Tech Support: Final predictions for Best Makeup, Score, Song, Production Design and Visual Effects

So here we go. After several months of previewing the contenders, it’s time to predict the nominees for the 85th Annual Academy Awards in the crafts categories.

Today, I'll analyze Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Original Score, Best Original Song, Best Production Design and Best Visual Effects. Tomorrow, I'll turn to Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing.

Let's dig in...

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING (Tech Support Analysis)

Soon-to-be Best Picture nominees “Les Misérables” and especially “Lincoln” had to meticulously recreate the 19th Century in painstaking detail. I expect them to be in the final three, especially given the aging in “Les Mis” and the transformative work in “Lincoln.”

The plentiful makeup in “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” would seem most likely to complete the trio, especially considering both “Lord of the Rings” movies to make the bake-off lists made the final cut. Creating dwarves, elves and hobbits, to say nothing of battle wounds, required considerable work. But there is a lot more CGI this time around, and this category normally has a notable omission.

Given the potential for surprises, none of the finalists making it would floor me, from “Hitchock”’s recreation of Old Hollywood to “Looper”’s transformation of one actor to another and “Snow White and the Huntsman”’s beauty makeup and battle wounds.

Most likely, however, the giddily outlandish work of Rick Baker on “Men in Black 3” will find a home. That's what I expect, anyway, so God dammit, I’ll predict it!

Final Predictions:
“Les Misérables”
“Lincoln”
“Men in Black 3”
(alt. “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”)

BEST MUSIC - ORIGINAL SCORE (Tech Support Analysis)

A few weeks ago, I said I felt John Williams (“Lincoln”) was locked in this category with Alexandre Desplat (“Argo”), Mychael Danna (“Life of Pi”) and Dario Marianelli (“Anna Karenina”) looking good. I still feel that way. Williams is Williams, scoring the likely nominations leader. Enough said. While Desplat could suffer from drawing split attention, Danna could encounter some newbie shyness and Marianelli must battle the divisive nature of his film, I feel the three of them will each score a nomination due to some combination of support for their films. Each have noticeable scores with exotic elements, precursor attention and respect for the composers.

I’m guessing Desplat gets pulled along with “Zero Dark Thirty” to become a double-nominee for his subtle but suspense-building work on Kathryn Bigelow’s feature. Remember “The Hurt Locker”’s somewhat surprising nomination here. I also feel a double nomination for Desplat is inevitable one of these years, so why not this one?

I’ll admit, however, that this prediction is somewhat of a cop-out given that I can’t decide which of the integral scores by yet-to-be-nominated composers such as Jonny Greenwood (“The Master”), Reinhold Heil & Johnny Klinek (“Cloud Atlas”) or Benh Zeitlin & Dan Romer (“Beasts of the Southern Wild”) has the best chance. The precursors have sent very mixed messages on these films, and it’s difficult for newcomers to break into this category.

I should add that given Thomas Newman’s history in pulling some surprising nominations, I wouldn’t dismiss “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.”

Final Predictions:
“Anna Karenina”
“Argo”
“Life of Pi”
“Lincoln”
“Zero Dark Thirty”
(alt. “The Master”)