The BAFTA Award for Best Special Visual Effects is a film award presented by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) at the annual British Academy Film Awards. This award recognises achievement in the crafts of special effects and visual effects.
In the following lists, the titles and names in bold with a gold background are the winners and recipients respectively; those not in bold are the nominees. The years given are those in which the films under consideration were released, not the year of the ceremony, which always takes place the following year.
Winners and nominees
1980s Year Film Recipient(s) Poltergeist Richard Edlund Blade Runner Douglas Trumbull, Richard Yuricich and David Dryer E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Dennis Muren and Carlo Rambaldi Tron Richard Taylor and Harrison Ellenshaw Return of the Jedi Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren, Ken Ralston and Kit West The Dark Crystal Roy Field, Brian Smithies and Ian Wingrove WarGames Michael L. Fink, Joe Digaetano, Jack Cooperman, Don Hansard, Colin Cantwell and William A. Fraker Zelig Gordon Willis Joel Hynek, Stuart Robertson and Richard Greenberg Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Dennis Muren, George Gibbs, Michael J. McAlister and Lorne Peterson The Company of Wolves Christopher Tucker and Alan Whibley Ghostbusters Richard Edlund The Killing Fields Fred Cramer Brazil George Gibbs and Richard Conway Back to the Future Kevin Pike and Ken Ralston Legend Nick Allder and Peter Voysey The Purple Rose of Cairo Greenberg Associates Aliens Robert Skotak, Brian Johnson, Suzanne M. Benson, John Richardson and Stan WinstonThe Mission Peter Hutchinson Dreamchild Duncan Kenworthy, John Stephenson and Chris Carr Labyrinth Roy Field, Brian Froud, George Gibbs and Tony Dunsterville The Witches of Eastwick Michael Lantieri, Michael Owens, Ed Jones and Bruce Walters The Fly Chris Walas, Jon Berg, Louis Craig and Hoyt Yeatman Full Metal Jacket John Evans Little Shop of Horrors Bran Ferren, Martin Gutteridge, Lyle Conway and Richard Conway Who Framed Roger Rabbit George Gibbs, Richard Williams, Ken Ralston and Ed Jones Beetlejuice Peter Kuran, Alan Munro, Robert Short and Ted Rae The Last Emperor Giannetto De Rossi and Fabrizio Martinelli RoboCop Rob Bottin, Phil Tippett, Peter Kuran and Rocco Gioffre Back to the Future Part II Ken Ralston, Michael Lantieri, John Bell and Steve Gawley The Adventures of Baron Munchausen Kent Houston and Richard Conway Batman Derek Meddings and John Evans Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade George Gibbs, Michael J. McAlister, Mark Sullivan and John Ellis
1990s Year Film Recipient(s) Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Production Team Dick Tracy Production Team Ghost Total Recall Terminator 2: Judgment Day Stan Winston, Dennis Muren, Gene Warren Jr. and Robert Skotak Backdraft Allen Hall, Scott Farrar, Clay Pinney and Mikael Salomon Edward Scissorhands Stan Winston Prospero's Books Frans Wamelink, Eve Ramboz and Masao Yamaguchi Death Becomes Her Michael Lantieri, Ken Ralston, Alec Gillis, Tom Woodruff Jr., Doug Chiang and Douglas Smythe Alien 3 Richard Edlund, George Gibbs, Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff Jr. Batman Returns Michael L. Fink, John Bruno, Craig Barron and Dennis Skotak Beauty and the Beast Randy Fullmer Jurassic Park Dennis Muren, Stan Winston, Phil Tippett and Michael Lantieri Aladdin Don Paul and Steve Goldberg Dracula Roman Coppola, Gary Gutierrez, Michael Lantieri and Gene Warren Jr. The Fugitive William Mesa and Roy Arbogast Forrest Gump Ken Ralston, George Murphy, Stephen Rosenbaum, Doug Chiang and Allen Hall The Mask Scott Squires, Steve 'Spaz' Williams, Tom Bertino and Jon Farhat Speed Boyd Shermis, John Frazier, Ron Brinkmann and Richard E. Hollander True Lies John Bruno, Thomas L. Fisher, Jacques Stroweis, Patrick McClung and Jamie Dixon Apollo 13 Robert Legato, Michael Kanfer, Matt Sweeney and Leslie Ekker Babe Scott E. Anderson, Neal Scanlan, John Cox, Chris Chitty and Charles Gibson GoldenEye Chris Corbould, Derek Meddings and Brian Smithies Waterworld Michael J. McAlister, Brad Kuehn, Robert Spurlock and Martin Bresin Twister Stefen Fangmeier, John Frazier, Henry LaBounta and Habib Zargarpour Independence Day Tricia Henry Ashford, Volker Engel, Clay Pinney, Douglas Smith and Joe Viskocil The Nutty Professor Jon Farhat Toy Story Eben Fiske Ostby and Bill Reeves The Fifth Element Mark Stetson, Karen Goulekas, Nick Allder, Neil Corbould and Nick Dudman The Borrowers Peter Chiang Men in Black Eric Brevig, Rick Baker, Rob Coleman and Peter Chesney Titanic Robert Legato, Mark Lasoff, Thomas L. Fisher and Michael Kanfer Saving Private Ryan Stefen Fangmeier, Roger Guyett and Neil Corbould Antz Philippe Gluckman, John Bell, Kendal Cronkhite and Ken Bielenberg Babe: Pig in the City Bill Westenhofer, Neal Scanlan, Chris Godfrey and Grahame Andrew The Truman Show Michael J. McAlister, Brad Kuehn, Craig Barron and Peter Chesney The Matrix John Gaeta, Steve Courtley, Janek Sirrs and Jon Thum A Bug's Life Bill Reeves, Eben Fiske Ostby, Rick Sayre and Sharon Calahan The Mummy John Berton, Daniel Jeannette, Ben Snow and Chris Corbould Sleepy Hollow Jim Mitchell, Kevin Yagher, Joss Williams and Paddy Eason Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace John Knoll, Dennis Muren, Scott Squires and Rob Coleman
