24th VES Awards Nomination Judging
Apply to be a Judge at the 24th VES Awards Nomination Event
MEET, GREET & VOTE - A CALL FOR JUDGES!
The 24th Annual VES Awards season is underway, and it’s going to be more exciting than ever! Apply to be a panel judge at our Nomination Event to be held worldwide on Saturday, January 10, 2026.
This year we will have more virtual and in-person panels for the Nomination Event than ever before. Current VES members can apply to judge on ANY in-person event that you can travel to or ANY virtual panel in ANY time zone. This is your chance to influence who will ultimately receive a coveted VES Award on Wednesday, February 25, 2026. Your vote could be the deciding factor in choosing this year’s nominees.
This is the must-attend event of the awards season. You will see exclusive behind-the-scenes clips of the most striking visual imagery of 2025, and you’ll enjoy the single best networking opportunity of the year! Don’t miss your chance to meet the best and brightest in the VFX field, catch up with old friends, and learn about new VFX techniques. Plus, you’ll have the satisfaction of helping to decide the best work to be presented to our colleagues in the industry and the press, as well as fans across the globe.
The Nomination Event is an all-day event and judges will receive details about specific times closer to the event. Please apply to a specific in-person location, or a particular time zone of a virtual panel (view the Region Map for the time zone that best fits your schedule). Please submit your Judge Application early to make this year’s VES Awards Nomination Event successful.
-The 24th Annual VES Awards Committee
The deadline to apply is November 30th PST
FAQs:
What options do I have for getting involved this year?
In-Person Judging
If you’re near a Section and want to spend the day with colleagues and friends, sign up for an in-person Nomination Event in your area You’ll enjoy lunch and networking! Click below to apply:
Virtual Judging
Any VES member around the globe can judge the work from the comfort of your own home when you join a Virtual Judging panel. All judges will vote on January 11 in their choosen time zone. You can join any virtual panel that works with your schedule, it does not need to be your “home area”. Click below to apply:
I’ve never been a judge before – what should I expect?
- There is no preparation needed! Once you’re assigned to a panel, everything will be explained to you on the day of the event.
- The event will start at 9 AM and run a full day, specifics depend on your assigned panel
- You will view, consider, and cast your vote for the most groundbreaking work in your assigned category.
Should I register for an in-person or a virtual voting panel?
In-Person
- Considered by many to be the premier networking event of the year and a great opportunity to meet fellow VES members in your local area
- See the media on a professional sceen
- Connect with old and new friends
- Food and refreshments provided
- The only preparation you will need is to bring a personal device (phone, tablet, laptop) that can run the voting app and connect to WIFI.
Virtual Panels
- Participate from the comfort of your home and save time and energy by not traveling
- Perfect for those not ready to gather in large groups
- Virtually meet VES Members who you might not normally engage with due to geographic distance
- You can participate from anywhere in the world with a reliable internet connection
- You will need at least two devices: you will need a large screen to be able to run Zoom with the camera on and ftrack concurrently (ftrack will be provided) and a cell phone to run the voting app
- You will need to be on camera for the duration of the media viewing
How do I sign up?
Click here to apply to be on an In-person panel.
Click here to apply to be on a Virtual panel.
Wait, I still have a question!
If you have any additional questions or are attending the Academy Bakeoff, but still want to participate, please contact Shannon Cassidy at cassidy@vesglobal.org