Sir Peter Jackson, the director behind the “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” film trilogies, was Monday named the recipient of the Visual Effects Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
The award will be presented at the 19th annual VES Awards, streaming worldwide on April 6/7 — depending on time zone — and hosted by comedian Patton Oswalt.
“I’m thrilled and gratified to receive the VES Lifetime Achievement Award,” Jackson said in a statement released by the VES. “If I was ever going to be honored for my lifetime of work, I would have chosen the VES award, because I started my career as a 7-year-old making models and shooting them with a Super 8 camera. The dream of making visual effects was the seed of my whole world as a filmmaker. But just because it’s called Lifetime, don’t think I’ve peaked; there’s a lot more to come!”
The VES Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes a body of work that has significantly contributed to the art and/or science of the visual effects industry, according to the society, which said Jackson is being honored for his “consummate artistry, expansive storytelling and profound gift for blending iconic imagery and unforgettable narrative on an epic scale.”
Lisa Cooke, VES board chair, said Jackson is one of the most innovative filmmakers of the era.
“Peter pushes the known boundaries of filmmaking and his vision and contributions to the art are legendary,” she said. “He has redefined the relationship between the viewer and the story — you can easily see this from the epic cult followings of his highly engaging work, a testament to his expert blending of visual effects, evocative characters and a remarkable imagination. For this and more, we are honored to award Peter with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.”