We’re within a week of the big moment. Oscar nominations will be announced on Thursday next week and we’ll find out which films are the dominant forces throughout the Academy’s various craft categories. Yesterday HitFix’s Gerard Kennedy began final Tech Support analysis of the field with the categories of Best Cinematography, Makeup and Hairstyling, Original Score, Original Song and Visual Effects. Today we round out the field with the rest.
Tech Support: Final predictions for Best Costume Design, Film Editing, Production Design and Sound
Posted by gerardkennedy · 3:54 pm · January 10th, 2014
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Tech Support: Final predictions for Best Cinematography, Makeup, Score, Song and Visual Effects
Posted by gerardkennedy · 12:16 pm · January 9th, 2014
Here we go again. A week from today, the nominees for the 86th annual Academy Awards will be announced. Here at Tech Support, we’ve analyzed each of the 10 crafts categories, and interviewed several of the contenders. It’s now a waiting game with final calls to be made. Today, we take a final look at the fields of cinematography, music, makeup and hairstyling and visual effects.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
'Mandela' composer Alex Heffes reflects on the experience of putting music to a legend's life
Posted by gerardkennedy · 1:08 pm · January 2nd, 2014
“Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” composer Alex Heffes talks to HitFix about the enormous responsibility of capturing a life as monumental as Nelson Mandela’s on screen and in music.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention · Interviews
'Saving Mr. Banks' production designer Michael Corenblith on bringing the world of Disney to life
Posted by gerardkennedy · 1:17 pm · December 30th, 2013
“Saving Mr. Banks” is currently delighting audiences with its take on Walt Disney, P.L. Travers and the making of “Mary Poppins.” But part of the magic of the movie is the recreation of a time and place, and the individual in charge of the art department that brought that world to life is production designer Michael Corenblith, who recently spoke to HitFix about his task on the film.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Sound mixers Skip Lievsay and Peter Kurland on bringing the sonic world of 'Inside Llewyn Davis' to life
Posted by gerardkennedy · 11:32 am · December 26th, 2013
“Inside Llewyn Davis” sound mixers Skip Lievsay and Peter Kurland talk to HitFix about the challenges of the Coen brothers’ latest, not least of which being a live performance element unique to their experience.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Tech Support: John Williams, Arcade Fire and Hans Zimmer (x2) duke it out for Best Original Score
Posted by gerardkennedy · 9:32 pm · December 12th, 2013
Earlier today the list of eligible original score contenders was revealed by the Academy, so consider it great timing as we focus on the category today in our final craft category analysis of the season.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Tech Support: Can 'Catching Fire' crack the costume design Oscar race?
Posted by gerardkennedy · 3:38 pm · December 5th, 2013
HitFix’s Gerard Kennedy surveys the field of Best Costume Design Oscar contenders, from period stand-out “12 Years a Slave” to the contemporary designs of “The Wolf of Wall Street.”
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Alexandre Desplat talks 'Philomena' and a busy decade full of Stateside success
Posted by gerardkennedy · 6:48 am · December 3rd, 2013
HitFix’s Gerard Kennedy reflects on a very busy, and very successful, decade of film music contributions with “Philomena” composer and five-time Oscar nominee Alexandre Desplat.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Tech Support: Space, music and the high seas clash in the race for Best Sound Mixing
Posted by gerardkennedy · 7:36 pm · November 28th, 2013
HitFix’s Gerard Kennedy surveys the field of Best Sound Mixing, from “Gravity” to “Pacific Rim” to maybe even Disney’s animated musical “Frozen.”
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Tech Support: Makeup and Hairstyling Oscar race features 'Rush,' 'The Butler' and… 'Bad Grandpa?'
Posted by gerardkennedy · 4:31 pm · November 21st, 2013
HitFix’s Gerard Kennedy surveys the Best Makeup and Hairstyling category, featuring contenders such as “Rush,” “Lee Daniels’ The Butler,” “12 Years a Slave” and even a movie from the “Jackass” guys.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Tech Support: Could Alfonso Cuarón join James Cameron on an exclusive list of editors?
Posted by gerardkennedy · 1:47 pm · November 14th, 2013
HitFix’s Gerard Kennedy plugs away on another installment of Tech Support, this week surveying the category of Best Film Editing. Is Alfonso Cuarón set to join some exclusive company?
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Composer Henry Jackman on 'musical constraint' and minimalism in 'Captain Phillips'
Posted by gerardkennedy · 9:46 am · November 13th, 2013
Henry Jackman talks to HitFix about what went into his affecting, but not affected, score for Paul Greengrass’ Oscar contender “Captain Phillips.”
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Tech Support: The production designers go it alone this year
Posted by gerardkennedy · 12:18 pm · October 31st, 2013
This year’s race for Best Production Design is a little different in that the costumers have split off and formed their own branch. How will that affect the race? From this vantage point, films like “12 Years a Slave,” “The Great Gatsby” and “Inside Llewyn Davis” seem formidable.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Tech Support: What films headline this year's race for Best Sound Editing?
Posted by gerardkennedy · 10:08 pm · October 24th, 2013
In this week’s installment of Tech Support, Gerard Kennedy surveys the Best Sound Editing category. Films like “Gravity” and “All is Lost” figure heavily while others like “Star Trek Into Darkness” and “Man of Steel” try to find a foothold.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Cinematographer Barry Ackroyd taps his doc roots to capture the immediacy of 'Captain Phillips'
Posted by gerardkennedy · 1:42 pm · October 18th, 2013
“Captain Phillips” cinematographer Barry Ackroyd talks to HitFix about how his documentary background conditioned him to capture the reality of Paul Greengrass’ latest film.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Tech Support: A tight race beyond 'Gravity' for Best Visual Effects features hobbits, Jaegers and men of steel
Posted by gerardkennedy · 10:43 am · October 17th, 2013
This year’s race for Best Visual Effects Oscar may already be over as “Gravity” seems undeniable, but the race for nominations is much more up in the air.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Tech Support: Can anything beat 'Gravity' for Best Cinematography?
Posted by gerardkennedy · 10:33 am · October 10th, 2013
Gerard Kennedy surveys the category of Best Cinematography in this week’s installment of Tech Support. Will films like “Captain Phillips” and “12 Years a Slave” be able to match “Gravity?”
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
Tech Support: Kicking off crafts coverage of the 2013-2014 Oscar season
Posted by gerardkennedy · 6:27 am · October 3rd, 2013
Welcome back. It’s hard for me to truly appreciate that this is the eighth season of Tech Support here at In Contention (third in our association with HitFix). I’m pleased to say that this column has come a long way during this time, as has media coverage of below-the-line Oscar races as a whole.
Filed in: HitFix · In Contention
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