TheOneRing.net's Oscar Cheat Sheet
Calisuri @ 10:20 pm EST

In preparation for the March 24th broadcast of the Academy Awards, here is a brief overview written by Ringer staffers Tookish, Gamgee and Leo.

2002 Oscar Categories and Nominees from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Best Picture
Peter Jackson, Barrie Osborne, and Fran Walsh

Peter Jackson’s start in feature film directing began in the 1980’s with his very own handcrafted gorefest spoof, Bad Taste. A native of New Zealand, Jackson now stands tall in the Kiwi film industry with his own companies Three Foot Six and Wingnut Studios. Jackson is the first director in movie history to envision and bring to life a three- film shoot. Jackson’s first Academy Award nomination came for Heavenly Creatures.

Barrie Osborne is a film industry veteran and hails from New York City. Producer of films such as The Matrix, Obsorne’s early industry training featured mentors the likes of Sydney Pollack and Francis Ford Coppola. This is Osborne’s first trip to the Academy Awards as a nominee.

Fran Walsh has been writing film screenplays for decades. Long time companion and colleague of Peter Jackson, Walsh’s credits include Forgotten Silver, The Frighteners, Meet the Feebles, and Braindead. Walsh was previously nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Original Screenplay category for Heavenly Creatures.

Best Director
Peter Jackson

Peter Jackson’s start in feature film directing began in the 1980’s with his very own handcrafted gorefest spoof, Bad Taste. A native of New Zealand, Jackson now stands tall in the Kiwi film industry with his own companies Three Foot Six and Wingnut Studios. Jackson is the first director in movie history to envision and bring to life a three-film shoot. Jackson’s first Academy Award nomination came for Heavenly Creatures.

Best Adapted Screenplay
Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson, and Fran Walsh

Philippa Boyens has worn many hats in the performing arts industry, including teaching, writing, producing and editing. A Tolkien fan since childhood, Boyens first feature film screenplay is The Lord of the Rings. This is Boyen’s first Academy Award nomination.

Peter Jackson’s start in feature film directing began in the 1980’s with his very own handcrafted gorefest spoof, Bad Taste. A native of New Zealand, Jackson now stands tall in the Kiwi film industry with his own companies Three Foot Six and Wingnut Studios. Jackson is the first director in movie history to envision and bring to life a three-film shoot. Jackson’s first Academy Award nomination came for Heavenly Creatures.

Fran Walsh has been writing film screenplays for decades. Long time companion and colleague of Peter Jackson, Walsh’s credits include Forgotten Silver, The Frighteners, Meet the Feebles, and Braindead. Walsh was previously nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Original Screenplay category for Heavenly Creatures.

Best Supporting Actor
Ian McKellen as Gandalf

Actor par excellence on stage and in feature films, Sir Ian McKellen has graced the acting world with his talents for four decades. This is McKellen’s second Academy Award nomination; his first was for Best Actor in Gods and Monsters.

Film Editing
John Gilbert

Having worked postproduction on more that 20 films, Gilbert teamed up previously with director Peter Jackson on The Frighteners. Although a previous winner of accolades such as Best Editor Award for Via Satellite from the New Zealand Film and Television Awards, this is Gilbert’s first Academy Award nomination.

Sound
Christopher Boyes, Gethin Creagh, Hammond Peak, and Michael Semanick

Putting the sound together for Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was an epic adventure in itself. Most dialogue and sound shot on location was unusable and had to be redone. This is the first Academy Award nomination for Semanick, Creach, and Peek, but the third for Boyes, who came away an Oscar winner for Sound Effects Editor on Titanic.

Original Song
"May It Be" Music and Lyrics by Enya, Nicky Ryan, and Roma Ryan

Recording artist Enya holds feature film credits as actress and composer since the 1980’s. A native of Ireland, her work on Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings has garnered her first Academy Award nomination. This is also the first Academy Award nomination for Nicky Ryan and Roma Ryan.

Original Score
Howard Shore

Howard Shore is no newcomer to the movie music business. Having scored numerous films over the past two decades, Shore was also the first musical director of Saturday Night Live. His work for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring has garnered Shore’s first Academy Award nomination.

Art Direction
Dan Hennah (Set Decoration) and Grant Major (Art Direction)

Dan Hennah also hails from New Zealand. His art direction and design work have been seen in multiple films and television shows. Hennah teamed up previously with Peter Jackson on The Frighteners, and this is his first Academy Awards nomination.

A New Zealand native, Grant Major is a decorated veteran of film design. Awarded the New Zealand Film and Television’s Best Design title for Heavenly Creatures and The Ugly, this is Major’s first nomination from the Academy Awards.
Cinematography
Andrew Lesnie

Andrew Lesnie has been wining high profile awards for his film work cinematography since 1995. Declared Australia’s Cinematographer of the Year twice running, this is Lesnie’s first Academy Award nomination.

Costume Design
Ngila Dickson and Richard Taylor

Nglia Dickson is a New Zealand native who began reaping high profile awards for her costume design work in 1997. Having worked with Peter Jackson on Heavenly Creatures, this is Dickson’s first Academy Award nomination.

Richard Taylor is the co-director of Weta Workshop, the New Zealand special effects company. Although this is his first Academy Award nomination, Taylor is nominated for Oscars in two other categories, and has recently added to his trophy shelf two BAFTAs, two Golden Satellites, the Sierra Award, and others.
Visual Effects
Jim Rygiel, Randall William Cook, Richard Taylor and Mark Stetson

Richard Taylor is the co-director of Weta Workshop, the New Zealand special effects company. Although this is his first Academy Award nomination, Taylor is nominated for Oscars in two other categories, and has recently added to his trophy shelf two BAFTAs, two Golden Satellites, the Sierra Award, and others.

Jim Rygiel’s background includes television, advertising, and film, brining computer animation to the forefront of visual effects. Guru Rygiel has been bestowed numerous awards for his work and this is his first Academy Award nomination.

Randall William Cook’s experience in feature films extends back to 1977. Cook has earned two awards for his work in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, a BAFTA and a Golden Satellite Award, in addition to this first nomination for an Oscar from the Academy Awards.

Mark Stetson is no stranger to the special effects movie business. A BAFTA Film Award winner for Special Effects for The Fifth Element, Stetson was also an Oscar contender in the mid-1980’s for his work on 2010. This year marks his second nomination by the Academy Awards for Visual Effects.

Makeup
Richard Taylor, Peter Owens

Richard Taylor is the co-director of Weta Workshop, the New Zealand special effects company. Although this is his first Academy Award nomination, Taylor is nominated for Oscars in two other categories, and has recently added to his trophy shelf two BAFTAs, two Golden Satellites, the Sierra Award, and others.

Peter Owens’ background in makeup and the performing arts spans opera, theater, television, and film. With multiple feature film credits and a list of celebrity clientele, Owens is an industry giant. Previous winner of numerous awards, this is Owens' first time as an Academy Award nominee.