‘Avatar’ grabs 11 VES Awards nominations

The day after nabbing the top award at the Golden Globes, the science-fiction epic “Avatar” earned 11 nominations for the Visual Effects Society’s VES Awards.

The 3-D blockbuster received nods Monday for outstanding visual effects in a visual effects motion picture; a double nomination in the single visual effect of the year category; animated character in a live-action feature; matte paintings in a feature; models and miniatures in a feature motion picture; a triple nomination in creative environment in a feature; and a double nomination for compositing in a feature.

As previously announced, “Avatar” director James Cameron will be honored with the VES lifetime achievement award.

Another 3-D film, the animated “Coraline,” took away four nominations including animation in an animated feature motion picture, models and miniature in a feature motion picture, effects animation in an animated feature and animated character in an animated feature.

Weta Digital scored the most company nominations with nine.

Joining “Avatar” in the visual effects in a visual effects-driven feature category are “2012,” “Knowing” and “Terminator Salvation.”

Vying with “Avatar” in the animated character in a live-action feature category are “District 9,” “G-Force” and “Watchmen.”

In addition to “Coraline,” the nominees for animation in an animated feature are “9,” “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs,” “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” and “Up.”

Nominees for supporting visual effects in a feature are “Angels & Demons,” “The Box,” “Invictus,” “The Road” and “Sherlock Holmes.”

Nominations were announced in more than 20 categories of film, animation, TV, commercials and video games.

The 8th Annual VES Awards will be held Feb. 28 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel.

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects Driven Feature Motion Picture 2012 Volker Engel, Visual Effects Supervisor Josh Jaggars, Visual Effects Producer Marc Weigert, Visual Effects Supervisor

AVATAR Richard Baneham, Animation Supervisor Joyce Cox, VFX Producer Joe Letteri, Senior Visual Effects Supervisor Eileen Moran, Overall VFX Producer

DISTRICT 9 Stefanie Boose, VFX Producer Dan Kaufman, VFX Supervisor Peter Muyzers, On-set VFX Plate Supervisor James Stewart, Creature Supervisor

STAR TREK Burt Dalton, Special Effects Supervisor Russell Earl, Visual Effects Supervisor Roger Guyett, Visual Effects Supervisor Shari Hanson, Visual Effects Producer

TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN Scott Benza, Animation Director Wayne Billheimer, Visual Effects Producer Scott Farrar, Visual Effects Supervisor John Frazier, Special Effects Supervisor

Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Feature Motion Picture ANGELS & DEMONS Angus Bickerton, VFX Supervisor Mark Breakspear, VFX Supervisor Ryan Cook, VFX Supervisor Barrie Hemsley, VFX Producer

THE BOX Peter Cvijanovic, Compositing Supervisor Mark Kolpak, Visual Effects Producer Olcun Tan, Digital Effects Supervisor Thomas Tannenberger, Visual Effects Supervisor

INVICTUS Geoff Hancock, VFX Supervisor Dennis Hoffman, Head of Production Cyndi Ochs, VFX Producer Michael Owens, VFX Supervisor

THE ROAD Mark O. Forker, VFX Supervisor Paul Graff, VFX Supervisor - Crazy Horse Effects Ed Mendez, Compositing Supervisor Phillip Moses, VFX Producer

SHERLOCK HOLMES Dan Barrow, VFX Producer Jonathan Fawkner, VFX Supervisor Chas Jarrett, VFX Supervisor David Vickery, VFX Supervisor

Outstanding Animation in an Animated Feature Motion Picture 9 Ken Duncan, Animation Supervisor Jinko Gotoh, Co-Producer Daryl Graham, Supervising Animator Joe Ksander, Animation Director

CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS Mike Ford, CG Supervisor Chris Juen, Co-Producer Alan Hawkins, Supervising Animator Pete Nash, Animation Director

CORALINE Claire Jennings, Animation Producer Henry Selick, Animation Director

ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS Galen Chu, Supervising Animator Jeff Gabor, Senior Animator Anthony Nisi, Animation Production Supervisor Melvin Tan, Senior Animator

