The Toronto International Film Festival is hopefully clearing up the approaching film awards season. I’m at the festival right now, so stay up to speed on my thoughts as we continue to sort things out. This is usually the hour when some films fail, others stand out and awards watchers are charged with separating the hype from the reality.

As the madness continues around me, I thought I’d take a moment to step back from the festival and make mention of several candidates few seem to be considering this year – or at least not considering seriously. I strongly suspect a number of them could be major contenders in the technical races.

Here are ten:

(Editor’s Note: Gerard worked this list out prior to hitting up the Toronto International Film Festival. --Kris)

Best Art Direction

Rick Heinrichs, Cheryl Carasik – “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest”

Most people seem to be assuming that this film won’t score anywhere the first one failed, and that is not completely unreasonable. The vast majority of the talents on the sequel already had their chance for what was a superior effort the first time out. And history tells us that sequels have to be perceived as being “better” than their predecessors to garner further Oscar attention.

Rick Heinrichs, however, is a new addition to director Gore Verbinski’s crew this time out. Having won the Oscar for “Sleepy Hollow” in 1999 and having probably come close to a second for “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events” in 2004, his typically elaborate fantasy and period sets have certainly found their niche amongst the Academy before. Joining him is four-time nominee Cheryl Carasik (still awaiting her first win), responsible for the film’s set decoration. In what seems to be a relatively weak year for the art direction category, I do think this nomination is plausible.

Henry Bumstead, Richard C. Goddard – “Flags of Our Fathers”

After having amassed a repertoire of over one hundred films in his nearly 60-year career, Henry Bumstead sadly passed away this May at the age of 91. His contributions to cinema (which include “The Sting,” “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “Unforgiven”) were invaluable, and he will be terribly missed. But the revered production designer still has Clint Eastwood’s upcoming Iwo Jima efforts releasing as his ultimate swansong.

War films tend to be rather landscape-oriented, a factor that rarely lends itself to consideration of production design elements. “Flags of Our Fathers” and “Letters from Iwo Jima” (recently bumped into the 2006 schedule) will nevertheless be period in nature, which the branch assuredly appreciates. Thomas Sanders was nominated here after all for Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan” in 1998. Sentiment will undoubtedly factor in as well and deservedly so. Bumstead received his first nomination in this category 48 years ago for Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo.”

Best Cinematography

John Toll – “Seraphim Falls”

We’ve heard very little about David Von Ancken’s feature debut “Seraphim Falls.” This could very well be because the film is either a dud or not necessarily Oscar-bound. But the premise and story, set against the backdrop of the post-Civil War American West, suggests the opportunity to capture gorgeous landscapes on film. Stills would hint at this potential being realized by lenser John Toll.

Toll certainly knows how to step up to the plate in this regard, having won back-to-back Oscars for “Legends of the Fall” in 1994 and “Braveheart” in 1995. If the film is any good at all, Toll – also nominated for unforgettable work in “The Thin Red Line” – has the makings of a bona fide contender.

Best Costume Design

Joan Bergin – “The Prestige”

Since the trailer for this film was released in July, people have been chatting up its Oscar potential left and right. While I have my doubts about its possibilities in the major categories, I agree with those who suspect cinematographer Wally Pfister and production designer Nathan Crowley both have great shots at making strong Oscar runs. Yet perhaps because Joan Bergin (who is not even credited yet on IMDb) is inexperienced in the awards game, far less awards watchers seem to be talking of the film’s potential in Best Costume Design.

With some minor variation, the same names – Sharen Davis, Milena Canonero, Yvonne Blake, Ann Roth, and Jenny Beavan – seem to be the ones circulated as contenders this year in the costume design category. A newbie is very likely to sneak in there somewhere, and Bergin’s work in “The Prestige” looks no less impressive than that of Pfister and Crowley in their disciplines. Bergin got her start designing threads in a number of Jim Sheridan’s early films.

Anthony Powell – “Miss Potter”

“Miss Potter”’s release date may be too late for a true Oscar run, but such is the preference of The Weinstein Company, squeezing some nine titles into the last four months of the year. The film could also be forgettable, as it is difficult to tell if director Chris Noonan still has it in him after waiting eleven years to follow up his classic feature debut, “Babe.” One thing, however, that is not debatable is that Anthony Powell’s Oscar track record is nothing short of extraordinary.

To date, Powell has been nominated for six of the twenty films for which he was costume designer. He won the Oscar for three of them. He also found himself the sole nominee for three of these six endeavors, including such mediocre cinematic experiences as Roman Polanski’s “Pirates” in 1986 and Kevin Lima’s “102 Dalmations” in 2000. Advance stills of Powell’s work on “Miss Potter” suggest the work will be both elegant and appropriate to the period – and complete with fancy hats!

