The Visual Effects Society (VES) has named visual effects supervisor Sheena Duggal as the forthcoming recipient of the VES Award for Creative Excellence in recognition of her valuable contributions to filmed entertainment. The award will be presented at the 18th Annual VES Awards on January 29 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
The award, bestowed by the VES board of directors, recognises individuals who have made significant and lasting contributions to the art and science of the visual effects industry by uniquely and consistently creating compelling and creative imagery in service to story. The VES will honor Duggal for breaking new ground in compelling storytelling through the use of stunning visual effects. Duggal has been at the forefront of embracing emerging technology to enhance the movie-going experience, and her creative vision and inventive techniques have paved the way for future generations of filmmakers.
Duggal is an acclaimed visual effects supervisor and artist whose work has shaped numerous studio tentpole and Academy Award-nominated productions. She is known for her design skills, creative direction and visual effects work on blockbuster films such as Venom, The Hunger Games, Mission Impossible, Men in Black II, Spider-Man 3 and Contact. She has worked extensively with Marvel Studios as VFX Supervisor on projects including Doctor Strange, Thor: The Dark World, Iron Man 3, Marvel One-Shot: Agent Carter and for Marvel’s TV series Agent Carter.
Her pioneering inspiration and hands-on production experience also deeply contributed to the Sci-Tech Academy Awards won for visual effects and compositing software Flame and Inferno. She continues to work with innovative industry leaders and has been consulting with Codex since 2012, and now Pix + Codex, providing guidance on various new technologies they are developing for the VFX community. Duggal is currently VFX supervisor for Venom 2 and recently completed design and prep for Ghostbusters 3.
“Sheena Duggal’s work epitomises an artist who has made an indelible and lasting contribution to the industry. She capitalizes on her unique blend of conceptual, creative and technological prowess to create explosive visual effects. And that unique ability has brought us some of the most memorable films of our time. For Sheena’s outstanding mastery of her craft, we are proud to honor her with the prestigious VES Award for Creative Excellence,” said VES chair Mike Chambers.
In 2007 Duggal made her debut as a director on an award-winning short film to showcase the Chicago Spire, simultaneously designing all of the visual effects. Her career in movies began when Roland Joffe’s and Jake Ebert’s Lightmotive Fatman brought her to Los Angeles as a flame artist on Super Mario Bros. She had previously been based in London, where she created high-resolution digital composites for Europe’s top advertising and design agencies. Her work included album covers for Elton John and Traveling Wilburys.
Duggal is also a published photographer, and traveled to Zimbabwe and Malawi on her last assignment on behalf of UK water charity Pump Aid, where she was photo-documenting how access to clean water has transformed the lives of thousands of people in rural areas.
Duggal is a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences and serves on the executive committee for the VFX branch.
As previously announced, Martin Scorsese, Academy, DGA and Emmy Award winning director-producer-screenwriter, is the forthcoming recipient of the VES Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his valuable contributions to filmed entertainment. Additional honorees will be announced.