Guild awards for all the other techs are coming at rapid speed pace leading up to this Sunday's Academy Awards telecast. We've gone through the majors, now how might the techs shape up?
Predictions for Cinematography, Editing, Art Direction, Costume Design and Makeup included.
The American Society of Cinematographers rewarded their top prize, surprising to some, to Michael Haneke's Palme D'Or winning masterpiece The White Ribbon. You might recognize another one of the film's shots headlined as my banner at the top of this blog, as it is my favorite film of the year. Much of the film's stark themes to meditate upon come from the cinematography of Christian Berger — easily the most honored cinematographer of this year. Winning all three major critics prizes for cinematography (NY, LA, NSFC) and now taking this, this film that's had doubts all throughout the awards season to take this prize is now emerging as a significant competitor for this richly deserved prize. The ASC winners only seem to match up about half the time, and it usually seems as when a film as underseen as this one takes it, it ultimately loses to a much more popular film.
But, as someone whose always championed this film since seeing it in the New York Film Festival and seeing it as a major competitor among cinematographers — let's take a look at its competition.
Avatar (Mauro Fiore) - Despite having proven a sharp eye for documenting nature through camerawork in the past, Avatar's chances (in all major categories) suffers from a seeming dependence on computer generated technology, and one that might take away from the credibility of the cinematographic work here due to its lack of tradition. If this was nominated, why wasn't something like Ratatouille and WALL·E with even more gorgeous lighting — generated electronically as Avatar was?
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Bruno Delbonnel) - In one of the most inspired nominations of the year, a Harry Potter film has made it into the cinematography category. The film was gorgeously shot with the richly striking colors Delbonnel has shown in past nominated films such as Amèlie, but the film alone stands little chance on the basis of it being a Harry Potter film.
The Hurt Locker (Barry Ackyroyd) - Probably the most widely predicted to win, riding the wave of love this film has seemed to receive this year. However, the Academy has never taken too kindly to films with hand held camerawork.
Inglourious Basterds (Robert Richardson) - Beloved cinematographer who probably only made it in here by his reputation alone — as wonderfully as the film was shot (with some of the greatest single shots of the year) — but rather subdued for the usual tastes of the Academy.
With so many negatives, The White Ribbon seems like the safest bet with its only weakness being its lack of exposure (could be argued in the literal camerawork sense, but I mean in terms of popularity). But I feel like if Academy voters simply come across any stills of the film, they will find it the most striking and most easily up their alley compared to the rest of the nominees. The film's cinematography is the most baity, and though they haven't usually gone for black and white cinematography lately — it's not like they never have (think Schindler's List).
My prediction: The White Ribbon
In Editing, the ACE Eddie top prize went to (to no surprise) The Hurt Locker. Here is an exception where hand held camera work is particularly considered impressive, as the shots have to all come together with enough speed and pace to create a perfectly puzzled atmosphere. The Hurt Locker's editing makes the audience a nervous wreck from the opening shot to the very last, placing the spectator in the role of these bomb diffusing soldiers whose missions often have very limited time constraints to fatal consequences. Not to mention, war films also tend to do very well here.
Among the other competitors, Avatar is seen as the second most likely option here with the technology Cameron created on his own that required editing each shot to perfection as the film was being made. An impressive feat, to be sure, considering the end result made a nearly three hour film and exhilarating moviegoing experience which felt, to many, as too short. Inglourious Basterds was recognized here, as well, through veteran and common Tarantino collaborator Sally Menke. Here is another war film, approached rather differently from The Hurt Locker, that wonderfully contrasted long shots together with many brief glimpses. Though, again, small details that I think only those in the Editing branch would appreciate.
District 9 seems to be the token summer film found often in this category — a very baitily edited action film experience that made the profound social commentary of the film pass as an eminently enjoyable and empty minded theater going experience. The surprise film here is Precious, a crucial nomination for its overall chances at the show (putting it the exclusive group of only three nominees to nab every important category — picture, directing, acting, writing, editing) though not a very high chance of winning the thing. Like The White Ribbon, I wondered why people were as surprised as they seemed by its nomination considering how baity the editing in the film was. That being said, I was also one of those predicting the more visibly edited Up in the Air to take its place, instead just providing yet another crucial blow to that film.
My prediction: The Hurt Locker
With Avatar slated to not even dominate the technical categories of this year's awards, the general wisdom seems to be that the Academy will throw it a bone in the category of Art Direction. The Art Director's Guild is not a guild that grants one grand prize; instead they divide their prizes by genre. Avatar did win an ADG prize in Fantasy, with The Hurt Locker taking the contemporary category and Sherlock Holmes winning Period Film. The period film genre seems like a much more baity genre for this particular category, and I do get the sense that if the ADG had only handed out one prize — it would have been to the fantastically impressive sets of Sherlock Holmes. I also think that if Avatar faces familiar backlash of digitization here (again, if Avatar could be nominated here why were past Pixar films like Ratatouille and WALL·E so royally snubbed?), that would be to the benefit of Sherlock Holmes. Other nominees include The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (not widely seen), Nine (not widely liked), and costume drama The Young Victoria (which will get its due prize in its costume category).
My prediction: Avatar
Let's look at the past few winners of the category of Costume Design, shall we?
2008: The Duchess
2007: Elizabeth: The Golden Age
2006: Marie Antoinette
Anyone spotting a trend, here? Royalty costume drama The Young Victoria (by twice past winner Sandy Powell) should take it rather easily, here. It's closest competitor would have been also two time winner Colleen Atwood for Nine had that film gained more traction.
My prediction: The Young Victoria
After the shock snub of expected winner District 9, here, it seems like the follow up winner would be the one with the most exposure — Star Trek. Il Divo seems like a largely unseen film, though with impressive looking makeup, and could win if only makeup artists who've seen the film vote in this category (many voters who don't know enough about techs largely skip them). The Young Victoria managed a BAFTA win, whose support for what I'm assuming is mostly the hairwork done here could also bring it to a win.
Without a makeup guild, to my knowledge, I'll just go with the most popular and seen film for the time being.
My prediction: Star Trek
Coming up: Tech predictions Pt. II! Audio awards (Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Score and Song) and Visual Effects to be included!
No comments:
Post a Comment