UP Gary Bruins, Effects Supervisor Pete Docter, Director Steve May, Supervising Technical Director Jonas Rivera, Producer

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Broadcast Miniseries, Movie or a Special ALICE - Night 2 Sebastien Bergeron, DFX Supervisor Les Quinn, CG Supervisor Lisa Sepp-Wilson, VFX Producer Lee Wilson, VFX Supervisor

BEN 10: ALIEN SWARM - Montage Evan Jacobs, Visual Effects Supervisor Sean McPherson, Visual Effects Supervisor Andrew Orloff, Visual Effects Supervisor

DISNEY PREP AND LANDING - Gadgets, Globes, and other Garish Gizmos David Hutchins, EFX Animator Scott Kersavage, VFX Supervisor Dorothy McKim, VFX Producer Kee Suong, EFX Animator

INFESTATION Dan DeEntremont, Animator PJ Foley, VFX Producer James May, Technical Director Efram Potelle, VFX Supervisor

SKELLIG Sara Bennett, Compositing Supervisor Jean-Claude Deguara, Senior Animation Supervisor David Houghton, Visual Effects Supervisor Jenna Powell, Visual Effects Producer

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Broadcast Series BATTLESTAR GALACTICA SEASON 4 - Ep. 421 “Daybreak” Michael Gibson, VFX Producer Gary Hutzel, VFX Supervisor Dave Morton, CGI Artist Jesse Toves, CGI Artist

DEFYING GRAVITY - Pilot Dale Fay, VFX Supervisor Jared Jones, Lead Compositor Sam Nicholson, VFX Producer Mike Yip, 3D Lead Artist

FRINGE – Ep. 206 “Earthling” Robert Habros, VFX Supervisor Eric Hance, Visual Effects Artist Andrew Orlaff, VFX Supervisor Jay Worth, VFX Supervisor/Producer

STARGATE UNIVERSE - Air Shannon Gurney, VFX Producer Andrew Karr, CGI Supervisor Mark Savela, VFX Supervisor Craig Vandenbiggelaar, Digital Effects Supervisor

V- Pilot Johnathan R. Banta, Lead Compositor Karen Czukerberg, VFX Producer Andrew Orloff, VFX Supervisor Chris Zapara, VFX Supervisor

Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Broadcast Program CSI CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION – Ep. 1001 “Opening Sequence” Sabrina Arnold, VFX Producer Steve Meyer, Compositor Rik Shorten, VFX Supervisor Derek Smith, Compositor

FLASH FORWARD - No More Good Days Kevin Blank, Visual Effects Supervisor Andrew Orloff, VFX Producer Steve Meyer, 2D Supervisor Jonathan Spencer Levy, Facility VFX Supervisor

KINGS - Ep. 001 “Goliath” Ron Moore, VFX Producer Brian Vogt, Lead Lighting TD Craig Weiss, VFX Supervisor Niel Wray, CG Supervisor

KRUPP-EINE DEUTSCHE FAMILIE - Krupp Thomas Tannenberger, Visual Effects Supervisor Olcun Tan, Digital Effects Supervisor Mark Kolpak, Visual Effects Producer Shane Cook, Compositing Supervisor

LOST - The Incident Part 1 & 2 Eric Hance, Supervising Artist Samantha Mabie-Tuinstra, Visual Effects Producer Sean Scott, Character Animator Mitch Suskin, Visual Effects Supervisor

Best Single Visual Effect of the Year 2012 - Escape from L.A. Volker Engel, Visual Effects Supervisor Josh R. Jaggars, Visual Effects Producer Mohen Leo, Visual Effects Supervisor Marc Weigert, Visual Effects Supervisor

AVATAR - Quarich’s Escape Jill Brooks, Visual Effects Producer John Knoll, Visual Effects Supervisor Frank Losasso Petterson, Simulation Technical Director Tory Mercer, Compositor

AVATAR Thelvin Cabezas, Lighting Technical Director Joyce Cox, VFX Producer Joe Letteri, Senior Visual Effects Supervisor Eileen Moran, Overall VFX Producer

