Visual effects: ‘Avatar’
Visual effects
“Avatar”
Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones
In one of the few wins that “Avatar” managed to snag on a night delivered and gift-wrapped to “The Hurt Locker,” Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones won for visual effects, topping other sci-fi fare “District 9” and “Star Trek.”
Despite taking a beating overall, “Avatar” was considered a shoo-in for this category after netting six trophies at the Visual Effects Society Awards the previous weekend.
The famously costly film revolved around the imaginary world of the Na’vi, vibrant with giant flying birds, glowing trees and floating mountains. But the creation of Pandora nearly derailed James Cameron’s epic. George Lucas’ special effects house, Industrial Light & Magic, was brought in to assist Weta, co-founded by director Peter Jackson, with the demanding CGI work, including up-close explosions and the film’s final battle scene.
Only good movies
Get the Indie Focus newsletter, Mark Olsen's weekly guide to the world of cinema.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
