Awards season analysis by Sandy Heslop

“The pre-rendered award is the one that excites me the most, because it’s where teams can really showcase the feeling and emotion of their game. This is often the footage that sets expectations and builds excitement before launch. What I’m looking for is interesting direction, intriguing camera choices, and creative use of lighting. It’s about presenting the game in a way that immediately communicates tone and scale. If players see it and start imagining themselves inside that world, that’s when you know it’s working.” 

2026 winner—Best Pre-Rendered Cinematic: Fortnite | “The Lost Chapter: Yuki’s Revenge” 

Marketing trailer and cinematic direction

“The marketing trailer and cinematic direction awards are very closely linked to the two we’ve just discussed,” says Sandy. “In many cases, the trailer is the first real introduction players get to a game, so it has to do a lot of work very quickly. 

“A marketing trailer is likely to be pre-rendered, but might also use some in-engine footage. Either way, the question is always the same: does it capture attention fast enough to keep someone watching? Quality direction, meanwhile, is something we’re looking for in every visual award. 

“The difference for the specific cinematic direction award is that I’m looking for camera work that communicates story and meaning even without exposition. Something that’s stylish, yes, but purposeful. My favorite example comes from TV: The Sopranos. The show’s very last shot hints at what happens to Tony, but isn’t explicit. If you don’t know what to look for, you might actually be annoyed by it. But if you do know, the technique is used perfectly. 

“That’s rare in TV, but even more so in games. It’s the kind of direction that makes audiences lean in rather than switch off. 

2026 winner—Best Cinematic Marketing Trailer: Marathon | Cinematic Reveal Trailer 

“With a marketing trailer meanwhile, you’ve only got a few seconds before someone clicks skip. So I’m asking: ‘does this grab me and say you have to play this game?’ That’s where craft meets commercial impact. Even the most talented cinematics director has to adapt their instincts to make that moment land.” 

2026 winner—Outstanding Cinematic Direction: Fortnite | “The Lost Chapter: Yuki’s Revenge” 

Cinematography and art direction

“These awards are about the visual decisions that shape how a game is perceived the moment someone sees it. 

“Traditional cinematography revolves around the director of photography (DOP), who’s looking at camera tricks, lens choices, and the whole raft of technical decisions that influence how a shot feels.

For instance, in the movie The Revenant they choose lenses that curve the image on super close-ups to heighten emotion. 

“In games, those kinds of choices matter just as much—sometimes more. Cinematics are often the moment when audiences first see the emotional side of a character or the scale of a world. The right cinematography can turn that moment into something players remember. 

2026 winner—Outstanding Cinematography: Battlefield 6 | “Frame Story CS5” 

“Art direction is about creating a visual identity that makes a game instantly recognizable. It’s the difference between something that looks good and something that makes players stop scrolling and pay attention.” 

2026 winner—Outstanding Art Direction: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 | “The Gommage” 

Editing

“Editing is the quiet backbone behind the awards we’ve looked at so far,” says Sandy. “It’s the invisible craft you don’t notice when it’s done well unless you’re really looking for it. Until something takes you out of the moment—then you absolutely notice it. 

“In games, editing has a slightly different emphasis than in film and TV. With games, you’re not just trying to get people to think or feel something—you’re often trying to get them to do something as well. 

“With a cutscene, you might be preparing the player for a new ability or narrative beat. With a trailer, you’re shaping curiosity. You’re building momentum. You’re guiding the viewer toward the point where they want to know more about the game. 

“So when I’m judging editing, I’m looking at shot selection, rhythm, pacing, timing, and so on. But the real question is whether those decisions keep the viewer engaged long enough to care about what they’re seeing.” 

2026 winner—Outstanding Editing: Dispatch | “Bar Fight” 

Voice and character performance

“People play games as an escape,” says Sandy. “They want to be pulled into the world and feel connected to the characters they’re spending time with. 

“The voice performance award is about the actor and what they bring in the recording studio. That performance can be the difference between dialogue that sounds functional and dialogue that makes players believe in the character immediately. 

2026 winner—Outstanding Voice Performance: Dispatch | Robert Robertson / Mecha Man 

“Character performance is everything else: body language, micro-expressions, and how animation translates emotion into movement. When those elements align, the character stops feeling like a digital asset and starts feeling like someone players want to follow. 

2026 winner—Outstanding Character Performance: Death Stranding 2: On the Beach | Higgs 

“There’s also an obvious symbiotic relationship between the two. A great vocal performance gives animators more to work with, and great animation can elevate already strong voice work. The most memorable performances are the ones that make audiences care about what happens next.” 

