My 2014-2015 Oscar Predictions Part 2: The Technicals

These next categories are usually the categories I am most interested in when watching the Oscars, because they can have a tendency to honour films that would usually be overlooked in the more prominent categories. These are the categories which focus on the video and audio details of the film.

VISUAL EFFECTS:
Dan DeLeeuw, Russell Earl, Bryan Grill and Dan Sudick – Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, Daniel Barrett and Erik Winquist – Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Stephane Ceretti, Nicolas Aithadi, Jonathan Fawkner and Paul Corbould – Guardians of the Galaxy
Paul Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Ian Hunter and Scott Fisher – Interstellar
Richard Stammers, Lou Pecora, Tim Crosbie and Cameron Waldbauer – X-Men: Days of Future Past

The three biggest comic book movies are all recognized here, and while the effects are solid, they’re also… unremarkable I suppose?  At least compared to all other blockbusters these days.Dawn of the Apes has something a little extra by having its main characters completely CGI, while Interstellar goes for something different altogether, which is why I think its between those two.  I’d like to see them honour Interstellar here, since its probably not going to get anything else.

Prediction: Interstellar

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Production Design:
The Grand Budapest Hotel – Production Design: Adam Stockhausen; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
The Imitation Game – Production Design: Maria Djurkovic; Set Decoration: Tatiana Macdonald
Interstellar – Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Gary Fettis
Into the Woods – Production Design: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
Mr. Turner – Production Design: Suzie Davies; Set Decoration: Charlotte Watts

Hopefully Grand Budapest.  Considering the surprising amount of nominations it got, apparently the academy really likes it.

Prediction: Grand Budapest Hotel

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COSTUME DESIGN:
Milena Canonero – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Mark Bridges – Inherent Vice
Colleen Atwood – Into the Woods
Anna B. Sheppard and Jane Clive – Maleficent
Jacqueline Durran – Mr. Turner

Geez, I dont know.  Mr. Turner is the closest to Victorian Era, so that one I guess.

Prediction: Mr. Turner

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MAKEUP And Hairstyling:

Bill Corso and Dennis Liddiard – Foxcatcher
Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou and David White – Guardians of the Galaxy

Guardians of the Galaxy had someone entirely green, a few people who were entirely blue, and Drax, whose makeup job was just nuts.  So..  thta really shouldn’t lose out to Michael Scott’s nose.

Prediction: Guardians of the Galaxy

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SOUND MIXING:

John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff and Walt Martin – American Sniper
Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño and Thomas Varga – Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Gary A. Rizzo, Gregg Landaker and Mark Weingarten – Interstellar
Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño and David Lee – Unbroken
Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins and Thomas Curley – Whiplash

War movies usually have the sound categories in the bag.  And with the popularity of American Sniper, this should be the clear winner.

Prediction: American Sniper

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SOUND EDITING:
Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman – American Sniper
Martín Hernández and Aaron Glascock – Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Brent Burge and Jason Canovas – The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Richard King – Interstellar
Becky Sullivan and Andrew DeCristofaro – Unbroken

See above.

Prediction: American Sniper