For our twelfth Rundown article, we look at two categories responsible for the overall visual look and pacing of the film. After the jump, you’ll find our winner and runner-up predictions for Best Editing & Best Cinematography as well as general commentary about the race. Tuesday, we’ll cover two categories that are the absolute foundations of great films.

Best Editing

Winner Predictions

• 12 Years a Slave
• American Hustle
• Captain Phillips (WL R) [New] (TB R) [New]
• Dallas Buyers Club
• Gravity (PP O)

Runner-Up Predictions

• 12 Years a Slave (PP O)
• Gravity (WL R) [New] (TB R) [New]

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Wesley Lovell: This is one of those categories that frequent, showy editing typically wins (if it’s nominated). That means that something as slow and methodical as Gravity (or even 12 Years a Slave) might pale in comparison to the over-edited Captain Phillips. When it won the American Cinema Editors awards, many prognosticators shifted their predictions. I’m tempted to do so still, but ultimately Gravity is still tense and exciting, making it a suitable editing winner.
Peter J. Patrick: Gravity should include the editing Oscar among its big Oscar night haul.
Tripp Burton: I have been spending the past few weeks going back and forth on this award, as I was so sure Gravity would win here. But so often, this award goes to Most Editing, and the frenetic pace of Eddie winner Captain Phillips might be a wrench in the tech sweep of Gravity (whose purposefully long shots would go under Least Editing).

Best Cinematography

Winner Predictions

• The Grandmaster
• Gravity (WL O) (PP O) (TB O)
• Inside Llewyn Davis
• Nebraska
• Prisoners

Runner-Up Predictions

• Inside Llewyn Davis (PP O)
• Nebraska (WL O) (TB R) [New]

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Wesley Lovell: Digital 3D films are here to stay. Even though there’s been some fussing about the traditional film cinematography and the “easier” digital cinematography, that hasn’t stopped the Academy from recognizing it almost every time out, sometimes over more foundational designs. The American Society of Cinematographers has missed a number of predictions in recent years because they stuck to the original and avoided the digital. This year, they did the opposite, giving their prize to Emmanuel Lubezki for Gravity. The Academy has linked this category and Best Visual Effects at an alarming rate recently, making this a much more likely outcome than it might have been two decades ago.
Peter J. Patrick: This should be another easy win for Gravity, with the under-represented Inside Llewyn Davis having its only shot here.
Tripp Burton: I almost didn’t vote for a runner-up, because Gravity is such a lock here.

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