Elan Award Nominees Announced

The nominees for the third annual ELAN Awards were announced Wednesday at a press conference. The awards will be given out April 25 at the Fairmount Hotel Vancouver. Tom Kenny will host.

The 3rd Annual ELAN Awards opened the online voting for their three Honorary Awards on IGN.com and your vote is needed to determine the winners.

Voting online for the Winners of these Honorary Awards is open to the media and the industry only. Voting closes on Friday, March 27 at 12 noon PDT in order to give the winners enough notice to attend the awards ceremony in Vancouver on April 25.

Go to IGN.com for a list of the nominees and to vote.

A full list of the nominees is as follows:

Video Game Nominees

Video Game Of The Year

GEARS OF WAR 2Epic Games/Microsoft -- Cliff Bleszinski, Design Director Epic Games; Ray Davis, Lead Programmer Epic Games; Chris Perna, Art Director Epic Games

FALLOUT 3Bethesda Softworks -- Todd Howard, Game Director; Emil Pagliarulo, Lead Designer & Writer; Gavin Carter, Lead Producer

FABLE IILionhead Studios/Microsoft Games -- Peter Molyneux, Lead Designer; Louise Copley, Executive Producer; Dene Carter, Creative Director

LEFT 4 DEADValve

Best Console Game

GEARS OF WAR 2Epic Games, Microsoft -- Epic Games: Rod Fergusson, Senior Producer; Cliff Bleszinski, Design Director; Ray Davis, Lead Programmer; Chris Perna, Art Director

FALLOUT 3Bethesda Softworks -- Todd Howard, Game Director; Emil Pagliarulo, Lead Designer & Writer; Gavin Carter, Lead Producer

FABLE IILionhead Studios/Microsoft Games -- Peter Molyneux, Lead Designer; Louise Copley, Executive Producer; Dene Carter, Creative Director

LEFT 4 DEADValve

Best PC Game

FALLOUT 3Bethesda Softworks -- Todd Howard, Game Director; Emil Pagliarulo, Lead Designer & Writer; Gavin Carter, Lead Producer

CRYSIS WARHEADCrytek/Electronic Arts -- Peter Antovszki, Sound Director; Gabor Mogyorósi, Art Director; Bernd Diemer, Producer

LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE: MINES OF MORIATurbine, Inc. -- Jeffrey Steefel, Executive Producer

LEFT 4 DEADValve

Best Casual/Arcade Game

MYSTERY CASE FILES: RETURN TO RAVENHEARSTBig Fish Games -- Pat Wylie, Adrian Woods, Chris Campbell, Producer

DEFEND YOUR CASTLEXGen Games -- Skye Boyes, Executive Producer; Jordan Dubuc, Project Lead; Robyn Dubuc, Design & Marketing; Taylor Schaerer, Visual Arts Lead

4 ELEMENTSPlayrix Entertainment

Best Mobile/Handheld Game

CLUB PENGUIN: ELITE PENGUIN FORCE (Handheld)1st Playable Productios/Disney Interactive -- Tobi Saulnier, Founder & CEO, 1st Playable Productions; Zhenelle Falk, Producer/ Designer; Andrew Carroll, Lead Programmer; Ian McConahey Stead, Lead Artist

PLANET RESCUE: OCEAN PATROL (Handheld)Magic Pockets/Ubisoft -- Eric Zmiro, President/Technical Director; Eltienne Jacquemain, Creative Director

HOOKED ON: CREATURES OF THE DEEP (Mobile)Infinite Dreams/Nokia -- Brandon Crick, Marketing Manager

PARTY ISLAND BOWLING (Mobile)Digital Chocolate -- David Fruin, Studio Director; Mike Saperstein, Director of Game Development; Paul Abbassi, CTO; Trip Hawkins, CEO

Best Sound in a Video Game Production

Mike Larson, Audio Director; Steve Jablonsky, Composer; Jamey Scott, Sound Designer; Joey Kuras, Sound DesignerGEARS OF WAR 2Epic Games, Microsoft

Brian Tuey, Lead Sound DesignCALL OF DUTY: WORLD AT WARTreyarch/Activision Publishing

Mark Lampert, Audio DirectorFALLOUT 3Bethesda Softworks

Russell Shaw, Composer; Kristofor Mellroth, Audio LeadFABLE IILionhead Studios/Microsoft Games

