The 22nd Annual Art Directors Guild Awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, January 27th, 2018.

As I have been doing for a few years, as we get into the awards season, I’ll post the fictional ballots for some of the guild awards, showing what my vote would be if I had one. I will, as a rule, abstain from my fictional vote if I haven’t seen at least half of the nominees. And to be perfectly clear, I’m not a member of any of these guilds and organizations.

The list of nominees can be seen here.

Here it goes.

Excellence in Production Design for a Feature Film – Period: Jim Clay, for Murder on the Orient Express

The train itself is almost a character in the film: elegant, but not on a showy way. (Not seen: The Shape of Water.)

Excellence in Production Design for a Feature Film – Fantasy: Dennis Gassner, for Blade Runner 2049

The world created in Blade Runner 2049 is a thing of wonder; there are a number of different environments, with different styles, color codes, functions. What they share is the lack of glitter as if everything was brand new, which strengthen the impression that this is an alive, breathing world.

Excellence in Production Design for a Feature Film – Contemporary: abstain (Not seen: Downsizing, Lady Bird, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.)

Excellence in Production Design for a Feature Film – Animated Film: Harley Jessup, for Coco

There are two worlds created in Coco: the real world, which is colorful and alive, but also realistic, and the Land of the Dead, which has, of course, its own particular style. Both are rich with color, dynamic, inviting, overflowing with references to Mexican culture. (Not seen: Despicable Me 3, The Lego Batman Movie.)