Oscar 2008 Predictions: Technical/Craft Categories, Shorts
January 30th, 2008 by Andre Soares
Best Cinematography: There Will Be Blood, Robert Elswit
Robert Elswit won the American Society of Cinematographers award, beating Roger Deakins for two films, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and No Country for Old Men. Though Deakins does have a chance to win the Oscar 2008 for either film, this is one instance where the much overused — and almost invariably absurd — "votes are split; a third party wins" logic actually makes sense. That’s why I predict that Elswit will receive the Oscar.
Best Film Editing: No Country for Old Men, "Roderick Jaynes" (Joel and Ethan Coen)
An atmospheric suspense thriller that wins the best film Oscar will most likely also win for best film editing. If, however, Academy-ites feel that the Coens will be over-honored that evening — what with awards for best film, best directing, and best adapted screenplay — they may decide to give the film editing trophy to Christopher Rouse for The Bourne Ultimatum.
Best Original Score: Atonement, Dario Marianelli
Dario Marianelli’s Atonement score has been widely praised, and it’s already won a Golden Globe.
Best Original Song: "Falling Slowly" from Once, Music and Lyric by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova
Until a few hours ago, there was some question whether "Falling Slowly" would be un-nominated because it might have been originally written for something other than Once. After phone calls were made, emails were sent out, and affidavits were received, the Academy decided that the song was indeed eligible. And it’ll most likely win.
Best Art Direction: Atonement, Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
All of this year’s nominees are period pieces, but Atonement is the only one with the "classical European" look that Academy-ites most appreciate.
By the way, the last film with a contemporary setting that won the best art direction Academy Award was the 1979 musical All That Jazz.
Best Costume Design: Atonement, Jacqueline Durran
See best art direction. (As in the art direction category, all of this year’s nominees are period pieces.)
The last film with a contemporary setting that won the best costume design Academy Award was the 1994 Australian drag-queen comedy-drama The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
Best Visual Effects: Transformers, Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Russell Earl and John Frazier
From what I’ve been told, without the special effects there would have been no movie, since Transformers apparently offers no acting, no writing, and no direction.
Best Sound Editing: Transformers, Ethan Van der Ryn and Mike Hopkins
A rule of thumb when predicting winners for the best sound categories: Look for the loudest movie. The guys in the picture above sure look like they’re making a lot of noise.
Best Sound Mixing: Transformers, Kevin O’Connell, Greg P. Russell and Peter J. Devlin
See best sound editing.
Best Makeup: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, Ve Neill and Martin Samuel
Of the three nominees, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End boasts the showiest example of movie makeup. For the record, the other two nominees are La Vie en rose, in which gorgeous Marion Cotillard was transformed into plain Edith Piaf, and Norbit.
Best Documentary Short: Sari’s Mother, James Longley
The short film winners are hard to predict because they belong to a "special category" — only the relatively few who prove they have watched all nominated films can vote for the winner — and because the shorts, like most foreign-language feature film nominees, aren’t widely available for viewing — in some cases, they’re all but unavailable — in the United States.
That said, James Longley’s documentary feature Iraq in Fragments was nominated last year. Sari’s Mother, about an Iraqi mother trying to find medical assistance for her AIDS-stricken 10-year-old son in that war-ravaged country, may be Longley’s turn to win.
Best Live Action Short: The Mozart of Pickpockets, Philippe Pollet-Villard
The Mozart of Pickpockets has a little boy who, after being put to use as a thief, reveals himself a master at stealing. Films featuring little boys always have a good chance to get a nomination — and to win — an Oscar. The Mozart of Pickpockets has also been nominated for a César.
Best Animated Short: Peter & the Wolf, Suzie Templeton and Hugh Welchman
The old classic tale about a boy and his (killer) wolf gets an atmospheric British-made retelling.
Oscar 2008 Predictions: Acting
Oscar 2008 Predictions: Film, Documentary, Director, Screenplay
Oscar 2008: Foreign Language Film Award Nominees Symposium
Oscar 2008 Shorts Screening in Los Angeles
Oscar 2008: "Falling Slowly" from ONCE Possibly Ineligible
Oscar 2008: Film Editors and Art Directors Seminars at the American Cinematheque
Oscar 2008 Best Picture Poster
Xan Brooks on the 2008 Oscar Nominees
One Response to “Oscar 2008 Predictions: Technical/Craft Categories, Shorts”
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In terms of Sound Editing I don’t know why there is even any other nominees aside from Transformers. I know many are saying that There will be Blood should take the award however I disagree as there was barely any sound to edit in that film!!! Transformers on the other hand takes the cake as not only a great film but a great example of how a movie can be transformed( haha) with a exceptional sound editor.