KNOWING - Plane Crash Dan Breckwoldt, Lead Compositor Camille Cellucci, VFX Producer Andrew Jackson, VFX Supervisor Angelo Sahin, Special Effects Supervisor

TERMINATOR SALVATION - VLA Escape Chantal Feghali, Studio Producer Charles Gibson, Studio Visual Effects Supervisor Susan Greenhow, Visual Effects Producer Ben Snow, Visual Effects Supervisor

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Commercial AMF - The Caterpillar Asher Edwards, VFX Producer Jamie O’Hara, Lead Character Modeller Becky Porter, Lead Compositor Robert Sethi, VFX Supervisor

AUDI - Intelligently Combined Jay Barton, Visual Effects Supervisor Rafael F. Colon, Sr. Compositor Chris Fieldhouse, Visual Effects Producer Ronald Herbst, CG Supervisor

KERRY LOWLOW - Mouse Ashley Bernes, Effects TD Louisa Cartwright Tucker, VFX Producer Jake Mengers, VFX Supervisor Stephen Newbold, VFX Supervisor

PEPSI - The Flight of the Penguin Murray Butler, VFX Supervisor/Lead Flame Jenn Dewey, Senior VFX Producer Seth Gollub, Animation Lead Andy Walker, VFX Supervisor, Technical Lead

PLANE STUPID - Polar Bears Scott Griffin, VFX Producer Suzanne Jandu, Compositor Jake Mengers, VFX Supervisor Vicky Osborn, CG Artist

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project BEYOND ALL BOUNDARIES – Multi-plane Visual Effects Susan Beth Smith, Visual Effects Producer Cedar Conner, Lead Compositor Daren Ulmer, Visual Effects Supervisor

DANCE OF THE DRAGONS - Eastern Derry Frost, VFX Supervisor Michael Morreale, VFX Producer

Outstanding Real Time Visuals in a Video Game CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 2 - Gulag Extraction Robert Gaines, Lead Visual Effects Artist David Johnson, Visual Effects Artist Richard Kriegler, Art Director Mark Rubin, Producer

FIGHT NIGHT ROUND 4 - Gameplay Jeff Atienza, Producer Jenny Freeman, Art Director Ben Ross, Lead Character Artist Frank Vitz, CG Supervisor

NEED FOR SPEED SHIFT - World Sequence Robert Dibley, Lead Rendering Software Engineer Dave Flynn, Development Director - World Andreas Moll, Art Director Sven Moll, Art Director

UNCHARTED 2: AMONG THIEVES Christophe Balestra, Technical Lead Evan Wells, Game Producer

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Video Game Trailer DJ HERO Diarmid Harrison-Murray, VFX Supervisor Sarah Hiddlestone, Senior CG Producer Jamie Jackson, Game Producer Marco Puig, Art Director

HALO 3: ODST - The Life Ryan Meredith, VFX Producer Robert Moggach, VFX Supervisor Michael Pardee, Executive Producer Jens Zalzala, CG Supervisor

MASS EFFECT 2 Tim Miller, VFX Producer Brandon Riza, VFX Supervisor

STAR WARS: THE OLD REPUBLIC Tim Miller, VFX Producer Brandon Riza, VFX Supervisor

Outstanding Animated Character in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture AVATAR - Neytiri Andrew R. Jones, Animation Director Joe Letteri, Senior Visual Effects Supervisor Zoe Saldana, Actress Jeff Unay, Facial Lead

DISTRICT 9 - Christopher Johnson Brett Ineson, Motion Capture Supervisor Jeremy Mesana, Animation Lead Steve Nichols, Animation Supervisor Vera Zivny, Senior VFX Coordinator

G-FORCE - Bucky Benjamin Cinelli, Senior Character Animator Peter Tieryas, Character Set-Up Technical Director Dustin Wicke, Lead Cloth and Hair Ryan Yee, Animator