Sound design and original music 

“I’ve left these awards to last because I’m not a sound guy,” Sandy laughs. “But sound and music play a huge role in how people experience a cinematic. 

“Sound design is incredibly specialized. It’s something most people only notice when it’s wrong—but when it’s right, it makes the entire world feel believable. 

2026 winner—Outstanding Sound Design: Ghost of Yotei | “Prologue” 

“Music, meanwhile, is often the emotional driver. It controls momentum, builds tension, and signals when something important is happening. 

“In trailers especially, music can be the element that carries the viewer through the story and keeps them watching until the final beat. When it works, it turns a good cinematic into something people remember—and share.” 

2026 winner—Outstanding Original Music: South of Midnight 

The overall award: Excellence in game cinematics

“In some ways the overall award is the hardest to judge,” says Sandy. “You can break it down and say, ‘OK, what’s the camera work out of ten,’ and add the aggregate of that, but that can take away the most important part: how did the piece make you feel overall? 

“Personally, I want to forget that I’m watching something. Often the overall winner will be outstanding in some key areas. But sometimes it might even be that each of its constituent parts are slightly above average, yet the experience as a whole comes together as more than the sum of its parts. 

Industry perspective: a wider lens

Sandy’s perspective on standout cinematics isn’t shaped solely by the projects he’s worked on. Through his involvement in several major industry bodies, he also participates in the conversations that help define creative standards across film, television, and games. 

The Visual Effects Society 

“The VES is incredibly important from the point of championing visual professionals,” he says. “Their members are established industry practitioners, and their awards focus on recognizing the technical and artistic expertise behind what audiences see on screen. 

“Those awards aren’t just about games—they cover the entire spectrum of visual storytelling across film, television, and interactive media. Being part of that community sharpens your perspective. You’re constantly exposed to new ideas, new techniques, and new ways of thinking about how visuals can capture people’s attention.” 

That exposure, Sandy explains, feeds directly into the work his team produces. 

“When you’re surrounded by people pushing the boundaries of what’s possible visually, it forces you to think about how those techniques translate into the projects you’re working on—how to present a world, a character, or a moment in a way that immediately grabs an audience.”

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The British Academy of Film and Television Arts 

For Sandy, those exchanges are less about prestige and more about staying connected to the bigger picture. 

“Being invited to join BAFTA was really humbling,” he reflects. “It feels a bit trite to say it was the culmination of a life’s work. But having grown up loving television and film, it’s still slightly surreal. 

“What I value most is the chance to learn from people who are doing incredible work across different mediums. Those conversations constantly remind you of the same core challenge: how do you tell a story in a way that connects with people and stays with them?” 

And for the teams creating trailers and cinematics for modern game releases, that challenge ultimately comes back to the same goal: making the kind of work that cuts through the noise and gives players a reason to care about a game before they’ve even picked up the controller. 

Why cinematic craft matters now more than ever

The creative landscape is entering a period of rapid change, as increasingly sophisticated AI-assisted tools become part of everyday production pipelines. 

For Sandy, however, the arrival of new technologies doesn’t diminish the importance of creative fundamentals. 

“Like a lot of us here at Room 8 Group, I see AI as a tool rather than a threat to anyone’s creative livelihood,” he says. “It’s a little like the influx of digital animation tools in the 1990s. The landscape changes, new technologies appear, and professionals adapt. But the fundamentals of storytelling don’t suddenly disappear. 

“Technology can accelerate production, but creating something that genuinely connects with audiences remains an innately human instinct.” 

“At Heroic we’re always exploring new tools and techniques to stay at the cutting edge. In time, AI will become another tool in our toolbelt—a powerful one, certainly. But like any tool, its value comes down to how effectively it helps a game capture players’ attention in a crowded market. 

“In the end, the goal isn’t simply to look impressive—it’s to make people stop, watch, and remember the game behind it. When a cinematic achieves that, it becomes a powerful way for publishers to introduce a title, build momentum around it, and put it firmly on players’ radar.” 

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Need a trailers and cinematics partner who understands what wins awards?

Sandy understands award-level craft because he’s lived it across industries for more than 25 years. Led by him, our Heroic Studio brings that same diligent eye and high bar of quality to every project we work on. 

If you’re looking for a creative trailers and cinematics partner who knows exactly what catches the eye of judges and gamers alike, you’ve found them. Let’s talk.