The Visual Effects Society Honors Mank, Soul, and The Midnight Sky

Posted on April 9, 2021 by Lisa Marie Bowman

About three days ago (yes, I’m late in sharing this), the Visual Effects Society announced their picks for the best visual effects of 2020! And here they are:

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature
JINGLE JANGLE: A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY
PROJECT POWER
TENET
THE MIDNIGHT SKY
THE WITCHES

Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature
DA 5 BLOODS
EXTRACTION
MANK
NEWS OF THE WORLD
WELCOME TO CHECHNYA

Outstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Feature
ONWARD
OVER THE MOON
SOUL
THE CROODS: A NEW AGE
TROLLS WORLD TOUR

Outstanding Animated Character in a Photoreal Feature
DIE KÄNGURU-CHRONIKEN; Kangaroo
JINGLE JANGLE: A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY; Don Juan Diego
THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN; Ivan
THE WITCHES; Daisy

Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature
ONWARD; Dad Pants
OVER THE MOON; Chang’e
SOUL; Terry
THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE ON THE RUN; SpongeBob

Outstanding Created Environment in a Photoreal Feature
BLOODSHOT: Neuralspace
MULAN; Imperial City
THE EIGHT HUNDRED; 1937 Shanghai Downtown
THE EIGHT HUNDRED; Shanghai Warehouse District

Outstanding Created Environment in an Animated Feature
ONWARD; Swamp Gas
SOUL; You Seminar
TROLLS WORLD TOUR; Techno Reef
TROLLS WORLD TOUR; Volcano Rock City

Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a CG Project
GHOST OF TSUSHIMA; A Storm is Coming
SOUL
THE MANDALORIAN; The Believer
THE MANDALORIAN; The Siege

Outstanding Model in a Photoreal or Animated Project
THE MANDALORIAN; Boba Fett’s Ship
THE MANDALORIAN; The Rescue; Light Cruiser
THE MIDNIGHT SKY; Aether
THE WITCHES; Rollercoaster

Outstanding Effects Simulations in a Photoreal Feature
BLOODSHOT
GREYHOUND
MONSTER HUNTER
MULAN
PROJECT POWER

Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Animated Feature
ONWARD
OVER THE MOON
SOUL
TROLLS WORLD TOUR
THE WILLOUGHBYS

Outstanding Compositing in a Feature
GREYHOUND
MULAN
PROJECT POWER
UNDERWATER

VES Lifetime Achievement Award
PETER JACKSON

VES Award for Creative Excellence
ROB LEGATO, ASC

Artwork of the Day: Love Cult (by Bernard Safran)

Posted on April 9, 2021 by Dazzling Erin

The book is from 1953 but the theme of polygamous love cults is timeless. He’s probably the most clean-cut cult leader that I’ve ever seen. I guess his other wife is just standing outside the barn, waiting for him to get done whatever he’s going to do. William Vaneer was a pseudonym for Harry Wittington. This book was later republished, in 1964, under Wittington’s name.

This cover was done by Bernard Safran, who did several paperback covers but who is best known for his many paintings and photographs of life in New York.

Music Video of the Day: Cambodia by Kim Wilde (1981, directed by Brian Grant)

Posted on April 9, 2021 by Jedadiah Leland

Kim Wilde having Vietnam War flashbacks is not something you necessarily expect but that’s the concept behind the video for Cambodia and it worked well enough for the video to become an early success on MTV. It’s hard for me to watch this video without thinking about Martin Sheen tearing up his hotel room at the start of Apocalypse Now.

This video was directed by Brian Grant and it feels like a prequel to the video that he would direct, a year later, for Duran Duran’s Hungry Like The Wolf.

Enjoy!