Best Art Direction

Chris Perna, Art DirectorGEARS OF WAR 2Epic Games/Microsoft

Istvan Pely, Lead ArtistFALLOUT 3Bethesda Softworks

Denis Dyack, President & Executive Producer; Carman Dix, Art DirectorTOO HUMANSilicon Knights/Microsoft Games Studio

John McCormack, Art Director; Mark Smart, Lead Environment Artist; Jon Eckersley, Lead Creature Artist; Adam Sibbick, Lead FX ArtistFABLE IILionhead Studios/Microsoft Games

Best Game Design

Cliff Bleszinski, Design Director; Rod Fergusson, Senior Producer; Lee Perry, Senior Gameplay Designer; Dave Nash, Lead Level DesignerGEARS OF WAR 2Epic Games/Microsoft

Todd Howard, Game Director; Emil Pagliarulo, Lead Designer & WriterFALLOUT 3Bethesda Softworks

Peter Molyneux, Lead Designer; Dene Carter, Creative Director; Iain Wright, Lead Level Designer; Mike West, Lead ScripterFABLE IILionhead Studios/Microsoft Games

Gabe NewellLEFT 4 DEADValve

Outstanding Technical Innovation

Tim Sweeney, Technology Director; Daniel Vogel, Engine Team Lead; Unreal Engine Technology TeamGEARS OF WAR 2Epic Games, Microsoft

Todd Howard, Game Director;Emil Pagliarulo, Lead Designer & Writer; Guy Carver, Technical DirectorFALLOUT 3Bethesda Softworks

Simon Carter, Load Game Architect and Technology Director; Guilloume Portes, Lead Tools & GUI Programmer; Jonathan Shaw, AI Director; Alex Dowdeswell, AI DirectorFABLE IILionhead Studios / Microsoft Games

Gabe NewellLEFT 4 DEADValve

Animation Nominees

Best Feature-Length Animated Production

Winner: WALL-EDisney/Pixar(Selected by children's votes)

Best Animated Television Production

TOOT & PUDDLEMercury Filmworks/National Geographic Kids Entertainment -- Clint Eland, Executive Producer; Tara Sorensen, Executive Producer; Marianne Culbert, Supervising Producer; Jerry Popowich, Creative Producer

ZEKE'S PADMy Pad Prod's/Avrill Stark Entertainment; Bardel Entertainment Inc./Flying Bark Productions -- Delna Bhesania, Producer; Liz Scully, Producer; Leonard Terhoch, Producer; Avrill Stark, Producer

WAPOS BAY: THE SERIESWapos Bay Studio National Film Board of Canada -- Dennis Jackson, Producer;Melanie Jackson, Producer; Anand Ramayya, Producer; Derek Mazur; Exc. Producer

DEX HAMILTON: ALIEN ENTOMOLOGISTMarch Entertainment/SLR Productions; Parthenon Kids -- Daniel Hawes, Executive Producer/Producer; Ryan Lussing, Creative Producer/Visual FX Supervisor

Best Animated Short Subject

WORLD OF WARCRAFT: WRATH OF THE LICH KING (intro cinematic)Blizzard Entertainment -- Jeff Chamberlain, Director; Phillip Hillenbrand, Producer

TURBO DOGSRacerDogs Productions Inc./Hultu Studios; CCI Releasing Inc. -- Kristine Klohk, Producer; Rodney MacDonald; Arnie Zipursky, Executive Producer; Christopher Waters

Best Director for an Animated Production

Christian LarocqueTOOT & PUDDLEMercury Filmworks/National Geographic Kids Entertainment

Dennis Jackson, Melanie Jackson and Cam LizotteWAPOS BAY: THE SERIESWapos Bay Studio National Film Board of Canada

Best Voice Over in an Animated Production (All genres)

Winner: Tom KennySPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTSNickelodeon

Best Character Animation

Winner: Graham MacDonald, Animation Director; Emma Gignac, Animation Director; Kim Buck, Animation Supervisor; Justin Sels, Animation SupervisorTOOT & PUDDLEMercury Filmworks/National Geographic Kids Entertainment

