TECH SUPPORT: Best Art Direction — Volume One

The Academy Award for Best Art Direction is somewhat of an odd category in that the art director does not actually receive a nomination or statuette.  Rather, the award is given to two individuals with unique roles in the crafting of a film’s sets.  The production designer heads up the entire art department, specifically in charge of set creation and design. The award also recognizes the set decorator, responsible for filling in the sets with details and dressing to bring them to life.

Much like he costume designers, this branch tends to favor period and fantasy work, surely because such sets naturally draw attention to themselves.  It does tend, however, to be more kind to fantasy than the branch’s costume designing colleagues. It also usually prefers grandiose work and large-scale set pieces.

Just as I believe is the case in Best Costume Design, Catherine Martin might be leading the way for “Australia” here this year. Martin, who won this category for “Moulin Rouge!” in 2001 and was also nominated for “William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet” five years earlier, will have the opportunity to create the interiors – and exteriors – of a rugged Australian outback filled with hubby Baz Lurhmann’s distinct vision.

Donald Graham Burt has fashioned numerous contemporary films, or films set in the relatively recent past, in his career to date. With “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” he has the opportunity to visually wow us through eight decades of 20th century. The film, at the least, should be visually spectacular so I suspect Burt is looking extremely good for a nomination.

Kristi Zea has had a prolific 20-year career as a production designer. And yet she has one Oscar nomination to her credit – for producing “As Good As It Gets” – the only film she has ever been credited on as a producer! With Sam Mendes’a “Revolutionary Road,” Zea might finally break through among her fellow production designers by capturing 1950s America. That said, the film does not strike me as the sort where the sets will necessarily be “showy” per se, but the branch may be drawn to period detail.

Brigitte Broch has two nominations to her credit for working with Catherine Martin as the set decorator on the two aforementioned Baz Lurhmann films. A winner for “Moulin Rouge!,” she is still seeking her first nomination as a production designer. With “The Reader,” she will be charged with designing decades in the lives of Ralph Fiennes and Kate Winslet. The film is still surrounded by questions and suspicion after weeks of behind-the-scenes in-fighting.  I cannot say I know how that might affect the film’s Academy reception, though I suspect the crafts artists might be able to see the work for what it is, as always.

James Murakami, a 30-year veteran of art departments, only became a production designer for the first time two years ago with “Letters for Iwo Jima.” Working again this year with Clint Eastwood on “Changeling,” Murakami has the responsibility of designing the Los Angeles of the 1920s. An Eastwood period endeavor has to be considered in this category. Though I must concede the American reception so far appears to be lukewarm.

Dan Weil has been working as a production designer for over 20 years. While the closest he likely came to an Oscar nomination was not really that close at all (1997’s “The Fifth Element”), he has nevertheless worked on many high profile films such as “Blood Diamond,” “Syriana” and “The Bourne Identity,” twice being rewarded with guild nominations in the contemporary category. With “Defiance,” he will be designing the makeshift quarters of Jewish refugees in 1940s Belarus. While the film will be heavily reliant on exteriors, its period status and potential to be an Oscar hit makes me think it will be in the running in this category.

I was personally quite surprised when Guy Dyas failed to make the cut last year for “Elizabeth: The Golden Age.” He’ll be back in the running this year, however, with “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” If the Academy is feeling fantastical, and can forgive the substantial use of CGI to create and enhance the sets, Dyas has a fantastic chance of getting his first trip to the Kodak.

Michael Carlin’s work on “The Duchess” was absolutely stunning and the sort which this category usually embraces. Paramount Vantage will also be sure it is prominently displayed during the awards season. While Carlin has yet to score awards traction in his film career to date, I can easily see him overcoming that if voters see – and hopefully at least somewhat like – the movie.

Michael Corenblith has twice before been nominated for Ron Howard films: “Dr. Suess’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and “Apollo 13.” On “Frost/Nixon,” he and set decorator Susan Benjamin will capture the lavish interiors of the 1970s. While this may not be the sort of work that frequents this category, it may be the sort of detailed work not dissimilar from Arthur Max’s efforts on last year’s “American Gangster,” which the branch clearly appreciated. I would say a nomination is possible.

If we’re thinking of the 1970s, I would also say it’s important to keep our eyes on Bill Groom’s designs in “Milk.” The San Francisco of the day was a hotbed of the avant garde, a group with whom Harvey Milk proudly associated. I’m very curious about the design aspects of the film.

Mark Friedberg is known for his elaborate and/or quirky designs seen on films such as “Far From Heaven” and “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.” He is once again supplying us with work of that ilk this year on Charlie Kaufman’s “Synecdoche, New York.” While I’m skeptical of his chances of actually scoring a nomination for this unusual work, I would nonetheless expect a guild citation and yet another feather in his cap towards an inevitable eventual tip of the hat from the Academy.

“The Fall” was a fascinating film where the production designer’s vision truly was apparent in every scene. (I foolishly failed to mention Eiko Ishioka two weeks ago under Best Costume Design.) Ged Clarke’s fantastical vision was front-and-center and I’d have a hard time believing it would fail to garner any traction this awards season if – and this remains a big if – voters see it.

As I mentioned last week while discussing Best Visual Effects, Guillermo Del Toro is a visual mastermind. The Academy clearly appreciated this two years ago with “Pan’s Labyrinth.” In “Hellboy II: The Golden Army,” his unique vision was once again apparent. The production design of Stephen Scott strikes me as a surefire nominee for a fantasy guild citation, and in a weak year, could even cross over to Oscar. Though to be frank, I doubt this film will garner much traction when its predecessor had such a difficult time doing the same.

I’ll end by discussing Nathan Crowley. Christopher Nolan’s production designer of choice was probably on the cusp of a nomination for “Batman Begins” in 2005.  He was justly rewarded the following year with a citation for “The Prestige,” however.  I am quite torn as to whether or not he will be able to get back into the race this year with “The Dark Knight.” On the one hand, “Batman Begins” was, frankly, the film with the sorts of sets more likely to score here. At the same time, I continue to believe that Nolan’s freaky and creepy Gotham could end up with many nominations come January, especially as Fall contenders continue to disappoint. We’ll keep our eyes on this one.  The film is dominated by locales after all.

We’ve now covered more than half of the ten “crafts” category. Hard to believe, eh?