When we think of Oscars, we tend to see stars. But behind those stars are big brains--people with big ideas. Over the course of the year we've covered a lot of those people and their big ideas (and some stars, too). But often times the most interesting stories start not with the Academy Award winners themselves but the creative types name-checked in thank-you speeches you'll hear on Sunday. Here's more about the nominees and the the idea men and idea women behind them that help churn out Oscar-worthy work.

Related: The Awards Meter App Lets You Pick The Oscars’ Real Winners Based On Social Media Language

[ Image: Konstantin Sutyagin via ShutterStock ]

Directed by Rupert Wyatt

1 Nomination
• Visual Effects

Our Coverage:
Human Lie Detector Paul Ekman Decodes The Faces Of Depression, Terrorism, And Joy

Storyboarding The Apes

Directed by James Bobin

1 Nomination
• Music (Original Song)

Our Coverage:
Gonzo Filmmaker James Bobin Reveals Muppet Movie Easter Eggs!

Revitalizing The Muppets Franchise

Directed by Enrico Casarosa

1 Nomination
• Short Film (Animated)

Our Coverage:
Pixar Animator Enrico Casarosa On The Inspiring Work Of Hayao Miyazaki

Directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson

1 Nomination
• Animated Feature Film

Our Coverage:
Phil "Captain 3-D" McNally Is DreamWorks' Animated Megamind

Directed by Steven Spielberg

1 Nomination
• Music (Original Score)

Our Coverage:
In Superhero-Loving America, Tintin Has An Uphill Battle To Become The Next Batman

Directed by David Yates

3 Nominations
• Art Direction
• Makeup
• Visual Effects

Our Coverage:
Harry Potter and the Multibillion Dollar Industry

Directed by Michael Bay

3 Nominations
• Sound Editing
• Sound Mixing
• Visual Effects

Our Coverage:
Transformers: More Than Meets The Ear

Directed by Terrence Malick

3 Nominations
• Best Picture
• Cinematography
• Directing

Our Coverage:
What “Tree Of Life” Teaches About Movies In the Age Of Smartphones

Directed by Woody Allen

4 Nominations
• Art Direction
• Best Picture
• Directing
• Writing (Original Screenplay)

Our Coverage:
Oscars 2012: Woody Allen’s Production Designer Anne Seibel On “Midnight in Paris”

Directed by David Fincher

5 Nominations
• Actress In a Leading Role
• Cinematography
• Film Editing
• Sound Editing
• Sound Mixing

Our Coverage:
Fincher’s Demand For “Dragon Tattoo” Opener: Make It Better Than “Se7en”

Do You Really Know What Sound Design Is? One Of The Best, Dragon Tattoo’s Ren Klyce Breaks It Down

Chasing Salander: A New Chapter For Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Directed by Bennett Miller

6 Nominations
• Actor In a Leading Role
• Actor In a Supporting Role
• Best Picture
• Film Editing
• Sound Mixing
• Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

Our Coverage:
What "Moneyball" Has To Teach Boards Of Directors

3 Lessons Every Manager Can Learn From "Moneyball"

Directed by Michel Hazanavicius

10 Nominations
• Actor In a Leading Role
• Actress In a Supporting Role
• Art Direction
• Best Picture
• Cinematography
• Costume Design
• Directing
• Film Editing
• Music (Original Score)
• Writing (Original Screenplay)

Our Coverage:
Oscars 2012: Cinematographer Guillaume Schiffman On Bringing “The Artist” to Life

Directed by Martin Scorsese

10 Nominations
• Art Direction
• Best Picture
• Cinematography
• Costume Design
• Directing
• Music (Original Score)
• Sound Editing
• Sound Mixing
• Visual Effects
• Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

Our Coverage:
The Vision Thing

How Martin Scorsese Risked It All And Lived To Risk Again In Hollywood

What Makes A Great Edit? Scorsese’s Legendary Editor Thelma Schoonmaker Dissects “Hugo” Via “Goodfellas”

Martin Scorsese’s Film School: The 85 Films You Need To See To Know Anything About Film

Directed by Wes Anderson

Our Coverage:
Wes Anderson Directs Hyundai’s Oscars Campaign