Syd Mead, the “visual futurist” and concept artist known for his design contributions to sci-fi films such as Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Aliens and Blade Runner, will receive the Art Directors Guild’s William Cameron Menzies Award during the Guild’s 24th Annual Awards.
“Syd Mead has played a pivotal role in shaping cinema with his unique ability to visualize the future. His visions and illustrations of future technological worlds remain as a testament to his vast imagination. Mead is one of the most influential concept artists and industrial designers of our time,” said ADG president Nelson Coates.
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Mead’s career has included designing cars and drafting architectural renderings, but he is most famous for his work as a concept artist in cinema. In addition to working with Robert Wise on Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1978 as a production illustrator, Mead worked with Ridley Scott on Blade Runner, with Steven Lisberger on his designs for the light cycles in Tron and with James Cameron on his concepts for the U.S.S. Sulaco in Aliens.
Mead has also contributed to features including Blade Runner 2049, 2010: The Year We Make Contact, Short Circuit, Tomorrowland, Mission: Impossible lll, Mission to Mars and Elysium.
As previously announced, during the ADG Awards the Guild will present Lifetime Achievement Awards to Joe Alves (from the Art Directors Council), Denis Olsen (from the Scenic, Title and Graphic Artists Council), Stephen Myles Berger (from the Set Designers and Model Makers Council) and Jack Johnson (from the Illustrators and Matte Artists Council).
The ADG Awards will be held Feb. 1 at the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown. Nominations will be announced Dec. 9.
