The Visual Effects Society (VES) is now accepting online submissions for the 7th Annual VES Awards Show on February 21, 2009 at the Century Plaza Hotel in Beverly Hills. The deadline to send in submissions is December 5, 2008. Rules and Procedures can be found at www.vesawards.com.

Among the various changes this year are the addition of “Outstanding Animation in an Animated Motion Picture,” “Outstanding Visual Effects in a Student Project” and Matte Paintings categories. The Models & Miniatures and Special Effects categories are also back by popular demand as well.

“We are extremely happy that our members are so energized about this years awards!” said Jeffrey A. Okun, visual effects supervisor on the soon to be released The Day the Earth Stood Still and Chair of the VES Awards Committee. “With the return of some categories and the creation of a few new ones to reflect the ever changing face of our industry, this year should prove to really show that visual effects Artists not only break the boundaries of what can be done but do it with a skill and artistry never before seen,” Okun added.

The annual VES Awards show honors the most outstanding visual effects in film, television, animation, commercials, special venue projects and video games.

The categories open for submission are:

1. OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A VISUAL EFFECTS DRIVEN FEATURE MOTION PICTURE

2. OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A FEATURE MOTION PICTURE

3. OUTSTANDING ANIMATION IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE MOTION PICTURE

4. OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A BROADCAST MINISERIES, MOVIE, OR SPECIAL

5. OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A BROADCAST SERIES

6. OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A BROADCAST PROGRAM

7. BEST SINGLE VISUAL EFFECT OF THE YEAR

8. OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A COMMERCIAL

9. OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A SPECIAL VENUE PROJECT

10. OUTSTANDING REAL TIME VISUALS IN A VIDEO GAME

11. OUTSTANDING PRE-RENDERED VISUALS IN A VIDEO GAME

12. OUTSTANDING ANIMATED CHARACTER IN A LIVE ACTION FEATURE MOTION PICTURE

13. OUTSTANDING ANIMATED CHARACTER IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE MOTION PICTURE

14. OUTSTANDING ANIMATED CHARACTER IN A LIVE ACTION BROADCAST PROGRAM OR COMMERCIAL

15. OUTSTANDING EFFECTS ANIMATION IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE MOTION PICTURE

16. OUTSTANDING MATTE PAINTINGS IN A FEATURE MOTION PICTURE

17. OUTSTANDING MATTE PAINTINGS IN A BROADCAST PROGRAM OR COMMERCIAL

18. OUTSTANDING MODELS AND MINIATURES IN A FEATURE MOTION PICTURE

19. OUTSTANDING MODELS AND MINIATURES IN A BROADCAST PROGRAM OR COMMERCIAL

20. OUTSTANDING CREATED ENVIRONMENT IN A FEATURE MOTION PICTURE

21. OUTSTANDING CREATED ENVIRONMENT IN A BROADCAST PROGRAM OR COMMERCIAL

22. OUTSTANDING COMPOSITING IN A FEATURE MOTION PICTURE

23. OUTSTANDING COMPOSITING IN A BROADCAST PROGRAM OR COMMERCIAL

24. OUTSTANDING SPECIAL EFFECTS IN A FEATURE MOTION PICTURE

25. OUTSTANDING SPECIAL EFFECTS IN A BROADCAST PROGRAM OR COMMERCIAL

26. OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A STUDENT PROJECT

Last year’s event attracted more than 1,000 visual effects artists and celebrities as the VES honored Steven Spielberg with its Lifetime Achievement Award. For the upcoming awards, VES will hand out the Lifetime Achievement Award to legendary producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall and also honor Phil Tippett with the Georges Mà©lià¨s Award for his pioneering work in the field of visual effects.