miller
Outstanding Created Environment in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture: "Inception" – Paris Dreamscape
Bruno Baron, Dan Neal, Graham Page and Per Mork-Jensen
Outstanding Models & Miniatures in a Feature Motion Picture: "Inception" – Hospital Fortress Destruction
Ian Hunter, Scott Beverly, Forest Fischer and Robert Spurlock
Outstanding Compositing in a Feature Motion Picture: "Inception
"
Astrid Busser-Casas, Scott Pritchard, Jan Maroske and George Zwier
Outstanding Achievement in an Animated Short
: "Day & Night"
Teddy Newton, Kevin Reher, Michael Fu and Tom Gately
TELEVISION
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Broadcast Miniseries, Movie or a Special:
"The Pacific"
John Sullivan, David Taritero, William Mesa and Marco Requay
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Broadcast Series:
"Caprica"
Michael Gibson, Gary Hutzel, Davey Morton and Jesse Toves
Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Broadcast Program: "Boardwalk Empire"
Robert Stomberg, Dave Taritero, Richard Friedlander, Paul Graff
Outstanding Animated Character in a Broadcast Program or Commercial:
Citron C3 The Spacebox – Citro
Michael Nauzin, Anne Chatelain, Gregory Mougne and Cedric Nicolas
Outstanding Created Environment in a Live Action Broadcast Program:
"The Pacific" – The Battle of Iwo Jima
Marco Recuay, Morgan McDermott and Nick Lund-Ulrich
Outstanding Models & Miniatures in a Broadcast Program or Commercial: "Boardwalk Empire" – The Ivory Tower
J John Corbett, Matthew Conner and Brendan Fitzgerald
Outstanding Compositing in a Broadcast Program or Commercial:
"The Pacific" – Peleliu landing
Jeremy Nelson, John P Mesa, Dan Novy and Tyler Cote
COMMERCIALS
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Live Action Commercial
: Halo: Reach
Dan Glass, Dan Seddon, Matt Dessero and Stephanie Gilgar
Outstanding Animated Commercial:
Cadbury’s Spots V Stripes
Jake Mengers, Julie Evans, Jorge Montiel Meurer and Michael Gregory
MISCELLANEOUS/VIDEO GAMES
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project: "King Kong 360 3D"
Matt Aitken, Kevin Sherwood, Eric Reynolds and R Christopher White
Outstanding Real-Time Visual Effects in a Video Game: Halo: Reach
Marcus Lehto, Joseph Tung, Stephen Scott and CJ Cowan
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Video Game Trailer
: World of Warcraft
Marc Messenger, Phillip Hillenbrand Jr.
Outstanding Animated Character in a Video Game: Craft II – Sarah Kerrigan
Fausto De Martini, Xin Wang, Glenn Ramos and Scott Lange
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Student Project: "LOOM"
Regina Welker
