Avatar was the landmark stereo film of the modern era, taking 3D technology to new heights, and changing the way many people thought about 3D film and visual effects. Weta Digital developed a new generation of visual-effects techniques to realise this ambitious film. As well as bringing about huge innovations in real-time performance capture, facial rigging, 3D animation and compositing - the scale, detail, and complexity of Avatar showed that computer generated filmmaking had reached the point where it could carry the story, and maintain suspension of disbelief, through an entire movie.
In addition to the Academy Award® for Visual Effects, the film won Weta Digital six Visual Effects Society awards, including the VES equivalent of a best picture race – Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects-Driven Feature Motion Picture. What Weta Digital built and what they learned on Avatar changed the way Weta Digital approached visual effects, and its impact is still being felt to this day.
Put simply, Avatar is the most visually fantastic film I've ever seen. It will be hailed as the ground-breaking 3D release of its time.
Mark Wilson, Gizmodo
Outstanding Compositing Feature Film
Erik Winquist, Robin Hollander, Erich Eder, Giuseppe Tagliavini
Best Visual Effects
Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects Driven Feature Motion Picture
Joe Letteri, Joyce Cox, Eileen Moran, Richard Baneham
Best Single Visual Effect of the Year
Joe Letteri, Joyce Cox, Eileen Moran, Thelvin Cabezas
Outstanding Animated Character in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture - Neytiri
Joe Letteri, Andrew R. Jones, Jeff Unay, Zoe Saldana
Outstanding Models & Miniatures in a Feature Motion Picture
Simon Cheung, Paul Jenness, John Stevenson-Galvin, Rainer Zoettl
Outstanding Created Environment in a Feature Motion Picture
Eric Saindon, Shadi Almassizadeh, Dan Cox, Ula Rademeyer
Outstanding Matte Paintings in a Feature Motion Picture
Yvonne Muinde, Brenton Cottman, Peter Baustaedter, Jean-Luc Azzis
Achievement in Special Visual Effects
Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham, Andrew R Jones
Feature Film Visual Effects
Best Special Effects
Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham, Andrew R Jones