I am 2 for 3 in
this category.
Formerly known
as ‘Best Art Direction’, this category still honors the work of Art Directors
and Set Decorators; which begs the question… “Why change the name?” Well,
there are a couple reasons:
1. The ‘Best Art Direction’ award was
governed by the Academy’s ‘Art Direction Branch’. However, the ‘Art Direction Branch’ also
governed the award for ‘Best Costume Design’.
So, in an attempt to give Art Direction and Costume Design equal footing
within the same branch, the ‘Art Direction Branch’ was renamed to the
‘Designers Branch’.
2. Then, the newly formed ‘Designers Branch’
noted that the ‘Best Art Direction’ Oscar honors both Art Directors AND Set
Decorators, not just Art Directors. And
by calling the category ‘Best Art Direction’ it marginalizes the work of the
Set Decorator. So, in order to give more
equal footing to the two components of the category, the ‘Designer Branch’
renamed the award to more accurately describe the collaboration of an Art Director and Set Decorator, aka ‘Production
Design’.
That said, the role and voting procedures for Production Design (aka Art
Direction) has not changed at all, so read more about it in last year’s post:
84th Academy Awards – Best Art Direction.
**********
Nominations:
·
Anna Karenina
o
Sarah Greenwood – 4th nomination.
o
Katie Spencer – 4th nomination.
This
team has previously been nominated together for Pride & Prejudice, Atonement,
and Sherlock
Holmes.
They
have also been nominated for the BAFTA Award, Broadcast Film Critics
Association Award, San Diego Film Critics Society Award, Satellite Award, and
Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Award. They have already won the Hollywood Film
Festival.
·
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
o
Dan Hennah – 5th nomination. 1 win for LOTR: The Return of the King.
o
Ra Vincent – 1st nomination.
o
Simon Bright – 2nd nomination.
Hennah
has been nominated for all three Lord of the Rings films and King
Kong. Bright was nominated alongside
Hennah for the latter.
Although
the Lord
of the Rings films received a butt load of nominations throughout the
series, the Academy was fairly conservative when it came to actually handing
them awards until the final installment as a way to honor the whole
series. I expect the Academy to take the
same approach with The Hobbit.
This
team has also been nominated for the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award.
·
Les Miserables
o
Eve Stewart – 3rd nomination.
o
Anna Lynch-Robinson – 1st nomination.
Stewart
was previously nominated for The King’s Speech and Topsy-Turvy. I think they have a real shot at the Oscar
this year.
So
far they have been nominated for the BAFTA Award, Broadcast Film Critics
Association Award, San Diego Film Critics Society Award, Satellite Award, and
the Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Award.
·
Life of Pi
o
David Gropman – 2nd nomination.
o
Anna Pinnock – 3rd nomination.
Gropman
was previously nominated for The Cider House Rules. And Ann Pinnock was previously nominated for Gosford
Park and The Golden Compass.
Life of Pi is a stunning film and I would love to see these guys take home
the Oscar, however, the competition this year is very tight. They are also nominated for the BAFTA Award
and the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award.
·
Lincoln
o
Rick Carter – 4th nomination. 1 win for Avatar.
o
Jim Erickson – 2nd nomination.
In
addition to winning for Avatar, Carter has also been
nominated for Forrest Gump and War Horse. Erickson was previously nominated for There
Will Be Blood.
They
have also been nominated for the BAFTA Award, Broadcast Film Critics
Association Award, Satellite Award, and the Washington DC Area Film Critics
Association Award.
**********
Snubs:
Cloud Atlas may be the biggest snub of the year. They have already won the Washington DC Area Film
Critics Association Award and the San Diego Film Critics Society Award. And say what you will about the film… the
team behind Cloud Atlas had to create six different worlds, which was
pretty impressive.
**********
Oscar Trends:
There are no real trends for this category… at least none that I
can see. So… I gotta go with my
gut. But I might change my mind when
more awards start flowing.
**********
Prediction:
1. Life of Pi
2. Anna Karenina
3. Lincoln
4. Les Miserables
5. The Hobbit: An Unexpected
Journey
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