Longtime Star Trek graphic designers Mike and Denise Okuda to be honored with Art Directors Guild Lifetime Achievement Awards

"Mike & Denise Okuda" by Gage Skidmore is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

DECEMBER 2, 2021 - Arguably the hardest working couple in Star Trek, Denise and Mike Okuda have dedicated decades toward scenic art and design for numerous franchises, projects, and organizations. In recognition of their efforts, the Art Director’s Guild will honor the pair with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Scenic, Title and Graphic Artists (STG) in an in-person ceremony, March 5th, 2022.

The award will spotlight the Okudas’ artistic contributions to the entertainment industry, their collaborations as creative producers for new visual effects, and their expert status as authors of The Star Trek Encyclopedia, among many other stellar accomplishments. This is the first of four Lifetime Achievement Awards to be announced by the Art Directors Guild.

Mike and Denise Okuda have been a consistent source of go-to power for the Star Trek franchise. Not only were they heavily involved in remastering The Original Series, the couple have helped create new props, and served as graphic and scenic designers, technical consultants, linguists, medical consultants, and continuity advisors - to name just a few of their roles.

And - of course - who could forget the “Okudagram”?

They haven’t stopped there! The Okudas are still with the franchise, working in the art department to prepare for season three of Star Trek: Picard.

Outside of Star Trek, the Okudas have stayed busy. Mike Okuda took his design skills over to NASA, helping design several emblems and logos for the organization. Recently, Denise Okuda served as a graphics consultant for the Netflix series Space Force. Both Mike and Denise currently serve as technical advisors on the Ron Moore series For All Mankind from Apple TV+.

In a statement speaking to their dedication, STG Council Chairperson Clint Schultz said, “The roots of Graphic Design for Film and TV can be easily traced back to Michael and Denise Okuda and their work on the Star Trek franchise [...] On behalf of the Scenic, Title & Graphic Artists council, we proudly salute the Lifetime Achievements of Michael and Denise Okuda. They continue to work and inspire all of us within the craft and are the true definition of teamwork."

Mike and Denise Okuda will be honored March 5th, 2022 in the Wilshire Grand Ballroom at the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown. For more information on the Art Director’s Guild, visit adg.org.