2000s Year Film Recipient(s) The Perfect Storm Stefen Fangmeier, John Frazier, Walt Conti, Habib Zargarpour and Tim Alexander Chicken Run Paddy Eason, Mark Nelmes and Dave Alex Riddett Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Rob Hodgson, Leo Lo, Jonathan F. Styrlund, Bessie Cheuk and Travis Baumann Gladiator John Nelson, Neil Corbould, Tim Burke and Rob Harvey Vertical Limit Kent Houston, Tricia Henry Ashford, Neil Corbould, John Paul Docherty and Dion Hatch The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Jim Rygiel, Richard Taylor, Alex Funke, Randall William Cook and Mark Stetson A.I. Artificial Intelligence Dennis Muren, Scott Farrar and Michael Lantieri Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Robert Legato, Nick Davis, John Richardson, Roger Guyett and Jim Berney Moulin Rouge! Chris Godfrey andy Brown, Nathan McGuinness and Brian Cox Shrek Ken Bielenberg The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Jim Rygiel, Joe Letteri, Randall William Cook and Alex Funke Gangs of New York R. Bruce Steinheimer, Michael Owens, Ed Hirsh and Jon Alexander Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Jim Mitchell, Nick Davis, John Richardson, Bill George and Nick Dudman Minority Report Scott Farrar, Michael Lantieri, Nathan McGuinness and Henry LaBounta Spider-Man John Dykstra, Scott Stokdyk, John Frazier and Anthony LaMolinara The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Joe Letteri, Jim Rygiel, Randall William Cook and Alex Funke Big Fish Kevin Scott Mack, Seth Maury, Lindsay MacGowan and Paddy Eason Kill Bill: Volume 1 Tommy Tom, Kia Kwan, Tam Wai, Kit Leung, Jaco Wong and Hin Leung Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World Stefen Fangmeier, Nathan McGuinness, Robert Stromberg and Dan Sudick Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl John Knoll, Hal Hickel, Terry Frazee and Charles Gibson The Day After Tomorrow Karen Goulekas, Neil Corbould, Greg Strause and Remo Balcells The Aviator Robert Legato, Peter G. Travers, Matthew Gratzner and R. Bruce Steinheimer Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban John Richardson, Roger Guyett, Tim Burke, Bill George and Karl Mooney House of Flying Daggers Angie Lam andy Brown, Kirsty Millar and Luke Hetherington Spider-Man 2 John Dykstra, Scott Stokdyk, Anthony LaMolinara and John Frazier King Kong Joe Letteri, Christian Rivers, Brian Van't Hul and Richard Taylor Batman Begins Janek Sirrs, Dan Glass, Chris Corbould and Paul J. Franklin Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Nick Davis, Jon Thum, Chas Jarrett and Joss Williams The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Dean Wright, Bill Westenhofer, Jim Berney and Scott Farrar Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Jim Mitchell, John Richardson, Tim Webber and Tim Alexander Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest John Knoll, Hal Hickel, Charles Gibson and Allen Hall Casino Royale Steven Begg, Chris Corbould, John Paul and Ditch Doy Children of Men Frazer Churchill, Tim Webber, Mike Eames and Paul Corbould Pan's Labyrinth Edward Irastorza, Everett Burrell, David Martí and Montse Ribé Superman Returns Mark Stetson, Neil Corbould, Richard R. Hoover and Jon Thum The Golden Compass Michael Fink, Bill Westenhofer, Ben Morris and Trevor Wood The Bourne Ultimatum Peter Chiang, Charlie Noble, Mattias Lindahl and Joss Williams Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Tim Burke, John Richardson, Emma Norton and Chris Shaw Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End John Knoll, Charles Gibson, Hal Hickel and John Frazier Spider-Man 3 Scott Stokdyk, Peter Nofz, John Frazier and Spencer Cook The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Eric Barba, Craig Barron, Nathan McGuinness and Edson Williams The Dark Knight Chris Corbould, Nick Davis, Paul Franklin and Tim Webber Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Pablo Helman Iron Man Shane Patrick Mahan, John Nelson and Ben Snow Quantum of Solace Chris Corbould and Kevin Tod Haug Avatar Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones District 9 Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros and Matt Aitken Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince John Richardson, Tim Burke, Tim Alexander and Nicolas Aithadi The Hurt Locker Richard Stutsman Star Trek Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh and Burt Dalton
2010s