My 2011-2012 Oscar Predictions – Part 2: The Technicals

This is the section which includes the technical aspects of film-making.  I went 6 for 6 last year, so the pressure’s on!

VISUAL EFFECTS:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, Tim Burke, David Vickery, Greg Butler and John Richardson
Hugo, Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman and Alex Henning
Real Steel, Erik Nash, John Rosengrant, Dan Taylor and Swen Gillberg
Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White and Daniel Barrett
Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Matthew Butler and John Frazier

Rise of the Planet of the Apes really the only film here to make any sort of significant leap in effects technology.  Its motion capture work was very good and really made some believable apes, especially the character of Caesar.  Effects in service to the story as integral as it was here, since the character of Caesar was the center of the movie, will likely be recognized.

Prediction: Rise of the Planet of the Apes

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ART DIRECTION:
The Artist, Production Design: Laurence Bennett; Set Decoration: Robert Gould
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, Production Design: Stuart Craig; Set Decoration: Stephenie McMillan
Hugo, Production Design: Dante Ferretti; Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo
Midnight in Paris, Production Design: Anne Seibel; Set Decoration: Hélène Dubreuil
War Horse, Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales

Hugo received the most nominations of any other film this year, but I can’t see it winning any of the major awards.  Art Direction seems like a good bet however, as a wonderfully imaginative world was created for this throwback film from one of the masters of cinema.  And most of the art was actually used to show the beginnings of film history?  Think the academy might be interested in that? Hmm, possibly.

Prediction: Hugo

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COSTUME DESIGN:
Lisy Christl – Anonymous
Mark Bridges – The Artist
Sandy Powell – Hugo
Michael O’Connor – Jane Eyre
Arianne Phillips – W.E.

I have a tried and true rule for this category.  Always go with the film set in the Victorian or Elizabethan era.  Well, this year has both a Victorian film (Jane Eyre) and an Elizabethan era film (Anonymous).  So its a coin toss, but Jane Eyre seems like the more respectable film.

Prediction: Jane Eyre

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MAKEUP:
Albert Nobbs, Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and Matthew W. Mungle
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, Nick Dudman, Amanda Knight and Lisa Tomblin
The Iron Lady, Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland
It’ll be Harry Potter and for two reasons.  First, recently this award seems to go to the most popular of the nominees. Secondly, Harry Potter has come to the end of its ten-year, eight-film run.   It has been a monster of the movie industry and has proven to be one of the most successful film franchises out there, both commercially and critically.  And yet the boy wizard has never taken home an Oscar.  It may be best make-up, but I think they will give it to Deathly Hallows as a recognition of the entire series.

Prediction: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

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SOUND MIXING:

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Bo Persson
Hugo, Tom Fleischman and John Midgley
Moneyball, Deb Adair, Ron Bochar, Dave Giammarco and Ed Novick
Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush and Peter J. Devlin
War Horse, Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson and Stuart Wilson

I have to say that one thing which really struck me as I sat in theaters watching the spectacular Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was how great the sound was.  Even little things like a knife being drawn from its holder or a motorcycle racing down the highway, the sound was incredibly full and authentic.  I’m calling for Dragon Tattoo to win, just because I want it to so badly.

Prediction: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

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SOUND EDITING:
Drive, Lon Bender and Victor Ray Ennis
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Ren Klyce
Hugo, Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty
Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl
War Horse, Richard Hymns and Gary Rydstrom

I also have a tried and true strategy for Sound Editing.  If there’s a war film among the nominees, chances are it will win.  It has to do with the fast moving gunfire and all that jazz I guess.  Well, War Horse it is then.

Prediction: War Horse