Academy Award for Best Visual Effects
The Academy Award for Best Visual Effects is an Academy Award given for the best achievement in visual effects. History of the award. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences first recognized the technical contributions of special effects to movies at its inaugural dinner in 1929, presenting a plaque for "Best Engineering Effects" to the first Best Picture Oscar winner, the World War I flying drama "Wings". Producer David O. Selznick, then production head at RKO Studios, petitioned the Academy Board of Governors to recognize the work of animator Willis O'Brien for his  groundbreaking work on 1933's "King Kong". It was not until 1938 when a film was actually recognized for its effects work, when a "Special Achievement Award for Special Effects" was given to the Paramount film "Spawn of the North". The following year, "Best Special Effects" became a recognized category, although on occasion the Academy has chosen to honor a single film outright rather than nominate two or more films. From 1939 to 1963, it was an award for a film's visual effects as well as audio effects, so it was often given to two persons, although some years  only one or the other type of effect was recognized. In 1964, it was given only for visual effects, and the following year the name of the category was changed to "Best Special Visual Effects". Honorees for this award have been bestowed several times as a Special Achievement Academy Award. In 1977, the category was given its current name "Best Visual Effects." For decades, shortlisted finalists were selected by a steering committee. They are presently chosen by the visual effects branch executive committee. 1990 was the last year there were no official nominees. "Back to the Future Part III", "Dick  Tracy", "Ghost" and "Total Recall" advanced to a second stage of voting, but only "Total Recall" received a requisite average and it was given a special achievement Oscar. To date, there have been three wholly animated films nominated in this category: "The Nightmare Before Christmas" in 1993, "Kubo and the Two Strings" in 2016, and "The Lion King" in 2019. There has been one semi-animated film nominated, which also won: "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" in 1988. Rules. Usually, there are three nominated films. In 1979, there were five films nominated. Sometimes, no award is given. Other times, a single  film is given the award outright. In 2007, it was decided that a list of no more than 15 eligible films would be chosen, from which a maximum of seven would be shortlisted for further consideration. A vote would then proceed, with a maximum of three nominees. Since 2010, there are ten shortlisted finalists which, using a form of range voting, produce five nominees. No more than four people may be nominated for a single film. According to the official Academy Award rules, the criteria are: (a) consideration of the contribution the visual effects make to the overall production and  (b) the artistry, skill and fidelity with which the visual illusions are achieved. Filmmakers. A number of filmmakers have had their movies honored for their achievements in visual effects; i.e., five films produced by George Pal, five by director/producer George Lucas, five by director James Cameron (who began his career in Hollywood as an effects technician), four by directors Richard Fleischer, Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson, three by directors Robert Zemeckis and Christopher Nolan, and two by directors Ridley Scott and Denis Villeneuve. Stanley Kubrick's only Oscar win was in this category, for 1968's "". The film's  credits list four effects contributors, including Douglas Trumbull. However, according to the rules of the Academy in effect at the time, only three persons could be nominated for their work on a single film, which would have resulted in the omission of either Trumbull, Tom Howard, Con Pederson or Wally Veevers. Ultimately, it was Kubrick's name that was submitted as a nominee in this category, resulting in his winning the award, which many consider a slight to the four men whose work contributed to the film's success. Engineering Effects Award. The table below display the Oscar nominees for  Best Engineering Effects. Special Effects Awards. The tables below display the Oscar nominees for Best Special Effects including the recipients of the Special Achievement Awards. Visual Effects Awards. The tables below display the Oscar nominees for Best Visual Effects including the recipients of the Special Achievement Awards. Shortlisted finalists. Finalists for Best Visual Effects are selected by the Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee. Beginning with a long list of up to 20 titles, the committee then advances ten films to the shortlist. Prior to the 83rd Academy Awards, only fifteen films were long-listed, and only seven films were shortlisted . The full membership of the Visual Effects Branch is invited to view excerpts and is provided with supporting information at a "bake-off" where balloting determines the five nominees. These are the additional films that presented at the bake-off. Superlatives. For this Academy Award category, the following superlatives emerge: