The Visual Effects Society (VES) has announced the nominations for its 2004 VES Awards.

VES membership viewing of the nominees and voting will take place on Feb. 7. Winners will be announced at the second annual VES Awards event on Feb.18 at the Hollywood Palladium. The evening will be highlighted by the presentation of the first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award to George Lucas. Making the presentation will be Academy Award-winning director James Cameron.

The nominees are:

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects-Driven Motion Picture

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING
Jim Rygiel, Dean Wright, Joe Letteri, Randall William Cook

THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS
John Gaeta, Kim Libreri, George Murphy, Craig Hayes

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL
John Knoll, Patrick Myers, Hal Hickel, Jill Brooks


Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Motion Picture

BAD BOYS 2
Carey Villegas. Rob Legato, David Taritero, Layne Friedman

MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
Stefen Fangmeier, Robert Stromberg, Nathan McGuinness, Brooke Breton

THE LAST SAMURAI
Jeffrey A. Okun, Thomas Boland, Bill Mesa, Ray McIntyre Jr.


Outstanding Visual Effects in a Television Miniseries, Movie or a Special


BATTLESTAR GALACTICA
Gary Hutzel, Kristen L. Branan, Emile E. Smith, Lee Stringer

DINOSAUR PLANET
Sebastien Dostie

FRANK HERBERT'S CHILDREN OF DUNE: NIGHT 1
Ernest Farino, Tim McHugh, Chris Q. Zapara, Glenn A. Campbell

HELEN OF TROY
Sam Nicholson, Adam Ealovega, Joshua Hatton, Tim Donahue


Outstanding Visual Effects in a Television Series

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, Season 7, Episode #22
Loni Peristere, Patti Gannon, Ronald Thornton, Chris Zapara

CARNIVALE, Episode #1.01
David T. Altenau, Ariel V. Shaw, Thomas L. Bellissimo, Barbara J. Marshall

ER #176008
Sam Nicholson, Kyle J. Healey, Eric Grenaudier, Anthony Ocampo

SEA MONSTERS "A Walking with Dinosaurs Special"
Max Tyrie, Tim Greenwood, Darren Byford, Mike Milne


Outstanding Visual Effects in a Commercial

Johnnie Walker FISH
Murray Butler, William Bartlett, Jake Mengers, Helen Mackenzie

Nike GAMEBREAKER
Eric Barba, Richard Morton, Walt Hyneman, Dave Stern

Nike SPEED CHAIN
Eric Barba, Greg Teegarden, Dave Stern, Jay Barton


Outstanding Visual Effects in a Music Video

Outkast HEY YA
Elad Offer

PASS THAT DUTCH
Jonathan Keeton, Aladino Debert, Andy McKenna, Scott Rader


Best Single Visual Effect of the Year in any Medium

THE HULK
Dennis Muren, Scott Benza, Michael DiComo, Wilson Tang

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING
Jim Rygiel, Dean Wright, Joe Letteri, Randall William Cook

THE MATRIX RELOADED "Trailer Top Crash"
John Gaeta, Dan Glass, Adrian de Wett, Greg Juby


Outstanding Character Animation in a Live Action Motion Picture

THE HULK
Scott Benza, Jamy Wheless, Kevin Martel, Aaron Ferguson

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING
Steven Hornby, Andy Serkis, Matthias Menz, Greg Butler

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL
Susan Campbell, James Tooley, Geoff Campbell, Dugan Beach


Outstanding Character Animation in an Animated Motion Picture