3rd Annual VES Awards2014-07-16T21:07:00-07:00

Welcome to the 3rd Annual Visual Effects Society Awards – as they say, the third time’s the charm and this year’s awards are no exception!

Tonight we’re throwing the coolest party of the year for the visual effects community. Joining us will be one of the true visual effects masters of our time – VES Lifetime Honoree and Academy Award winner Robert Zemeckis, who has entertained us through the years with numerous dazzling projects including Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, the Back to the Future trilogy, Forrest Gump, and the recently released Polar Express.

In addition, Don Shay, publisher of everyone’s favorite bible, Cinefex, will honor us as the recipient of the Board of Directors Award.

New this year will be the presentation of the inaugural Georges Melies Award to an individual who has pioneered a lasting contribution I n the field of Visual Effects. The first recipient of this honor is Robert Abel, and to pick up the award on his behalf will be his daughter, Marah.

And, last but not least, are the true stars of tonight’s show – all of you. The collected genius assembled here at the Palladium represents the greatest array of visual effects talent the world has ever seen. Without all of you, and the magic that you either create or inspire, Polar Express and Sky Captain wouldn’t have been able to rewrite the rules for filmmaking, Shrek 2’s Puss ‘N’ Boots wouldn’t have made us laugh in spite of ourselves, Citroen’s new car wouldn’t have been able to pull off those eye-popping dance moves, and Star Trek Enterprise wouldn’t always be so entertaining. And that would be a great loss for the rest of us.

So, as we pull back the curtain on tonight’s festivities, remember to suspend your sense of disbelief, because tonight you’re in for some true magic. Please join me in offering heartfelt congratulations to all the nominees in attendance because they are all winners. And so are we because we get to work in the special world of visual effects!

Date: February 16, 2005

Location: Hollywood Palladium 6215 Sunset Blvd. Hollywood, CA 90028