{"id":19613,"date":"2022-03-15T15:21:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-15T19:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/?p=19613"},"modified":"2022-04-07T15:25:29","modified_gmt":"2022-04-07T19:25:29","slug":"2022-oscars-creative-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/originals\/2022-oscars-creative-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"A Creative&#8217;s Guide to the 2022 Oscars: Analyzing the Visual Categories"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\">12<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>\n<p>Movie stars get plenty of love every Oscars season, and we\u2019re not here to get mixed up in another Best Actress debate. But what about the artists <em>behind<\/em> the screen that bring movies to life? You know, the visual creatives that elevate a movie from a video recording to an art form.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.oscars.org\/oscars\/ceremonies\/2022\">The Academy<\/a> recently announced its nominees for the 2022 Oscars, and leading up to the ceremony on March 27th, we\u2019re looking at a few categories through a purely visual lens. Just as we did in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/originals\/2020-oscars-academy-awards-cinematography\/\">2020<\/a>, We&#8217;ll start with Best Cinematography, but you can also click below to navigate to a different category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"#best-cinematography\">Best Cinematography<br><\/a><a href=\"#best-visual-effects\">Best Visual Effects<br><\/a><a href=\"#best-production-design\">Best Production Design<br><\/a><a href=\"#best-animated-feature\">Best Animated Feature<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"best-cinematography\">Best Cinematography<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2021 Winner: Mank (Erik Messerschmidt)<\/strong><br><strong>2022 Nominees:<\/strong><br><em>Dune<\/em> (Greig Fraser)<br><em>Nightmare Alley<\/em> (Dan Laustsen)<br><em>The Power of the Dog<\/em> (Ari Wegner)<br><em>The Tragedy of Macbeth<\/em> (Bruno Delbonnel)<br><em>West Side Story<\/em> (Janusz Kami\u0144ski)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><em>Dune<\/em> (Greig Fraser)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Dune | Official Main Trailer\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/8g18jFHCLXk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Visualizing the sandy hills of Arrakis and the planet\u2019s logic-defying worms is a daunting task for any filmmaker; just ask David Lynch or Alejandro Jodorowsky, both of whom couldn\u2019t execute on their grand visions. But here, director Denis Villaneuve and cinematographer Greig Fraser delivered an epic experience. They conjured a world that some fans <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/petersagal\/status\/1453920822637305857?s=20&amp;t=Es4Pwh2V7EyOUKSAfrzNYw\">said<\/a> perfectly matched what they imagined when they first read Frank Herbert\u2019s 1965 sci-fi classic. Though <em>Dune <\/em>is set in the distant future, and though some clothing and sets are reminiscent of the past, it\u2019s striking how the film is shot to feel like its world really exists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere was this feeling of Greig immersing himself into a culture and trying to capture moments that felt relevant,\u201d Villaneuve <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vanityfair.com\/hollywood\/2021\/12\/awards-insider-dune-cinematography-shot-list\">told <em>Vanity Fair<\/em><\/a> of his DP. \u201cIt reminds me of the spirit of documentaries. To do that kind of approach on a science fiction movie, it blew my mind.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The frontrunner in the category, Fraser is a two-time nominee in Cinematography, previously recognized for 2016\u2019s <em>Lion<\/em>. And although he hasn\u2019t claimed an Oscar yet, he did win a Primetime Emmy in 2020 for the Disney+ series <em>The Mandalorian<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><em>Nightmare Alley<\/em> (Dan Laustsen)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"NIGHTMARE ALLEY | Official Trailer | Searchlight Pictures\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Q81Yf46Oj3s?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The best word to describe <em>Nightmare Alley<\/em> is \u201csinister.\u201d For this film set in the early 1940s, cinematographer Dan Laustsen worked with director Guillermo del Toro to maximize creepy, haunting carnival vibes, fully immersing the viewer in this disturbing underworld. Laustsen said he and del Toro played with lighting and shadows to visualize the trajectory of Stan, a con man played by Bradley Cooper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHis character is very dark and we play around with that in the lighting,\u201d Laustsen <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thewrap.com\/nightmare-alley-cinematography-explained-video\/\">said<\/a> in an interview with The Wrap. \u201cDeep black shadows. One side of his face is in the light and he\u2019s always going towards the darkness.