WESTWORLD, AMERICAN GODS LEAD 2017 EMMY VFX NOMINATIONS: RUNDOWN

By IAN FAILES

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences recently announced the nominees for this year’s visual effects Emmy awards. In the Outstanding Special Visual Effects category, a mix of fantasy, sci-fi and drama-filled shows are contending for the top prize (Game of Thrones, which has won the Emmy in the outstanding special visual effects category for the past five years, is not a contender this year).

Meanwhile, shows with effects of the more invisible kind will battle it out in the category of Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role.

Here’s a look at the nominees in both categories. The winners will be announced at the Creative Arts Awards and Ball held on September 9 and 10.

Outstanding Special Visual Effects

American Gods

“The Bone Orchard”
Kevin Tod Haug, Visual Effects Designer
David Stump, Visual Effects Supervisor
Jeremy Ball, Visual Effects Supervisor
Bernice Charlotte Howes, Visual Effects Producer
Jessica Smith, Visual Effects Production Manager
Josh Carlton, Visual Effects Coordinator
Pierre Buffin, VFX Supervisor
James Cooper, VFX Supervisor
Aymeric Perceval, VFX Supervisor

The Starz series American Gods features a diverse array of visual effects, with “The Bone Orchard” in particular relying on blood and body parts augmentation, and some impressive photogrammetry and CG work. The main visual effects were handled by BUF, Mr. X Inc. and Cinesite.

Black Sails

“XXIX”
Erik Henry, Senior Visual Effects Supervisor
Terron Pratt, Visual Effects Producer
Ashley J. Ward, Visual Effects Production Manager
Kevin Rafferty, On-Set Visual Effects Supervisor
Paul Dimmer, Special Effects Supervisor
Yafei Wu, VFX Supervisor
Martin Lipmann, VFX Supervisor
Nicklas Andersson, Animation Supervisor
David Wahlberg, Compositing Lead

Starz has another series nominated this year in Black Sails. The show often combines real photography with set extensions and digital environments, CG ships and complex ocean simulations. Rodeo FX and Important Looking Pirates lead the work on this episode.

The Man In the High Castle

“Fallout”
Lawson Deming, VFX Supervisor
Cory Jamieson, VFX Producer
Casi Blume, CG Supervisor
Nick Chamberlain, Comp Supervisor
David Andrade, Modeling Supervisor
Bill Parker, Comp Lead
Justin Fox, Layout
Danielle Malambri, VFX Coordinator

A 1960s America co-occupied by Japan and Nazi Germany, Amazon’s The Man In the High Castle sees visual effects range from re-imaging well-known buildings (and adding new ones), to adding in the remnants of war. This work was led by Barnstorm VFX.

Vikings

“On The Eve”
Dominic Remane, Visual Effects Supervisor
Michael Borrett, Visual Effects Producer
Bill Halliday, Visual Effects Producer
Paul Wishart, CG Supervisor
Ovidiu Cinazan, Lead Compositor
Jim Maxwell, Lead Matte Painter
Kiernan McKay, Lead Animator
Isabelle Alles, Lead Massive Crowd Artist
Tom Morrison, Lead Lighter

In this “On The Eve” episode of Vikings, from the History Channel, Mr. X Inc. helped craft major battle scenes full of brutal fighting effects and enhancements, sprawling digital crowds and environment extensions.

Westworld

“The Bicameral Mind”
Jay Worth, VFX Supervisor
Elizabeth Castro, VFX Coordinator
Joe Wehmeyer, On-Set VFX Supervisor
Eric Levin-Hatz, VFX Compositor
Bobo Skipper, ILP VFX Supervisor
Gustav Ahren, Modeling Lead
Paul Ghezzo, CG Supervisor, COSA VFX
Mitchell S. Drain, VFX Supervisor, Shade VFX
Michael Lantieri, Special Effects Coordinator

This final episode of the first series of HBO’s Westworld contains many examples of the VFX seen in the entire run, from digital augmentation of the robot ‘hosts’, to holograms and CG set extensions. The work was led by Important Looking Pirates, COSA VFX and Shade VFX.

Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role

Genius

“Einstein: Chapter One”
Eric Durst, Visual Effects Supervisor
Lenka Líkařová, Visual Effects Producer
Viktor Muller, Senior Visual Effects Producer
Marek Ruth, Visual Effects Supervisor
Tomáš Kalhous, Head of 2D Department
Lukáš Herrmann, Head of DMP Department
Pavel Kolář, CG Supervisor
Petr Hastík, Lead Compositor
Vit Komrzý, 2D Compositor

National Geographic’s Genius portrays the life of Albert Einstein, and captures the scope of the visual effects included the creation of historic environments and the inner workings of Einstein’s mind. The work was handled by UPP.

Gotham

“Heavydirtysoul”
Thomas Mahoney, Visual Effects Supervisor
Matthew Wheelon Hunt, Visual Effects Producer
Alex Gitler, Compositing Supervisor
Sina San, Senior Matte Painter/Art Director
Michael Capton, CG Supervisor/Lead CG Artist
Jon Anastasiades, Senior Lead Compositor
Ryan Bauer, Sequence Lead Compositor
Mark Anthony J. Nazal, Sequence Lead Compositor
Randy Little, On-Set Supervisor

The season finale of Fox’s Gotham finally has Bruce Gordon trying out his wares as a masked vigilante. Among other effects, COSA VFX fashioned a digital city for that particular reveal.

Taboo

“Episode 1”
Henry Badgett, VFX Supervisor
Tracy McCreary, VFX Producer
Angela Barson, Senior VFX Supervisor
Lucy Ainsworth-Taylor, VFX Line Producer
Nic Birmingham, Head of 3D
Simon Rowe, Senior 2D Artist
Alexander Kirichenko, Senior 2D Artist
Finlay Duncan, 2D Artist
Colin Gorry, SFX Supervisor

FX show Taboo required a period London setting, including ships and buildings around the river Thames. BlueBolt led this work via matte paintings, set extensions and CG builds.

The Crown

“Windsor”
Ben Turner, Visual Effects Supervisor
Tom Debenham, Consulting Visual Effects Supervisor
Standish Millennas, Visual Effects Producer
Kim Phelan, Visual Effects Producer
Oliver Cubbage, Lead CG Artist
Lionel Heath, Lead Compositor
Charlie Bennet, Lead DMP Artist
Stephen Smith, Lead Roto-Prep Artist
Carmine Agnone, Lead Matchmove Artist

Netflix show The Crown features several iconic royal locations, such as Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey, not all of which could be filmed at. Instead, partial sets were often built and extended and augmented by visual effects studio One of Us.

The Handmaid’s Tale

“Birth Day”
Brendan Taylor, VFX Supervisor
Stephen Lebed, VFX Supervisor
Leo Bovell, CG Supervisor
Martin O’Brien, VFX Producer
Winston Lee, Senior VFX Compositor
Kelly Knauff, VFX Coordinator
Zach Dembinski, CG Artist
Mike Suta, Compositor
Cameron Kerr, Compositor

Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale is set in a near future in which women are significantly oppressed. Visual effects for the series ranged from CG buildings to set extensions and matte paintings that flesh out the dystopian world, led by Mavericks VFX.