Visual Effects Society announces new categories for 25th Annual VES Awards

The Visual Effects Society (VES) has announced significant category changes and scheduling details for its 25th Annual VES Awards. The ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, February 17, 2027, at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, with nominations being revealed on January 19.

To reflect the evolving media landscape, the organization is introducing a new Outstanding Visual Effects in a Short Project category. This award will recognize photoreal and animated works up to 45 minutes in length, including music videos, documentary shorts, and content created natively for social media.

Further updates include splitting the Outstanding CG Cinematography category into two distinct awards: one for photoreal projects and one for animated projects. This change aims to ensure that technical teams, such as lighting and layout, are judged against comparable work. Additionally, category titles are shifting from Animated Feature to Animated Project to allow animated series to compete alongside films. The Simulation categories have also been renamed to Procedural Effects to encompass a broader range of system-driven processes.