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Laustsen frequently collaborates with del Toro; his first Oscar nomination was for <em>The Shape of Water<\/em>,<em> <\/em>a Best Picture winner in 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><em>The Power of the Dog<\/em> (Ari Wegner)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"The Power of the Dog | Official Trailer | Netflix\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/LRDPo0CHrko?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This year\u2019s Academy Awards will be the 94th annual. Twenty-three of the 24 categories have been claimed by a woman at some point. The only one that hasn\u2019t? Best Cinematography.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ari Wegner is looking to rewrite history this year. She\u2019s the first woman to even garner a nomination since Rachel Morrison for <em>Mudbound<\/em> in 2017, and Morrison was the first woman ever<em> nominated<\/em> in this category. Wegner is also the youngest nominee in this year\u2019s field, and the only one&nbsp; to be nominated for the first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But while the historical odds are stacked against her, this Australian cinematographer belongs in this group, and she\u2019ll likely be a fixture for years to come. To tell director Jane Campion\u2019s story of masculinity and vulnerability on a ranch in \u201920s Montana, Wegner got the most out of stunning natural landscapes and dark, foreboding interiors. She <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/movies\/movie-news\/ari-wegner-power-of-the-dog-oscars-nomination-cinematography-1235090811\/\">told <em>The Hollywood Reporter<\/em><\/a> that she tried to immerse the audience in a \u201cfamiliar\u201d atmosphere with her shots. \u201cWhen we tap into our own memories and emotions, something really unlocks,\u201d Wegner said. \u201cI love when lighting can evoke a familiar sense of time and place.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><em>The Tragedy of Macbeth<\/em> (Bruno Delbonnel)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"The Tragedy of Macbeth | Official Trailer HD | A24\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HM3hsVrBMA4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Until 1966, the Academy handed out two cinematography awards\u2014one for black-and-white films, and one for color. But monochrome is making something of a comeback: Two of the past three winners for cinematography (including last year\u2019s <em>Mank<\/em>) have been black-and-white. Bruno Delbonnel is hoping to turn back the clock yet again and score the third victory for black-and-white cinematography since 2019.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Macbeth <\/em>was shot entirely on sound stages with hand-painted backdrops rather than making use of more modern technologies like CGI. \u201cWe thought that the theatricality of a painted sky was more interesting than trying to create a sky later in post,\u201d Delbonnel <a href=\"https:\/\/www.indiewire.com\/2022\/01\/the-tragedy-of-macbeth-cinematography-bruno-delbonnel-interiview-1234690393\/\">told IndieWire<\/a>, \u201cso we embraced old-fashioned technology.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The French cinematographer is a longtime collaborator of the Coen brothers, and he\u2019s been nominated for the Oscar in this category six times (most recently for 2017\u2019s <em>Darkest Hour<\/em>). He\u2019s one of the most decorated cinematographers still searching for a win in the category.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><em>West Side Story<\/em> (Janusz Kami\u0144ski)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Steven Spielberg&#039;s &quot;West Side Story&quot; | Official Trailer | 20th Century Studios\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/A5GJLwWiYSg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>It takes guts to try to breathe new life into a beloved old story, particularly one that comes from musical theater\u2019s undisputed champion. And a previous film adaptation won 10 Oscars to boot! Well, director Stephen Spielberg and cinematographer Janusz Kami\u0144ski have guts. Here, the two heavyweights delivered a critically-lauded masterpiece (though it drew a disappointing box office), garnering nominations in most of the major Oscar categories.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>West Side Story<\/em> captures the lives of two lovers caught between competing street gangs in 1950s New York. This film is boldly and proudly colorful: \u201cIt\u2019s a love story, so why be too delicate and subtle?\u201d Kami\u0144ski <a href=\"https:\/\/www.indiewire.com\/2022\/01\/west-side-story-cinematography-janusz-kaminski-1234691626\/\">said in an interview with Indiewire<\/a>. But the story isn\u2019t all bright and poppy; during the final fight scene, Kami\u0144ski <a href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2021\/artisans\/awards\/janusz-kaminski-cinematography-west-side-story-1235142213\/\">built<\/a> an elaborate lighting rig to add shadows and create dramatic tension.