Atmosphere Visual Effects took home the Emmy for "Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series" for SCI FI Channel's BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (NBC Universal) season three episode: "Exodus, Part 2." The award was presented Saturday night (Sept. 8) at the Creative Arts Primetime Emmys as part of the 59th Emmy Awards presentation at the Shrine Auditorium in L.A.
In addition, Stargate Digital won for "Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special" for BATTLEGROUND (NIGHTMARES & DREAMSCAPES: FROM THE STORIES OF STEPHEN KING).
The winning creative team for Atmosphere included Jeremy Hoey, lead matte painter; Tom Archer, lead compositor; Andrew Karr, CGI supervisor; Alec McClymont, lead CGI artist/animator; and Brenda Campbell, lead compositor.
The winning BATTLESTAR creative team included VFX supervisor, Gary Hutzel; senior VFX coordinator, Michael Gibson; CG supervisor, Doug Drexler; and CGI sequence designer, Adam "Mojo" Lebowitz.
"Exodus, Part 2" featured the dramatic and dangerous rescue of the colonists from the Cylon-occupied surface of the planet New Caprica and an eye-arresting, explosive space show down between the Battlestars "Galactica" and "Pegasus" and Cylon Base Stars, which ends in fiery triumph and destruction.
"After a decade of being consistently and prominently honored with Emmy Awards nominations for visual effects," said Atmosphere principal Jeremy Hoey, "this is the first time a Vancouver-based show has brought the award home. We at Atmosphere are proud to share in this award and to take part in such an outstanding production as BATTLESTAR GALACTICA."
Meanwhile, the winning BATTLEGROUND creative team included VFX supervisor Sam Nicholson (from Stargate Digital); VFX supervisor Eric Grenaudier; VFX producer Mark Spatny (from Stargate Digital); CGI supervisor Adalberto Lopez; lead CGI Model Maker Michael Cook; lead CGI animator Daniel Kumiega; lead VFX compositor Megan Omi; lead VFX compositor Ryan Wieber; and VFX producer Marc van Buuren.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
