Remembering The Future
BLADE RUNNER, ALIENS, TRON, STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE, 2010: THE YEAR WE MAKE CONTACT, STAR WARS, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE, TIMECOP, MISSION TO MARS...and more. Futuristic worlds, technology and products — far beyond our own limited imaginations — were vividly realized through the talents of one of the greatest visionary masters of our time who has now passed — Syd Mead.
Originally from St. Paul, MN, Syd made his way to Southern California and expanded his talents at ArtCenter. He designed for an international array of clients including: The Ford Motor Company, US Steel, Minolta, Sony, Disney, Honda, Philips and more, establishing himself as a Visual Futurist. So many of the designs and forms we see and experience all around us today, we owe to Syd Mead.
The mere mention of his name aligned with any project ensured magic. For the release of Tron: Legacy, to be able to include the words 'Syd Mead' as part of the campaign was a publicist's dream. His name held a distinctive place — far above the title. Syd recognized science fiction as: "reality ahead of schedule" and defined his illustrations and conceptual work by the "thread of reality" he wove within each vision of the future he shaped.
For me, the lasting impact of Syd Mead lives within the stunning worlds and vehicles he formed to define our cinematic future. His iconic work within Ridley Scott's Blade Runner and the Light Cycles of Tron still speak distinctly of methods and mechanisms far beyond our immediate time and place. The ideas emanating from his mind were clearly far beyond anything I'd ever seen or experienced as a young movie-goer in St. Paul, MN. Syd's worlds opened my eyes to the magic of cinema and sparked my future with the movies! For that, I am grateful.
Godspeed Syd —