WATCHMEN - Doctor Manhattan Aaron Campbell, Character Rigger Kevin Hudson, CG Modeling Supervisor Victor Schutz, Lead CG Lighting and Compositing Artist Keith Smith, Lead Animator

Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature Motion Picture CORALINE - ‘CORALINE’ Travis Knight, Lead Animator Trey Thomas, Lead Animator

ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS - Buck Simon Pegg, Buck Peter de Seve, Characters designed by

MONSTERS VS. ALIENS - B.O.B. Terran Boylan, Character Technical Director David Burgess, Head of Character Animation Scott Cegielski, Effects Lead David Weatherly, Animator

UP - Carl - “No Dad Scene” Ed Asner, Voice of Carl Carmen Ngai, Character Cloth Artist Brian Tindall, Character Modeling and Articulation Artist Ron Zorman, Animator

Outstanding Animated Character in a Broadcast Program or Commercial AMF - The Caterpillar Steve Beck, Lead Character Animator Jamie O’Hara, Lead Character Modeller Becky Porter, Lead Compositor Robert Sethi, Lead CG Artist

DISNEY PREP AND LANDING - Wayne David Foley, Voice of Wayne Mark Mitchell, Supervising Animator Hidetaka Yosumi, Character Technical Director Leo Sanchez Barbosa, Modeler

EVIAN - Skating Babies Jorge Montiel Meurer, Lead Animator Jordi Onate, Animator Emanuele Pavarotti, Animator Wayne Simmons, Animator

PEPSI - Penguin - “The Flight of the Penguin” James Dick, Technical Director Seth Gollub, Animation Lead Spencer Leuders, Technical Director Andy Walker, VFX Supervisor, Technical Lead

Outstanding Effects Animation in an Animated Feature Motion Picture CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS Rob Bredow, VFX Supervisor Matt Hausman, Effects Animation Supervisor Carl Hooper, Effects Animation Supervisor Dan Kramer, Digital Effects Supervisor

CORALINE John Allan Armstrong, VFX Animator Richard Kent Burton, Stop Motion Effects Animator Craig Dowsett, CG Modeler

MONSTERS VS. ALIENS David Allen, Effects Animator Amaury Aubel, Effects Lead Scott Cegielski, Effects Lead Alain De Hoe, Effects Lead

UP Alexis Angelidis, Effects Artist Eric Froemling, Effects Artist Jason Johnston, Effects Artist Jon Reisch, Effects Artist

Outstanding Matte Paintings in a Feature Motion Picture AVATAR - Pandora Jean-Luc Azzis, Senior Compositor Peter Baustaedter, Senior Matte Painter Brenton Cottman, Lead Matte Painter Yvonne Muinde, Lead Matte Painter

FRANKLYN - Meanwhile City Scapes Tania Richard, Matte Painter Christoph Unger, Matte Painter

HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE David Bassalla, TD Emily Cobb, 3D Artist Tania Richard, Matte Painter

STAR TREK Brett Northcutt, Digimatte Lead Shane Roberts, Digimatte Masahiko Tani, Digimatte Dan Wheaton, Digimatte

Outstanding Matte Paintings in a Broadcast Program or Commercial KAISER PERMANENTE - Emerald City Kim Taylor, Matte Painter Ben Walker, Matte Painter Ben Walsh, Matte Painter David Woodland, Matte Painter

Outstanding Models and Miniatures in a Feature Motion Picture AVATAR - Samson/Home Tree / Floating Mountains / Ampsuit Simon Cheung, Modeller Paul Jenness, Lead Modeller John Stevenson-Galvin, Senior Modeller Rainer Zoettl, Senior/Lead Modeller

CORALINE Deborah Cook, Lead Costume Design Fabricator Matthew DeLeu, Miniature Lighting Technician Paul Mack, Model Maker Martin Meunier, Facial Animation Design

NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: BATTLE OF THE SMITHSONIAN - National Air and Space Museum Escape Robert Chapin, Digital FX Supervisor Tony Chen, Model Maker Forest Fischer, Model Crew Chief Ian Hunter, VFX Supervisor

