For years now, the Academy Award for Best Sound Editing has been given out from among three nominees, with those three nominees having been chosen by a committee from seven finalists. This year will mark a departure in this regard, as the category abandons the bakeoff stage in the nominations process and also expands to five nominees.

Sound editing (previously called by the more explanatory name sound effects editing) refers to the integration of artificially created sound effects – the “clinks,” “clanks” and “zaps” (to put it crudely) – into the film’s broader soundtrack. What films typically show up here? Lots of action movies, for starters, with a good number of science fiction, war and animated movies as well. These genres particularly necessitate artificial sounds being seamlessly immersed into a film. In fact, I’m willing to say those genres account for almost all of the nominees. Then again, “Memoirs of a Geisha” was nominated here last year. I’m willing to consider that a rather strange fluke nomination for the beloved Wylie Stateman.

It’ll be interesting to see how the race changes now that the nominations process – and number of nominees – has changed. It’s going to make the process of predicting a lot more difficult.

“Flags of Our Fathers” is a showcase for sound effects, mostly for the chaotic sounds of rifles and tanks during the battle of Iwo Jima. Sound editors Bub Asman and Robert Alan Murray have worked with Clint Eastwood since 1990’s “The Rookie” in Asman’s case and 1980’s “Bronco Billy” in the case of Murray. They were last nominated in this category for Eastwood’s “Space Cowboys” in 2000, which was Asman’s second nod and Murray’s fourth. I suspect we may very well see them collecting their first statuettes this year.

Pixar’s “Cars” has all the makings of a nominee as well, seeing as all the sounds in this very noisy film had to be created. And on top of this, the movie is about racecars…come on! They will probably eat this up with a spoon, especially as sound editor Michael Silvers has been nominated in this category for the last three Pixar efforts, winning for “The Incredibles” in 2004.

As mentioned above, Wylie Stateman managed a nod (the third of his career) last year for “Memoirs of a Geisha,” the sort of film that usually comes nowhere near a nomination in this category. This year, he’s handling the work on “World Trade Center” with longtime industry staple Michael D. Wilhoit. The film was heavily reliant on sound effects in the collapse of the title object and, even more memorably, in the sounds that disrupted the eerie quiet of Michael Peña and Nicolas Cage trapped in the rubble.

“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” was considered an artistic disappointment in the eyes of many. Yet supervising sound editors George Waters II and Christopher Boyes have accumulated 15 nominations and 6 wins between them to date. And one could hardly call their work on this film – by far the year’s highest grosser – shabby. They seem likely to follow the initial installment into the Best Sound Editing competition.

“Superman Returns” was another film for which sound effects were critical to the film’s success. The film fits the mould of a nominee in this category like a glove. But it remains a major money loser (never a good sign in any category), and Craig Berkley is an Oscar virgin, so I could really see this one going either way.

Other summer blockbusters may have the necessary quality of work but they seem to have many factors working against them as far as I’m concerned. “Poseidon?” The film tanked with both the critics and at the box office. “Miami Vice?” Another across-the-board disappointment. “X-Men: The Last Stand?” I can’t see it scoring where the first two missed when they were such better films. Ditto for “Mission: Impossible III” (it’s actually better than #2 in the series, but that was before Tom Cruise became the butt of jokes.)

And speaking of celebrities who have become the butt of jokes, Mel Gibson’s drunken rants have probably damaged “Apocalypto”’s chances everywhere. Though I still suspect that the film will exhibit impressive sound design, so we’ll see how that pans out.

When I think of Martin Scorsese’s “The Departed,” the sound effects are not what readily comes to mind. But when one considers the film’s action scenes, they certainly rush back to memory. Eugene Gearty and Philip Stockton have been on the brink in this category for some time (they probably just missed for “The Aviator”), so while I would not bet on a nod personally, I’d consider it a genuine possibility.

“The Prestige” sports sound effects courtesy of Richard King, who won this award in 2003 for “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World” and was nominated again last year for “War of the Worlds.” But the sound work on Christopher Nolan’s effort was hardly the film’s most memorable technical accomplishment, nor up to the caliber of work for which King has twice been previously nominated. He still somehow strikes me as a dark horse possibility, though.

Serious minded December fare such as “The Good German,” “Children of Men” and “Blood Diamond” may be reliant on sound effects editing to capture the feel of their very different settings in place and time. But they don’t really strike me as fitting the mould of a typical nominee as such. We’ll know better when we see them (or should I say hear them?) I suppose.

Then there are the other animated films. “Happy Feet” and “Over the Hedge” don’t immediately seem to be the sort of animated films that get nominated. But “Monster House” is sorely deserving of a nomination for the work of Dennis Leonard (Oscar-nominated for “The Polar Express”). The film didn’t inspire a whole lot of love, however, even if it got generally favorable reviews. Leonard also has “Eragon” coming our way in December.

Lastly we come to our so-called Best Picture frontrunner, “Dreamgirls.” Musicals really are not a showcase for sound effects – not a lot of artificial creation in the mix. Then again, “Ray” and “Walk the Line” made the bakeoff phase in each of the last two years, which struck me as odd. So if this film becomes an across-the-board sweeper…let’s just say a nod wouldn’t shock me to death.

Well there’s another category behind us! Next week, we take a look and Costume Design.