Behind-the-scenes superstars get their moment in the spotlight at 2018 Leo Awards
The Leo Awards kicked off their 20th birthday celebrations on Saturday night with Celebration Awards One, the first of three annual awards ceremonies that recognize excellence in the homegrown screen scene.
Hosts Kalyn Miles and Lucie Guest presided over the evening, which showcased behind-the-scenes superstars – including make-up artists, costume and production designers, composers, and visual effects teams – who normally eschew the spotlight. (Peruse the full results below).
The big winner of the night was Dead Shack. Peter Ricq’s horror film took home three awards in the Motion Picture category, including Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, and Best Make-Up.
Multiple productions received two awards apiece, among them: Ghost Wars (Best Sound and Best Costume Design); the short film, Mental (Best Sound and Best Production Design); Marie Clements’ inventive musical documentary The Road Forward (Best Cinematography and Best Picture Editing); and Indian Horse (Best Sound and Best Visual Effects).
The mood of the evening was generally light, although there were profound moments within the short speeches: Eli Bennett (who won Best Musical Score in a Feature-Length Documentary for Believe: The True Story of Real Bearded Santas) noted that his father Daryl – who was also nominated in the same category – won the very first Leo Awards for Best Musical Score in a Feature-Length Documentary back at the inaugural Leos in 1999.
Eli Bennett accepts his Leo Award for Best Musical Score in a Feature-Length Documentary for Believe: The True Story of Real Bearded Santas.
Lisa Jane Robison dedicated her Leo Awards for Best Picture Editing in a Youth or Children’s Program or Series for Cop and a Half to Clay Virtue, the Vancouver-based stunt artist who died in October 2017.
And Cheryl Marion – who won the Leo Award for Best Production Design in a Television Movie for Story of a Girl – noted that it’s still rare for her to meet other female production designers, and she encouraged producers and directors to “take a chance and even the playing field.”
MOTION PICTURE
VISUAL EFFECTS
Chris Van Dyck, Erik T. Jensen, Michelle Kee, Mike Accettura, Lauren Aspden
Indian Horse
SOUND
Bill Sheppard, Dean Giammarco, Gordon Sproule, Gord Hillier, Pat Haskill, Maureen Murphy
Indian Horse
PRODUCTION DESIGN
Heather Lidberg
Dead Shack
COSTUME DESIGN
Sekyiwa Wi-afedzi
Dead Shack
MAKE-UP
Meredith Lacosse
Dead Shack
TELEVISION MOVIE
PRODUCTION DESIGN
Cheryl Marion
Story of a Girl
COSTUME DESIGN
Rafaella Rabinovich
Final Vision
SHORT DRAMA
SOUND
John Sawa
Mental
PRODUCTION DESIGN
Jamie Chrest
Mental
COSTUME DESIGN
Hayden Kruger
The Undertakers Son
MAKE-UP
Brendan Mainusch, Jess Hawkins
Woodman
DRAMATIC SERIES
VISUAL EFFECTS
Armen V. Kevorkian, Marc Lougee, James Baldanzi, Andranik Taranyan, Shirak Agresta
The Flash - I Know Who You Are
SOUND
Kirby Jinnah, Konrad Czaplak, Mark Schroeder
Ghost Wars - The Curse of Copperhead Road
PRODUCTION DESIGN
Tony Wohlgemuth
Riverdale - A Kiss Before Dying
COSTUME DESIGN
Candace Cruikshank
Ghost Wars - Whatever Happened to Maggie Rennie
FEATURE LENGTH DOCUMENTARY
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Mike McKinlay
The Road Forward
PICTURE EDITING
Jenn Strom
The Road Forward
SOUND
Keith White, Ryan Pater
Blood Road
MUSICAL SCORE
Eli Bennett
Believe: The True Story of Real Bearded Santas
SHORT DOCUMENTARY PROGRAM
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Athan Merrick
Numinous
PICTURE EDITING
Scott Belyea
A Theatre Near You - A Powell River Story
SOUND
Ewan Deane
The Secret Life Of Owls
MUSICAL SCORE
David F. Ramos
In Three Years
DOCUMENTARY SERIES
CINEMATOGRAPHY
François-Xavier De Ruydts, Jean-Philippe Marquis
Uncharted Canada - The Molecule Of Life
PICTURE EDITING
Tim Wanlin, Robert Landy
Heavy Rescue: 401 - Skyway Thru Hell
SOUND
Chris McIntosh, Brayden McCluskey, Aaron Tchir
Highway Thru Hell - Trapped
MUSICAL SCORE
Russell Wallace
1491: The Untold Story of the Americas Before Columbus - Architecture
INFORMATION, LIFESTYLE OR REALITY
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Greg Bartels
Hand Crafted - The Neon Bender
PICTURE EDITING
Meagan Oravec
First Dates - Double Trouble
SOUND
Keith White, Ryan Pater
Deathgrip - Deathgrip
MUSIC, COMEDY OR VARIETY
PICTURE EDITING
Richard Schwadel
Hit The Road – Rehab
SOUND
Greg Stewart, Angelo Nicoloyannis, Jeff Jackman, Stephen Cheung, Rick Senechal, Don Harrison, Ian Mackie, Tad Nazar
Bigger Fatter Liar
ANIMATION
SOUND
Greg Waddell
Scratchy
MUSICAL SCORE
Marc Junker, David Parfit
S.O.S.
YOUTH OR CHILDREN'S
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Sean Cox, Collin Morrison
Scout & The Gumboot Kids - The Case Of The Shrinking Friend
PICTURE EDITING
Lisa Jane Robison
Cop and a Half
SOUND
Rylan Kerbes
Rufus 2
PRODUCTION DESIGN
Chris August, Brenton Harron
Escape From Mr. Lemoncellos Library
The Leo Awards recognize on-screen and behind-the-camera excellence in the British Columbia film and television sphere and are handed out over several splashy ceremonies each May and June. The Leos resume next Saturday with Celebration Awards Two, hosted by Peter Kelamis; the Red Carpet Gala takes place on Sunday, June 3, and will be hosted by Brent Butt and Nancy Roberston.
The Leo Awards aren’t broadcast but YVR Screen Scene will be present for all of it. Follow @sabrinarmf and @YVRScreenScene and check this site for next-day results.