<br>The only multi-time winner of 2022\u2019s nominees, Kami\u0144ski has the most accolades of the group. The Pole is Spielberg\u2019s preferred cinematographer, and he has previously won the Oscar in this category for two of their tag-teamed efforts (<em>Schindler\u2019s List <\/em>and <em>Saving Private Ryan<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"best-visual-effects\">Best Visual Effects<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2021 Winner: <em>Tenet<\/em><\/strong><em> <\/em>(Andrew Jackson, David Lee, Andrew Lockley and Scott Fisher)<br><strong>2022 Nominees:<\/strong><br><em>Dune<\/em><br><em>Free Guy<\/em><br><em>No Time to Die<\/em><br><em>Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings<\/em><br><em>Spider-Man: No Way Home<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><em>Dune<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4>Paul Lambert, Tristan Myles, Brian Connor, and Gerd Nefzer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>What made the 2021 adaptation of the celebrated but notably complex book? Its visual effects. Audiences <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/movies\/dune-visual-effects-paul-lambert-vfx-interview\/\">raved<\/a> about the special touches that brought the ornithopters, the characters\u2019 shields, the logic-defying worms to life. The favorite in its category thanks in large part to its sheer scope, it\u2019ll take a major comeback from any other nominee to steal this category from <em>Dune<\/em>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Signature Shot<\/strong>: Any shot on the desert planet Arrakis. One of the innovative ways that the <em>Dune <\/em>VFX team helped to depict Arrakis was by using a sand-colored screen (in place of the traditional green screen) to ground the characters in their world. But the sand wasn\u2019t all digital\u2014about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/movies\/dune-visual-effects-paul-lambert-vfx-interview\/\">18 tons of sand and dust<\/a> were used in production.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Key Players<\/strong>: DNEG, a London-based studio, was responsible for the VFX on <em>Dune<\/em>. VFX supervisor Paul Lambert and special effects supervisor Gerd Nefzer have both previously won the Oscar in this category for Villaneuve\u2019s <em>Blade Runner 2049<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><em>Free Guy<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4>Swen Gillberg, Bryan Grill, Nikos Kalaitzidis, and Dan Sudick<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Free Guy | Official Trailer | 20th Century Studios\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/X2m-08cOAbc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan Reynolds is Guy, a background character in a <em>Grand Theft Auto<\/em>-style video game who becomes sentient and takes control of his destiny. It superimposes visual effects onto the real world at nearly every turn, making heavy use of VFX to achieve some of that gratuitous video game action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Signature Shot<\/strong>: Guy\u2019s fight scene with his archnemesis and alter ego, the beefed-up Dude. To shoot it, the VFX team used face replacement technology, superimposing Reynolds\u2019 face onto bodybuilder Aaron Reed. And because Reynolds had a part in both sides of this fight, it took multiple takes to film, with Reynolds alternating roles each time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Key Players<\/strong>: Swen Gillberg, the film\u2019s VFX supervisor, has been nominated for the second time in this category, though it\u2019s his first as a supervisor. A number of VFX houses shared the responsibilities on this film, including Digital Domain, Industrial Light &amp; Magic, Scanline, and Lola.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><em>No Time to Die<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4>Charlie Noble, Joel Green, Jonathan Fawkner, and Chris Corbould<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"NO TIME TO DIE Trailer \u2013 In Cinemas October 2021.\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/BIhNsAtPbPI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Daniel Crag\u2019s final Bond movie finds the legendary spy working with the CIA to locate a kidnapped scientist. And although the Bond franchise has a storied history of eye-popping action, <em>No Time to Die <\/em>became the first Bond film to be nominated in this category since 1979\u2019s <em>Moonraker<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Signature Shot<\/strong>: The movie\u2019s opening scene, shot on the shore of a frozen Norwegian lake. In an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.artofvfx.com\/no-time-to-die-charlie-noble-overall-vfx-supervisor-with-jonathan-fawkner-framestore-vfx-supervisor-and-joel-green-dneg-vfx-supervisor\/\">interview with Art of VFX<\/a>, supervisor Charlie Noble lauded fellow artist Chris Corbould for assembling \u201cas many smoke machines as I\u2019ve seen\u201d to help set the scene\u2019s mood. Director Cary Joji Fukunaga wanted for the lake to be covered with a thick, crystal-clear ice sheet, and while many of the shots for the scene were entirely practical, closer shots of the ice made use of a CGI build.