VISUAL EFFECTS ARTISTRY IN THE SPOTLIGHT

All photos by Danny Moloshok, Al Seib and Josh Lefkowitz.

Captions list all members of each Award-winning team even if some members were not present or out of frame. For more Show photos and a complete list of nominees and winners of the 22nd Annual VES Awards, visit vesglobal.org.

Nearly 1,200 guests from around the globe gathered at The Beverly Hilton for the 22nd Annual VES Awards.

Actor-comedian Jay Pharoah led the evening as
the VES Awards show host.

VES Executive Director Nancy Ward welcomed guests and nominees.

The Visual Effects Society held the 22nd Annual VES Awards, the prestigious yearly celebration that recognizes outstanding visual effects artistry and innovation in film, animation, television, commercials, video games and special venues, with generous support from our premier sponsor AMD.

Comedian and master impressionist Jay Pharoah served as host of the capacity crowd gala as nearly 1,200 guests gathered at The Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles on February 21st to celebrate VFX talent in 25 awards categories.

The Creator was named the photoreal feature winner, garnering five awards. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was named top animated film, winning four awards. The Last of Us was named best photoreal episode, winning four awards. Coca-Cola topped the commercial field. There was a historic tie in the Outstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project category with honors going to both Rembrandt Immersive Artwork and Postcard From Earth.

Award-winning actor-producer Seth MacFarlane presented the VES Award for Creative Excellence to legendary actor-director William Shatner. Award-winning VFX Supervisor Richard Hollander, VES presented the VES Lifetime Achievement Award to pioneering VFX Producer Joyce Cox, VES. Award presenters included: The Creator director Gareth Edwards; actors Ernie Hudson, Fortune Feimster, Katee Sackhoff, Andrea Savage and Kiersey Clemons; and Leona Frank, Autodesk’s Director of Media & Entertainment Marketing, presented the VES-Autodesk Student Award.

VES Chair Kim Davidson kicked off the evening by presenting several VES Awards categories.

The Award for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature went to The Creator and the team of Jay Cooper, Julian Levi, Ian Comley, Charmaine Chan and Neil Corbould, VES.

The Award for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode went to The Last of Us; Season 1; Infected and the team of Alex Wang, Sean Nowlan, Stephen James, Simon Jung and Joel Whist.

The Award for Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode went to Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty; Season 2; BEAT LA and the team of Raymond McIntyre Jr., Victor DiMichina, Javier Menéndez Platas and Damien Stantina.

The Award for Outstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Feature went to Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and the team of Alan Hawkins, Christian Hejnal, Michael Lasker and Matt Hausman.

The Award for Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature went to Nyad and the team of Jake Braver, Fiona Campbell Westgate, R. Christopher White and Mohsen Mousavi.

Actor Ernie Hudson accepted the Award for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Real-Time Project on behalf of Alan Wake 2 and the team of Janne Pulkkinen, Johannes Richter,
Daniel Konczyk and Damian Olechowski.

The Award for Outstanding Compositing & Lighting in a Commercial went to Coca-Cola; Masterpiece and the team of Ryan Knowles, Greg McKneally, Taran Spear, and Jordan Dunstall.

The Creator director Gareth Edwards cheered on the nominees.

Guests enjoyed the festive cocktail reception, thanks to generous support from Premier Sponsor AMD.

The Award for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project was a TIE and was awarded to both Postcard From Earth and the team of Aruna Inversin, Eric Wilson, Corey Turner and William George (pictured); as well as Rembrandt Immersive Artwork and the team of Andrew McNamara, Sebastian Read, Andrew Kinnear and Sam Matthews (not pictured).

The Award for Outstanding Animated Character in a Photoreal Feature went to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3; Rocket and the team of Nathan McConnel, Andrea De Martis, Antony Magdalinidis and Rachel Williams.

The all-volunteer VES Awards Committee celebrated the success of the 22nd Annual VES Awards Show (Stephen Chiu, Daniel Rosen, Rob Blau, Olun Riley, David “DJ” Johnson, Kathryn Brillhart, Martin Rushworth, Sarah McGee, Den Serras, Lopsie Schwartz, Reid Paul, Sarah McGrail Michael Ramirez, Eric Greenlief, Scott Kilburn).

