The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences first recognized the technical contributions of special effects to movies at its inaugural dinner in 1929, presenting a plaque for "Best Engineering Effects" to the first Best Picture Oscar winner, the
World War I flying drama
Wings. Producer
David O. Selznick, then production head at
RKO Studios, petitioned the Academy Board of Governors to recognize the work of animator
Willis O'Brien for his groundbreaking work on 1933's
King Kong. However, the Academy did not have a category to acknowledge its visual achievements at the time. It was not until 1938 when a film was actually recognized for its effects work, when a "
Special Achievement Award for Special Effects" was given to the Paramount film
Spawn of the North. The following year, "
Best Special Effects" became a recognized category, although on occasion the Academy has chosen to honor a single film outright rather than nominate two or more films. From 1939 to 1963, it was an award for a film's visual effects as well as audio effects, so it was often given to two persons, although some years only one or the other type of effect was recognized. For the
22nd Academy Awards, RKO was nominated for the work done on
Mighty Joe Young (1949), and when they won, it was
Willis H. O'Brien who went on stage to accept the statue. In 1964, it was given only for visual effects, and the following year the name of the category was changed to "
Best Special Visual Effects". Honorees for this award have been bestowed several times as a
Special Achievement Academy Award. In 1977, the category was given its current name "
Best Visual Effects." For decades, shortlisted finalists were selected by a steering committee. They are presently chosen by the visual effects branch executive committee. 1990 was the last year there were no official nominees.
Back to the Future Part III,
Dick Tracy,
Ghost and
Total Recall advanced to a second stage of voting, but only
Total Recall received a requisite average and it was given a special achievement Oscar. There have been three wholly animated films nominated in this category:
The Nightmare Before Christmas in 1993,
Kubo and the Two Strings in 2016, and
The Lion King in 2019. There have been three semi-animated films nominated, which also won:
Mary Poppins in 1964,
Bedknobs and Broomsticks in 1971, and
Who Framed Roger Rabbit in 1988. In
2024,
Godzilla Minus One became the first non-English-language film ever to win in the category. ==Rules==