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Key Players<\/strong>: The nominated artists for <em>No Time to Die<\/em> represent a mix of multi-time nominees and newcomers. Noble and Joel Green are being honored for the first time, while Jonathan Fawkner has three nominations to his name. This is Corbould\u2019s sixth nomination, and the 13th for the Corbould family (his brothers, Neil and Paul, are also accomplished VFX supervisors).&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><em>Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4>Christopher Townsend, Joe Farrell, Sean Noel Walker, and Dan Oliver<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Marvel Studios\u2019 Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings | Official Teaser\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/giWIr7U1deA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In Marvel\u2019s first film with an Asian lead (also featuring an Asian director and predominantly Asian cast), Simu Liu\u2019s Shang-Chi is drawn into a mythical quest by his father, the leader of the Ten Rings organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Signature Shot<\/strong>: The fight scene involving the two larger-than-life mythical dragons, the Dweller-in-Darkness and the Great Protector. Supervisor Sean Noel Walker <a href=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/2022\/01\/sean-walker-vfx-shang-chi-weta-marvel-art-of-craft-magazine-1234918704\/\">told <em>Deadline<\/em><\/a> that because the audience knows the flying creatures can\u2019t possibly exist in the real world, his team had to do everything in its power to make a viewer feel like they could reach out and touch the dragons.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Key Players<\/strong>: Townsend is frequently involved with Marvel movies\u2014this is his third nom on one of the studio\u2019s superhero films. Walker is a first-time nominee, while Joe Farrell and Dan Oliver each have one previous nomination in the category.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><em>Spider-Man: No Way Home<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4>Kelly Port, Chris Waegner, Scott Edelstein, and Dan Sudick<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME - Official Teaser Trailer (HD)\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/rt-2cxAiPJk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Although Spidey single-handedly saved the movie business in 2021, the Academy didn\u2019t quite care. Visual Effects is the only one in which the <a href=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/2021\/12\/spider-man-no-way-home-presales-records-international-box-office-1234885077\/\">record-breaking superhero flick<\/a> is recognized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Signature Shot<\/strong>: Juggling the conflicts and characters from three different Spider-Man franchises, not to mention folding in Benedict Cumberbatch\u2019s Dr. Strange from the MCU, made <em>No Way Home<\/em> a shoo-in for a VFX nomination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Key Players<\/strong>: VFX supervisor Kelly Port <a href=\"https:\/\/comicbook.com\/marvel\/news\/spider-man-no-way-home-vfx-team-continued-working-on-shots-weeks-after-release\/\">told ComicBook.com<\/a> that his team turned in its work within days of the movie\u2019s December release. And not only that, the artists continued working on shots for the video release or behind-the-scenes footage well into January, almost a month after the movie dropped.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And does one of these names sound familiar? Dan Sudick, an icon in the space with 12 total nominations, earned recognition for two different movies in 2022; he was also among the honorees for <em>Free Guy<\/em>. Though he\u2019s still searching for a win, Sudick has worked primarily on Marvel projects over the past 15 years\u2014he\u2019s been part of 15 of the studio\u2019s movies and two of its Disney+ series.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"best-production-design\">Best Production Design<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2021 Winner: <em>Mank<\/em> (Donald Graham Burt, production designer, &amp; Jan Pascale, set decorator)<\/strong><br><strong>2022 Nominees:<\/strong><br><em>Dune<\/em><br><em>Nightmare Alley<\/em><br><em>The Power of the Dog<\/em>\u00a0<br><em>The Tragedy of Macbeth<\/em><br><em>West Side Story<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>PS: If you read our dive into Best Cinematography, you might think you\u2019re seeing double, but you\u2019re not\u2014the 2021 winner and the 2022 nominees are all exactly the same. (Perhaps it\u2019s just proof that getting great creative people together can make everybody\u2019s work better.