Best Film Editing

Jill Bilcock – “Catch a Fire”

In the eyes of many, Jill Bilcock was robbed of a win for Baz Luhrmann’s “Moulin Rouge!” in 2001. Also with Shekhar Kapur’s “Elizabeth” and Sam Mendes’s “Road to Perdition” on her resume, Bilcock’s colleagues may very well consider her due for a return to the shortlist.

Phillip Noyce’s “Catch a Fire” is still a fairly mysterious entity, but as a major awards horse for Focus Features, the film probably ought not to be dismissed by awards watchers. Considering the necessity of creating suspense while maintaining coherence, one of the first places one would expect a political thriller to score would have to be in Best Film Editing, so if the film is a hit, watch for recognition here.

Best Makeup

Trefor Proud for “Copying Beethoven”

With “Copying Beethoven” finally gaining domestic distribution some weeks back, a few Oscar predictors have been more seriously considering Ed Harris for a nomination in the Best Actor category for his take on the legendary composer. While I always have reservations about films that fail to attract distributors for more than a year after cameras stopped rolling, this character is undoubtedly “Oscar bait.” It could certainly push the respected veteran actor into contention.

However, Harris isn’t exactly a dead ringer for Ludwig von Beethoven. In addition to the necessity for that iconic hairstyle, which the actor has already said “was a nice change,” Oscar winner Trefor Proud (“Topsy-Turvy”) is charged with transporting an entire cast back in time two centuries to Germany in the early 1800s. With the fantasy of Stefen Fangmeier’s “Eragon” also in play under Proud’s skillful guidance, the Academy might see fit to reward the versatile makeup department head.

Kate Biscoe, Robert Fama, James Sarzotti – “Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus”

Makeup artist Kate Biscoe seemed a good bet for “Memoirs of a Geisha” last year until she strangely failed to make the bakeoff (she was nominated for a BAFTA). In addition to recapturing the famed photographic world of Diane Arbus in “Fur,” she and her team will be responsible for turning Robert Downey, Jr. into a believable circus freak as well.

In fact, talking of the craftsmen and women behind this Steven Shainberg biopic makes me want to cheat a little and squeeze in two other candidates from the film’s crew. It is true that the film could be too “weird” for the Academy, but costume designer Mark Bridges (discussed in August 17’s introductory column) and cinematographer Bill Pope (of the “Spider-Man” and “Matrix” franchises) have what are perhaps the best opportunities of their careers to date. And Pope has already offered unique, somewhat acclaimed golden-rod photography in Neil Burger’s “The Illusionist.” Ultimately, I feel that “Fur” has all the potential in the world to be recognized by the technical branches, regardless of a lack of representation elsewhere.

Best Music – Original Score

Danny Elfman – “Charlotte’s Web”

Some of my favorite film scores have sprung from the mind of long-time Tim Burton collaborator Danny Elfman. While 1989’s “Batman” and 1994’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” displayed his ability to convey “brooding” and “creepiness” respectively, 1990’s “Edward Scissorhands” and 2003’s “Big Fish” were demonstrative of his ability to compose lighter musical bliss. Next up is more fantasy and the first live action adaptation of E.B. White’s “Charlotte’s Web.”

With Dakota Fanning, a star-studded voice cast and a visual effects crew of over 200 people, the film could be a new benchmark for children’s entertainment or, at the very least, a modest hit. Elfman’s work has the potential to be elevating and magical. Though the music branch has been notoriously unwelcoming of the composer into the Oscar fold – snubbing him for his legendary work while acknowledging his less memorable efforts – it’s extremely likely he’ll be back again eventually as his is a singular talent.

John Tavener – “Children of Men”

Every so often, the music branch welcomes a new composer who has risen up through the world of classical music rather than through the world of film composition. Perhaps they consider such individuals less threatening to their insularity? Tan Dun (“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”) and John Corigliano (“Altered States,” “The Red Violin”) immediately jump to mind. While these occurrences are not exactly common, John Tavener is such an innovative and unique talent in composing classical, particularly ecclesiastical music that Queen Elizabeth II knighted him in 2000 for his services to the art form.

This year, filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón has appointed Tavener to score “Children of Men,” a film that might not sound Academy-friendly on account of its genre. But it certainly could be a ripe, if atypical, scoring opportunity. Universal’s recent decision to bump the release date to Christmas Day seems to indicate they have awards hopes in store. And at the end of the day, “A Little Princess,” “Y Tu Mamá También” and “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” all scored somewhat unexpected Oscar nods despite coming from genres not traditionally embraced by the Academy.

That wraps up this week’s installment of “Tech Support.” Next week, with the Toronto International Film Festival behind us, it would be a good idea to look back at what the festival has told us about this year’s technical races.