The Visual Effects Society is the only real forecaster of the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and most of what we’ve talked about/heard talk about is nominated today and the five listed n their “Visual Effects in an Effects-Driven Film” nominees would not surprise me to be the ones listed by the Academy.

Nominations Tallies

(8) Gravity
(6) Pacific Rim
(5) The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Iron Man 3
(4) The Croods, Epic, Frozen

The Nominations

Best Visual Effects in an Effects-Driven Film

Gravity
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Iron Man 3
Pacific Rim
Star Trek: Into Darkness

Best Supporting Visual Effects

The Great Gatsby
The Lone Ranger
Rush
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Animation in an Animated Feature

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
The Croods
Despicable Me 2
Frozen
Monsters University

Best Animated Character in a Live Action Film

Gravity
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug – Smaug
Oz the Great and Powerful – China Girl
Pacific Rim

Best Animated Character in an Animation Film

The Croods – Eep
Epic – Bomba
Epic – Mary Katherine
Frozen – Bringing the Snow Queen to Life

Best Created Environment in a Live Action Film

Elysium – Torus
Gravity – Exterior
Gravity – Interior
Iron Man 3
Pacific Rim – Virtual Hong Kong

Best Created Environment in an Animated Feature

The Croods – The Maze
Epic – Pod Patch
Frozen – Elsa’s Ice Palace
Monsters University

Best Models

Gravity
The Lone Ranger – Colby Locomotive
Pacific Rim
Star Trek: Into Darkness

Best Compositing

Elysium
Gravity
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Iron Man 3 – Barrel of Monkeys
Iron Man 3 – House Attack

Best Virtual Cinematography in a Live Action Film

Gravity
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Iron Man 3
Man of Steel
Pacific Rim – Hong Kong Ocean Brawl

Best FX and Simulation Animation in an Live Action Film

Gravity – Parachute and ISS Destruction
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Man of Steel
Pacific Rim – Fluid Simlation & Destruction

Best FX and Simulation Animation in an Animated Feature

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
The Croods
Epic – Boggan Crowds
Frozen – Elsa’s Blizzard

Visual Effects Society Data

First Awards: 2002 (12)