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><em>Dune<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4>Patrice Vermette (Production Designer); Zsuzsanna Sipos (Set Decorator)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Signature Set<\/strong>: Arrakeen, the fortress stronghold and the seat of the power on the desert planet Arrakis. Production designer Patrice Vermette told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.elledecor.com\/life-culture\/a38066050\/dune-set-design\/\"><em>Elle Decor<\/em><\/a> that he read the movie\u2019s source material, \u201cbut there\u2019s nothing very specific about anything\u201d when it comes to architecture. Using the clues that Herbert provided (devastatingly hot temperatures, extreme winds that whip sand around the landscape, and of course, the worms), Vermette pieced together what a palace on Arrakis might look like. He positioned the fortress strategically inside a valley of mountains\u2014rather than in the middle of the open desert, because such a location wouldn\u2019t make any sense for a settlement\u2014and designed the bunker-like fortress with thick, sloped walls to protect its inhabitants from the elements.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Key Players<\/strong>: Vermette was first recognized at the Oscars in 2010 for <em>The Young Victoria<\/em>. This year marks his third nomination, and the second time he\u2019s been nominated for a Villeneuve project\u2014Vermette was also the production designer on <em>Arrival<\/em>. Set decorator Zsuzsanna Sipos, meanwhile, is a newcomer and first-time nominee. She was previously part of the production design team for Villeneuve on <em>Blade Runner 2049<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><em>Nightmare Alley<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4>Tamara Deverell (Production Designer); Shane Vieau (Set Decorator)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Signature Set<\/strong>: With the exception of some fake snow and CGI bullets, every aspect of director Guillermo del Toro\u2019s film noir was created practically, including the entire carnival. Each piece of carnival equipment is a sight to behold, but the \u201cHouse of Damnation\u201d takes the cake as the most compelling of the production team\u2019s creations. This fun house is designed to be anything but fun\u2014its dark passageways echo, its machinery creaks, and its characters are downright devilish.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Key Players<\/strong>: Production designer Tarmara Deverell is a first-time nominee in the category, as most of her work has been in TV. She most recently worked on two different series from the <em>Star Trek<\/em> franchise. Meanwhile, set decorator Shane Vieau is looking for his second win as a sec decorator. He won for del Toro\u2019s <em>The Shape of Water<\/em>, sharing the award with fellow set decorator Jeff Melvin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><em>The Power of the Dog<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4>Grant Major (Production Designer); Amber Richards (Set Decorator)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Signature Set<\/strong>: The house of brothers Phil and George Burbank has the power to intimidate all who set foot in it. Designed to look like its finest days were decades earlier, the abode at the center of the Burbanks\u2019 ranching operation now stands in dark, dreary disrepair. It\u2019s an essential part of so many scenes, most notably when Phil taunts Rose as she practices piano.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Key Players<\/strong>: Production designer Grant Major is a five-time nominee with one win under his belt. From 2001 to 2003, he was honored with nominations in three consecutive years, culminating in his victory for <em>Lord of the Rings: Return of the King<\/em>. This is his first nomination since <em>King Kong <\/em>in 2006.<em> <\/em>Meanwhile, set decorator Amber Richards is receiving her first nomination. She was previously the set director on <em>Mulan<\/em> in 2020.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><em>The Tragedy of Macbeth<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4>Stefan Dechant (Production Designer); Nancy Haigh (Set Decorator)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Signature Set<\/strong>: The central castle, where Macbeth and his wife take residence after betraying the king. From the beginning, Joel Coen (directing without his brother Ethan for the first time) wanted his film to look disconnected from reality, shooting the entire movie on a sound stage in black-and-white. Most of the film\u2019s scenes are noticeably devoid of natural elements.The castle feels cold, empty, unlike any place you\u2019ve ever seen in real life. It serves as the perfect backdrop for the paranoid Macbeth\u2019s descent into madness.