Best Art Direction

Teo Kiriakov, Art Direction; "Diamond" Dave Merritt, Art DirectionTOOT & PUDDLEMercury Filmworks / National Geographic Kids Entertainment

Zoe Evamy, Senior Art Director; Patricia Atchison, Art DirectorZEKE'S PADMy Pad Prod's/Avrill Stark Entertainment; Bardel Entertainment Inc./Flying Bark Productions

Visual Effects Nominees

Best Visual Effects in a Visual Effect Driven Feature Film

MAX PAYNESpin VFX/20th Century FoxJeff Campbell, VFX Supervisor; Eric Doiron, Compositing Supervisor; Mark Schreiber, Lead Animator; Tim Sibley, Lead FX TD

IRON MANThe Embassy VFX, Inc./Ironworks Prod's, Marvel Studios/Paramount PicturesThe Embassy: Winston Helgason, Visual Effects Supervisor; Charlie Bradbury, Visual Effects Producer; Stephen Pepper, Compositing Supervisor; Michael Blackbourn, CG Lead

Best Visual Effects in a Broadcast Series, Miniseries or MOW

SUPERNATURAL"It's the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester"Ivan Hayden, VFX Supervisor; Grant Lindsay, VFX Producer; Mark Meloche, Lead Artist; Colin Jenken, Lead 3D

TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLESBartleby Co. and The Halcyon Co. in assoc. with Warner Bros. TelevisionJim Lima, VFX Supervisor; Steve Galich, SFX Coordinator

ANNE OF GREEN GABLES: A NEW BEGINNINGPix Ray VFX/Sullivan EntertainmentAndrew Szerszen, VFX Supervisor; Guy Gatenby, Lead Matte-Painter; Michael MacInnis, Lead Composer

Best Visual Effects in an Independent/Short Film

Winner: ROCK GARDEN: A LOVE STORYPix Ray VFX/Gloryous Production, 2.8 PicturesAndrew Szerszen, VFX Supervisor; Guy Gatenby, Lead Matte-Painter; Michael MacInnis, Lead Composer

Best Visual Effects Shot

Winner: MAX PAYNESpin VFX/20th Century FoxJeff Campbell, VFX Supervisor; Eric Doiron, Compositing Supervisor; Mark Schreiber, Lead Animator; Tim Sibley, Lead FX TD

Best Digital Environment

MAX PAYNESpin VFX/20th Century FoxJeff Campbell, VFX Supervisor; Eric Doiron, Compositing Supervisor;Mark Schreiber, Lead Animator; Tim Sibley, Lead FX TD

ANNE OF GREEN GABLES: A NEW BEGINNINGPix Ray VFX/Sullivan EntertainmentAndrew Szerszen, VFX Supervisor; Guy Gatenby, Lead Matte-Painter; Michael MacInnis, Lead Composer

ROCK GARDEN: A LOVE STORYPix Ray VFX / Gloryous Production, 2.8 PicturesAndrew Szerszen, VFX Supervisor; Guy Gatenby, Lead Matte-Painter; Michael MacInnis, Lead Composer

Best Animated Character

Winner: THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIANMPC/Walt Disney and Walden MediaGreg Fisher, Animation Supervisor; Peta Bayley, Lead Animator; Julio del Rio Hernandez, Lead Animator; Tom Reed, Head of Rigging

Student Nominees

Best Student Video Game

ORIGAMEEBlue Skies/The University of Abertay, (Dundee, Scotland)Richard Barlow, Programmer & Team Lead; Alberto Fustinoni, Programmer; Aby Cox, 2D Artist; Kevin Dunlop, 3D Artist

THE BOOTY BANDIT MASTERS OF DIGITAL MEDIACentre for Digital Media, GNW, (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)Brian Ford, Christine Jung, David Marhal, Ken Pratt

DEGUIYU MASTERS OF DIGITAL MEDIACentre for Digital Media, GNW, (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)Bryant DJ Davey, Xbox Director; Su Yon Sohn, Web Presence Director; Liam Kelly, Support

NUMBER 6Six Studios/Universitat Pompeu Fabra-IDEC (Barcelona, Spain)Carles Salvany Pedro, Artist/Animator; Albert Aguilar, Programmer; Fernando Suarez Pena, Programmer; Rodrigo Santoro Rojas, Artist