Sunday’s 90th anniversary Oscar event marked the end of the awards season for 2017 cinema. This year’s festivities saw the breaking of new ground, an increasing push towards diversity and inclusion, and of course the recognition of artistry and craft in the industry. What’s more, this year’s best picture winner “The Shape of Water” was actually something other than a social drama or biopic!
The Oscars (and the film industry at large) isn’t always kind to the masters behind their magic, but we watch on nonetheless, holding our own internal ballots and predictions for best visual effects. While its older brother was snubbed by a certain alien trying to get home, “Blade Runner 2049” reigned supreme over monkeys and spaceships at the 90th Academy Awards ceremony.
The stylistic depth and faithful world-building of 2049 mark a deserved win even in spite of the arguably more technical achievements of fellow nominee “War for the Planet of the Apes”. 2049 embodies what most would consider good visual effects. It’s not necessarily the grandeur alone (though it’s a beautifully epic film), rather the seamless integration of the digital and the live action which achieves a true suspension of disbelief.Named for the award were John Nelson, Gerd Nefzer, Paul Lambert, and Richard R. Hoover. Nelson and Nefzer were credited as general visual effects supervisors on the film, Lambert as special effects supervisor, and Hoover as visual effects supervisor at Framestore—one of the primary houses that worked on 2049. Among these legends of the industry are a total of nine Oscar nominations for visual effects and five awards in the same category.
John Nelson’s 30 year career includes some of the greatest vfx films of all time from “Terminator 2” as a cg animation artist to “Gladiator” as a visual effects supervisor (his first Oscar winning job). Gerd Nefzer’s resume holds a similar standard in special effects supervision. His work is seen in imaginative titles such as “A Cure for Wellness”, “Bridge of Spies”, and “Captain America: Civil War”. As a compositing supe, Paul Lambert helped craft the beautiful “TRON: Legacy” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” before a transition to general supervision on “Oblivion”, “Gone Girl”, and more. Finally, Richard R. Hoover spearheaded Framestore’s immense contribution to the film—his past work even includes enhancement on the 2007 Final Cut version of the original “Blade Runner”.Along with Framestore Montreal, the effects of “Blade Runner 2049” were forged in the offices of Double Negative London, MPC Montreal, BUF Paris, Rodeo FX Montreal, and Atomic Fiction California. Beyond these visual effects branches, crafting the world of cyber-punk Los Angeles required extended expertise in technology and special effects. Weta Workshop’s unmatched skill in modeling, design, and miniature photography under creative supervisor Richard Taylor drove 2049 into the gritty and lifelike grime of the original, with all the affordances and flare of modern tech.Under these banners, the web of labor reaches across hundreds of diverse and talented artists—each of them an integral part of the creative process. From the juniors on roto all the way to the four supervisors that took the stage on Sunday to receive their award, the effects of “Blade Runner 2049”, its fellow nominees, past award winners, and every film that received praise on Sunday are the result of thousands of hours of blood, sweat, and bytes. Sometimes underpaid, often overworked, and too frequently overlooked or without credit, these artists made the world of 2049. Oscar or not, it’s a sight to behold!