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Key Players<\/strong>: Stefan Dechant, a first-time nominee in the category, has spent almost three decades in the film industry, including as an illustrator and storyboarder. He first collaborated with the Coen brothers on <em>True Grit<\/em> in 2010. Nancy Haigh, meanwhile, is one of the most decorated set directors of the past 30 years. She\u2019s been nominated nine times for this award, including twice in one year in 1991. Her two victories came as part of the crews of <em>Bugsy<\/em> in 1992, and <em>Once Upon a Time in Hollywood<\/em> in 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><em>West Side Story<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4>Adam Stockhausen (Production Designer); Rena DeAngelo (Set Decorator)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Signature Set<\/strong>: The Gimbels department store, featured prominently during the character Maria\u2019s song \u201cI Feel Pretty.\u201d For Stephen Spielberg\u2019s adaptation of one of show biz\u2019s most beloved tales, production designer Adam Stockhausen (whose mother used to work for Gimbels) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.architecturaldigest.com\/story\/inside-west-side-storys-new-york-city-sets\">created a replica retail display<\/a> inside an old bank building in Newark. Set decorator Rena DeAngelo added some finishing touches authentic to the time period. In all, the department store set was complete with three unique departments: ready-to-wear, bridal, and cosmetics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Key Players<\/strong>: This is the fourth nomination for Stockhausen, who previously won for <em>The Grand Budapest Hotel <\/em>in 2014. Like Major, Stockhausen also has a streak of three consecutive noms, from 2013 to 2015. DeAngelo has two Oscar nominations to her name, including one previously shared with Stockhausen (<em>Bridge of Spies<\/em> in 2015).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"best-animated-feature\">Best Animated Feature<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2021 Winner: <em>Soul<\/em> (Pete Docter and Dana Murray)<\/strong><br><strong>2022 Nominees:<\/strong><br><em>Encanto<\/em><br><em>Flee<\/em><br><em>Luca<\/em><br><em>The Mitchells vs. the Machines<\/em><br><em>Raya and the Last Dragon<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><em>Encanto<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4>Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Yvett Merino &amp; Clark Spencer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Disney&#039;s Encanto | Official Trailer\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/CaimKeDcudo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>You may be tired of talking about Bruno, but that doesn\u2019t make Disney\u2019s <em>Encanto <\/em>any less of a classic. This computer-animated musical about a magical family from Colombia has its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pelobuddy.com\/peloton-disney-classes\/\">own series of Peloton classes<\/a>, and its most popular song will apparently <a href=\"https:\/\/remezcla.com\/music\/performance-we-dont-talk-about-bruno-open-oscars-ceremony-what-fans-saying\/\">open up the Oscars telecast<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to <em>Encanto<\/em>\u2019s heads of animation, the film was among the most difficult Disney ever created, due in part to the number of main characters. And because of the importance of music and dance to Colombian culture (not to mention, well, a <em>musical<\/em>), the crew behind <em>Encanto <\/em>took the rare step of involving choreographers at the beginning of the development process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Encanto <\/em>is the first Oscar nomination for director Jared Bush, while co-director Byron Howard has three noms in the category. Howard won the Oscar in 2017 for <em>Zootopia <\/em>(on which Bush was a co-director, but not part of the group named in the nomination).&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><em>Flee<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4>Jonas Poher Rasmussen, Monica Hellstr\u00f6m, Signe Byrge S\u00f8rensen &amp; Charlotte De La Gournerie<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Flee Trailer | Sundance 2021\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/2aRfHsMgfdg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This Danish indie, directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen and executive produced by actor Riz Ahmed, is a documentary, following the story of a real person who fled Afghanistan. The subdued animation style of <em>Flee <\/em>serves a dual purpose: it protects the identity of the pseudonymous protagonist, but, as Carlos Aguilar <a href=\"https:\/\/www.indiewire.com\/2021\/12\/flee-animation-documentary-oscar-1234682845\/\">writes<\/a> in <em>IndieWire<\/em>, it \u201cprovides a narrative language with distinct aesthetic dialects that allows for the factual past, his sensorial memory, and the present to converge.