Visual Effects Society introduces new Emerging Technology Award

The Visual Effects Society (VES), the industry’s global professional honorary society, announced the creation of the VES Emerging Technology Award – a new honour to be bestowed at the annual VES Awards, starting at the upcoming ceremony in February 2023.  This award honours the inventors of a novel and uniquely innovative tool, device, software or methodology of outstanding value to the art and science of Visual Effects, Gaming or Animation.

Importantly, this award celebrates individuals: the production developers, R&D technical directors, software engineers and creators of the technology behind the visuals. The nominees are the primary, individual contributors to the technology – not artists that use the technology, not the company within which the technology was developed, nor the managers who supported it, unless they are also contributors.  This award recognises the developers who work at the studios and facilities, hand-in-hand with the artists to solve technical problems for specific content.

“The images that we produce are the fruit of the work of the artists, but also of the immense creativity that goes into making the innovative tools and technologies that enable them,” said Lisa Cooke, Board Chair of the VES.  “The relevance and speed of technological innovation in VFX is extremely high and this award

puts a spotlight on the importance of the collaboration between art and science in our industry. We are so proud to introduce this new award to honour the technologists behind the captivating images.”

“This award has been long in the planning and we are extremely pleased to finally recognize and honor the first Emerging Technology Awardees at the next VES Awards ceremony,” said Chair of the VES Technology Committee Sebastian Sylwan, VES.

In defining the criteria for the Emerging Technology Award – in its simplest form, a new technology (software, hardware, workflow) is developed over a period of time which could be several years. The technology is eligible for submission in the same year that the technology sees its first substantial and impactful use for relevant project work (visual effects, animation, games).

The submission process for the 21^st VES Awards is now open, and entries will be accepted through Wednesday, November 30, 2022 at 11:59 pm PST.  For more details on the Emerging Technology Award and all awards categories, and the full rundown on VES Awards rules and procedures, visit here.