Syd Mead, the “visual futurist” and concept artist known for his design contributions to science-fiction films such as Star-Trek: The Motion Picture, Aliens, and Blade Runner, has been named the recipient of the William Cameron Menzies Award from the Art Directors Guild (ADG, IATSE Local 800) at the 24th Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards.
The award recognizes his innovative neo-futuristic concept artwork on numerous legendary movies. The 2020 Awards will be held Saturday, February 1, 2020, at the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown. The announcement was made today by ADG President Nelson Coates, ADG, and Awards Producer Scott Moses, ADG.
In addition to working with Robert Wise on Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1978 as a production illustrator, Mead has 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 creative concepts for the U.S.S. Sulaco in Aliens.
His iconic work contributed to additional blockbuster features including Blade Runner 2049, 2010: The Year We Make Contact, Short Circuit, Aliens, Time Cop, Tomorrowland, Mission: Impossible lll, Mission to Mars, and Elysium. He supplied designs for two Japanese anime icons, Yamato 2520 and Turn A.
As previously announced, the ADG Lifetime Achievement Awards will be presented to outstanding individuals in each of the guild’s four crafts. Joe Alves will receive the ADG Lifetime Achievement Award from the Art Directors Council (AD), Denis Olsen from the Scenic, Title and Graphic Artists Council (STG) Stephen Myles Berger from the Set Designers and Model Makers (SDMM) Council, and Jack Johnson from the Illustrators and Matte Artists (IMA) Council.
For more information please visit www.adg.org