“Visual futurist” Syd Mead to be honored by Art Directors Guild

Image courtesy Art Directors Guild

“Visual futurist” Syd Mead, who designed the exterior of V’Ger for Star Trek: The Motion Picture, is to be honored by the Art Directors Guild with a special award. The William Cameron Menzies Award recognizes his extensive career designing innovative, neo-futuristic concept art for numerous legendary films. Mead will be given the award at the Guild’s Excellence in Production Design Awards, which will be held next February.

In addition to his work on Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Mead also contributed to such films as Blade Runner, Tron, and Aliens. Oh yeah, and he designed the robot Johnny Number 5 for the film Short Circuit. Prior to film work, Mead designed technology for the likes of Ford Motor Company, Philips Electronics, Sony, and Honda.

Art Directors Guild President Nelson Coates said of Mead, “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. To honor Syd Mead with the coveted ADG William Cameron Menzies Award is such a great privilege.”

Mead joins fellow Star Trek: The Motion Picture artist Jack Johnson in receiving an award at the ADG Excellence in Production Design Awards. The ADG recently announced that Johnson would be receiving a lifetime achievement award from the Guild’s Illustrators and Matte Artists Council. The 24th Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards will be held on Sunday, February 1st, 2020, at the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown.