This is a list of the winning and nominated programs of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a series, miniseries, film, or special. Since the award ceremony of 1998, the category has been divided into Special Visual Effects for a Series and Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special. In 1991, the Television Academy nominated four programs, but did not determine a winner.
Before becoming well-known directors, Neill Blomkamp, Gareth Edwards, and Robert Stromberg were nominees for the award.
Winners and nominations
1950s Year Program Episode Nominees Network 1955 Outstanding Engineering Effects Four Quadrant Screen Robert Shelby NBC Electronic Editing John Goetz, Walter O'Mears, Daniel Zampino NBC The Jackie Gleason Show Jackie Gleason Enterprises CBS Space Patrol Cameron Pierce ABC
1960s Year Program Episode Nominees Network 1966 Outstanding Special Electronic Effects The Julie Andrews Hour Milt Altman NBC Outstanding Special Mechanical Effects The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Arnold Goode, Bill Graham, Bob Murdock NBC Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea Robert Tait ABC Outstanding Special Photographic Effects Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea L. B. Abbott, Howard Lydecker ABC Bonanza Edward Ancona NBC Lost in Space L. B. Abbott, Howard Lydecker CBS 1967 Outstanding Special Mechanical Effects Star Trek Jim Rugg NBC Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea Robert Tait ABC Outstanding Special Photographic Effects The Time Tunnel L. B. Abbott ABC Star Trek Darrell Anderson, Linwood G. Dunn, Joseph Westheimer NBC Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea L. B. Abbott ABC 1968 Outstanding Special Classification of Individual Achievements Star Trek "Metamorphosis" The Westheimer Company NBC 1969 Outstanding Special Photographic Effects Star Trek "The Tholian Web" Howard A. Anderson Company, The Westheimer Company, Van der Veer Photo Effects, Cinema Research NBC
1970s Year Program Episode Nominees Network 1970 Outstanding Achievement in Any Area of Creative Technical Crafts Mission: Impossible John Burke CBS My World and Welcome to It Howard A. Anderson, Wilfred M. Cline, Bill Hansard NBC 1978 Outstanding Individual Achievement in Creative Technical Crafts The Return of Captain Nemo L. B. Abbott, Frank Van der Veer CBS 1979 Outstanding Individual Achievement in Creative Technical Crafts Battlestar Galactica "Saga of a Star World" John Dykstra, Richard Edlund, Joseph Goss CBS A Fire in the Sky Joe Unsinn NBC
1980s Year Program Episode Nominees Network 1980 Outstanding Individual Achievement in Creative Technical Crafts All Quiet on the Western Front Roy Whybrow CBS The Muppet Show "Alan Arkin" Leslee Asch, Edward G. Christie, Barbara S. Davis, Faz Fazakas, Nomi Frederick, Michael K. Frith, Amy Van Gilder, Dave Goelz, Marianne Harms, Larry Jameson, Mari Kaestle, Rollin Krewson, Tim Miller, Bob Payne, Jan Rosenthal, Don Sahlin, Caroly Wilcox Syndicated "Kenny Rogers" Edward G. Christie, Barbara S. Davis, Faz Fazakas, Nomi Frederick, Michael K. Frith, Amy Van Gilder, Dave Goelz, Larry Jameson, Mari Kaestle, Rollin Krewson, Tim Miller, Bob Payne, Jan Rosenthal, Don Sahlin, Caroly Wilcox 1981 Outstanding Individual Achievement in Creative Technical Crafts Cosmos "The Shores of the Cosmic Ocean" John Allison, Don Davis, Jon Lomberg, Anne Norcia, Ernie Norcia, Adolf Schaller, Rick Sternbach PBS Bob Buckner, Steve Burum, Jim Dow, John Gale, Larry Heider, Mike Johnson, Robert C. King, Cleve Landsberg, Joseph Matza, Carey Melcher, George C. Reilly, Joe Wolcott 1983 The Winds of War "Defiance" Jackson De Govia, Leslie Huntley, Peter Kleinow, Michael Minor, Gene Warren Jr. ABC SCTV Network "The Energy Ball" / "Sweeps Week Show" Bill Goddard, Gary L. Smith NBC 1984 The Day After Robert Blalack, Chris Dierdorff, Dan Nosenchuck, Dan Pinkham, Chris Regan, Nancy Rushlow, Larry Stevens ABC The 26th Annual Grammy Awards William M. Klages CBS V: The Final Battle Richard L. Bennett, Phillip Feiner, Michael Glickman, Jack Hulen, Chuck McKimson, Steven Rundell, Ken Smith, Charles Strongo, Charles Ulm, Douglas Ulm, Marvin Zenzeper NBC 1985 A.D. Syd Dutton, Dennis Glouner, Lynn Ledgerwood, Bill Taylor, Albert Whitlock, Mark Whitlock NBC The Brain John Allison PBS The Ewok Adventure Jon Berg, John R. Ellis, Chris Evans, Harley Jessup, Dennis Muren, Michael Pangrazio, Phil Tippett ABC The Hugga Bunch Tim Donahue, Mike Hanan, Bill Mesa, Gene Rizzardi Syndicated 1986 Dinosaur! Phil Tippett CBS Ewoks: The Battle for Endor Michael J. McAlister ABC 1989 War and Remembrance Steve Anderson, Bill Cruse, Godfrey Godar, Martin Gutteridge, Bill Schirmer, Simon Smith, Charles D. Staffell, Ed Williams, Egil Woxholt ABC Friday the 13th: The Series "13 O'Clock" John Gajdecki, Gary L. Smith Syndicated The Infinite Voyage "The Geometry of Life" John Allison PBS Star Trek: The Next Generation "Q Who" Dan Curry, Ronald B. Moore, Peter Moyer, Steve Price Syndicated Thirtysomething "Michael Writes a Story" Victor Dubois, Jeanne Byrd Hall, Simon Holden, Steve Wyskocil ABC
1990s