TERMINATOR SALVATION Nick d’Abo, Model Shop Supervisor Brian Gernand, Creative Director, Model Shops Geoff Heron, Special FX Supervisor Patrick Sweeney, Director of Photography

Outstanding Created Environment in a Feature Motion Picture 2012 - Los Angeles Destruction Haarm-Pieter Duiker, CG Supervisor Marten Larsson, CG Effects Animation Lead Ryo Sakaguchi, CG Effects Animation Lead Hanzhi Tang, CG Lighting Supervisor

AVATAR - Floating Mountains Dan Lemmon, Visual Effects Supervisor Keith F. Miller, CG Supervisor Cameron Smith, Lead Compositor

AVATAR - Jungle / Biolume Shadi Almassizadeh, CG Supervisor Jessica Cowley, Senior Texture Painter Dan Cox, CG Supervisor Ula Rademeyer, Lead Texture Painter Eric Saindon, Visual Effects Supervisor

AVATAR - Willow Glade Thelvin Cabezas, Lighting Technical Director Miae Kang, Lead Lighting Technical Director Daniel Macarin, Lighting Technical Director Guy Williams, Visual Effects Supervisor

Outstanding Created Environment in a Broadcast Program or Commercial AMC THEATERS / COKE - Magic Chairs Dariush Derakhshani, CG Supervisor Steve Cummings, CG Artist Harry Michalakeas, Technical Director Rob Nederhorst, VFX Supervisor

ASSASSINS CREED: LINEAGE - Ep. 1 “Duke of Milan Assassination” Nadine Homier, Compositor Joseph Kasparlan, Lead Textures and Lighting Mathieu Lalonde, CG Modeler Christian Morin, Compositor

FLASH FORWARD - Pilot “Freeway Overpass” Colin Feist, Compositor Paul Ghezzo, CG Supervisor Roger Kupelian, Matte Painter Steve Meyer, Compositor

V - Pilot “Atrium and Ship Interiors” Trevor Adams, CG Artist Chris Irving, Lead Compositor David Morton, Matte Painter Chris Zapara, VFX Supervisor

Outstanding Compositing in a Feature Motion Picture AVATAR Erich Eder, Compositor Robin Hollander, Compositor Giuseppe Tagliavini, Compositor Erik Winquist, Compositing Supervisor

AVATAR - End Battle Jay Cooper, Technical Director Beth D’Amato, Digital Paint Eddie Pasquarello, Compositing Supervisor Todd Vaziri, Compositor

DISTRICT 9 Janeen Elliott, Senior Compositor Simon Hughes, Senior Compositor Hamish Schumacher, Lead Compositor Shervin Shogian, Compositing Supervisor

SHERLOCK HOLMES - Wharf Explosion Sequence Jan Adamczyk, Mid Compositor Alex Cumming, Junior Compositor Sam Osborne, Compositor Kate Windibank, Senior Compositor

Outstanding Compositing in a Broadcast Program or Commercial CSI CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION - Ep 1001 Opening Sequence Steve Meyer, VFX Supervisor Derek Smith, Compositor Christina Spring, Compositor Zach Zaubi, Compositor

KERRY LOWLOW ‘MOUSE’ - Overall Kelly Bruce, Compositor Greg Howe-Davies, Compositor Jake Mengers, VFX Supervisor Stephen Newbold, VFX Supervisor

PEPSI - The Flight of the Penguin Murray Butler, VFX Supervior/Lead Flame Ben Cronin, Senior Flame Operator Andy Rowan-Robinson, Technical Director Miyuki Shimamoto, Flame Operator

PORSCHE - Family Tree Tim Davies, VFX Supervisor/Lead Compositor Jeff Willette, Lead Technical Designer

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Student Project THE FULL MOON MYSTERY - The Discovery Flip Buttinger, VFX Supervisor & Producer Jeffrey De Vore, Director David Goubitz, VFX Supervisor & Producer

MOTHERLAND Hannes Appell

THEY WILL COME TO TOWN Thilo Ewers

URS - Cliff Moritz Mayerhofer, Graduate

susan.king@latimes.com