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Flee<\/em>, now available to stream on Hulu, is notable for the trio of Oscar categories for which it was nominated\u2014Best Animated Feature, Best International Feature, and Best Documentary Feature. It\u2019s the first to earn noms in those three categories simultaneously. Earlier this month, It was honored as the best independent animated movie at the Annie Awards, which recognize excellence in animation in movies and TV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><em>Luca<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4>Enrico Casarosa &amp; Andrea Warren<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"LUCA Official Trailer (2021) Disney Pixar Movie HD\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/0hgHY9k-44U?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Since this category\u2019s creation in 2001, Pixar has had it in a headlock, winning 11 of 17 total years (including the past two). It\u2019ll look to three-peat with <em>Luca<\/em>, a story of a young sea monster in the Italian riviera who assumes the form of a human boy on land. The computer-animated film, released directly to Disney+ in the summer of 2021, was the most-viewed streaming movie of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Director Enrico Casarosa is a first-time nominee who has worked for Pixar since 2002, mostly contributing as a story artist or as part of the senior creative team. <em>Luca<\/em>, a story partly inspired by his childhood in Genoa,<em> <\/em>marks his directorial debut for a feature. He previously directed a Pixar short called <em>La Luna, <\/em>which played in theaters before the feature film <em>Brave <\/em>and was nominated for Best Animated Short in 2012.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><em>The Mitchells vs. the Machines<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4>Mike Rianda, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller &amp; Kurt Albrecht<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"The Mitchells vs. The Machines | Official Trailer | Netflix\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_ak5dFt8Ar0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Road-trip comedy meets saving-the-world sci-fi action in <em>The Mitchells vs. the Machines<\/em>. Katie Mitchell, an aspiring filmmaker, gets a bit more than she bargains for as her family travels to drop her off at college.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This film, produced by Sony Pictures Animation and Netflix, is already something of a frontrunner on the awards circuit; it won Best Animated Feature at the Annies (and won seven other categories, too).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The Mitchells vs. the Machines<\/em> is the feature directorial debut for Mike Rianda, who also co-wrote the story and voiced one of the lead characters. The flick is seeking to become the second Sony production to win in this category, after <em>Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse<\/em>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><em>Raya and the Last Dragon<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4>Don Hall, Carlos L\u00f3pez Estrada, Osnat Shurer &amp; Peter Del Vecho<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Disney&#039;s Raya and the Last Dragon | Official Trailer\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/1VIZ89FEjYI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The fantasy world of Kumandra was once protected by peaceful dragons, many of whom sacrificed themselves to save humanity from sinister monsters. When the threat re-emerges in the modern day, a warrior princess sets out in search of the last living dragon to save the day once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Raya and the Last Dragon <\/em>led all movies at the Annies with 10 total nominations, though it didn\u2019t win any. The computer-animated flick is director Don Hall\u2019s second Oscar nomination, having previously won for <em>Big Hero 6 <\/em>in 2015. His next project is directing <em>Strange World<\/em>,<em> <\/em>another Disney animated film, slated for release this year. Estrada, Hall\u2019s fellow director, is being honored for the first time. The two also worked together as part of the creative leadership team for <em>Encanto<\/em>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"myclass\">We&#8217;re analyzing some of the biggest Oscar categories for visual creatives, like Best Cinematography and Best Production Design.<\/div>\n<p><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":102,"featured_media":19448,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v15.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>A Creative&#039;s Guide to the 2022 Oscars - Ceros Inspire<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"We&#039;re analyzing some of the biggest categories for visual creatives in the 2022 Oscars, like Best Cinematography and Best Production Design.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/originals\/2022-oscars-creative-guide\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A Creative&#039;s Guide to the 2022 Oscars - 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