The Award for Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature went to Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse; Spot and the team of Christopher Mangnall, Craig Feifarek, Humberto Rosa and Nideep Varghese.

19.The Award for Outstanding Created Environment in a Photoreal Feature went to The Creator; Floating Village and the team of John Seru, Guy Williams, Vincent Techer and Timothée Maron.

The Award for Outstanding Created Environment in a Photoreal Feature went to The Creator; Floating Village and the team of John Seru, Guy Williams, Vincent Techer and Timothée

Leona Frank, Director of Media & Entertainment Marketing, Autodesk, presented the VES Autodesk Student Award.

The Award for Outstanding Animated Character in an Episode, Commercial, Game Cinematic or Real-Time Project went to The Last of Us; Endure and Survive; Bloater and the team of Gino Acevedo, Max Telfer, Dennis Yoo and
Fabio Leporelli.

The Award for Outstanding Created Environment in an Animated Feature went to Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse; Mumbattan City and the team of Taehyun Park, YJ Lee, Pepe Orozco and Kelly Han.

Comedian/ Actress Fortune Feimster brought the laughs to The Beverly Hilton.

Actress Andrea Savage (Tulsa Kings) presented several Award categories.

Actress Andrea Savage (Tulsa King) presented several Award categories.

Academy Award-winning Senior VFX Producer, Richard Hollander, VES introduced VES Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Joyce Cox, VES.

The Award for Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a CG Project went to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and the team of Joanna Davison, Cheyana Wilkinson, Michael Cozens and Jason Desjarlais.

The Award for Outstanding Created Environment in an Episode, Commercial, Game Cinematic or Real-Time Project went to The Last of Us: Post-Outbreak Boston and the team of Melaina Mace, Adrien Lambert, Juan Carlos Barquet and Christopher Anciaume.

Joyce Cox, VES received the VES Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Award for Outstanding Model in a Photoreal or Animated Project went to The Creator; Nomad and the team of Oliver Kane, Mat Monro, Florence Green and Serban Ungureanu.

The Award for Outstanding Effects Simulations in a Photoreal Feature went to The Creator and the team of Ludovic Ramisandraina, Raul Essig, Mathieu Chardonnet and Lewis Taylor.

The Award for Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Episode, Commercial, Game Cinematic or Real-Time Project went to The Mandalorian; Season 3; Lake Monster Attack Water and the team of Travis Harkleroad, Florian Witzel, Rick Hankins and Aron Bonar.

The Award for Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Animated Feature went to Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and the team of Pav Grochola, Filippo Maccari, Naoki Kato and Nicola Finizio.

The Award for Outstanding Compositing & Lighting in a Feature went to The Creator; Bar and the team of Phil Prates, Min Kim, Nisarg Suthar and Toshiko Miura.

The Award for Outstanding Compositing & Lighting in an Episode went to The Last of Us; Endure and Survive; Infected Horde Battle and the team of Matthew Lumb, Ben Roberts, Ben Campbell and Quentin Hema.

The Award for Outstanding Compositing & Lighting in a Commercial went to Coca-Cola; Masterpiece and the team of Ryan Knowles, Greg McKneally, Taran Spear, and Jordan Dunstall.

The Award for Outstanding Special (Practical) Effects in a Photoreal Project went to Oppenheimer and the team of Scott Fisher, James Rollins and Mario Vanillo.

The VES Emerging Technology Award was awarded to The Flash; Volumetric Capture and the team of Stephan Trojansky, Thomas Ganshorn,Oliver Pilarski and Lukas Lepicovsky.

The Award for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Student Project (Award Sponsored by Autodesk) was awarded to Silhouette and the team of Alexis Lafuente, Antoni Nicolaï, Chloé Stricher, Elliot Dreuille (with Baptiste Gueusguin).

Actress Kiersey Clemons (Monarch: Legacy of Monsters) joined the show as a presenter.

The VES Emerging Technology Award was awarded to The Flash; Volumetric Capture and the team of Stephan Trojansky, Thomas Ganshorn, Oliver Pilarski and Lukas Lepicovsky.

Seth MacFarlane, award-winning Actor and Creator of Family Guy and The Orville, prepared to present William Shatner with the VES Award for Creative Excellence.

Board Chair Kim Davidson with Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Joyce Cox, VES, VFX Producer Richard Hollander, VES and Executive Director Nancy Ward.