Concept artist John Eaves, known for his iconic illustrations and designs for the Star Trek series and for the numerous science fiction realms he created, will receive the Art Directors Guild (ADG, IATSE Local 800) Lifetime Achievement Award from the Illustrators and Matte Artists (IMA) at the 25th Annual ADG Awards. Herman Zimmerman, Emmy®-nominated production designer for the Star Trek franchise, will be presenting the award to Eaves. The event will celebrate Eaves’ artistic contribution to the many space vehicles, sets, and concepts that have become classics in the Marvel, Star Trek and sci-fi worlds that we know today.
The Awards ceremony, set for Saturday, April 10, 2021, will break with tradition in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and will be presented on a virtual platform, streaming to a worldwide and more inclusive audience. This is the final of four Lifetime Achievement Awards to be announced by the Art Directors Guild. The event is free to everyone, but registration is required here.
“For the past 36 years, John’s work as a production illustrator has been an integral part of over 100 films and television shows. From props, to sets, to vehicles, to gadgets, and, most prominent and recognizable, a small fleet of starships for the Star Trek franchise, John has inspired many and left an amazing mark on our industry. We celebrate his creativity, talent, and contributions to the Craft and honor him with this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award,” said Tim Wilcox, ADG Illustrators & Matte Artists Council chair.
Eaves has worked as a concept artist on many of Hollywood’s most successful franchises, creating iconic sci-fi images of futuristic worlds, vehicles, spaceships, and otherworldly designs that have become the foundations and concepts of over 100 award-winning motion picture franchises. These include four Star Trek movies; Captain America: The Winter Soldier; Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides; Spider-Man: Homecoming; Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Iron Man 3.
His talented prop designer and diverse model maker skills are on display in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Ant-Man and The Wasp, Ant-Man, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Iron Man 2, Batman Forever, Toys, Die Hard 2, RoboCop 2 and The Hunt for Red October, among many others.
Eaves’ groundbreaking work has garnered him numerous awards, including four previous ADG awards. As a child, he was fascinated with aircraft and science fiction and how films came together, a fascination that continued into adulthood and which led to a highly successful 36-year career and still counting.
As previously announced, Ryan Murphy, one of television’s most successful award-winning writers-directors-producers whose shows have consistently reflected the highest quality of production design, will receive the esteemed Cinematic Imagery Award, presented by actor Matt Bomer, star of Ryan’s American Horror Story, Glee, American Crime Story, The Normal Heart and, most recently, The Boys in the Band.
Academy Award- and Emmy-winning production designer Stuart Wurtzel, ADG, known for his work on Hannah and Her Sisters and Angels in America, will receive the ADG Lifetime Achievement Award from the Production Designers and Art Directors Council (AD). Martha Johnston, ADG, dynamic artist best known for her over 60 movie and television design credits, is set to receive the ADG Set Designers & Model Makers (SDMM) Lifetime Achievement Award. Scenic artist Patrick DeGreve, ADG, best known for his prolific backings, sets and props for shows created at CBS TV City over the past 45 years, will receive the ADG Lifetime Achievement Award from the Scenic, Title & Graphic Artists (STG).
Producer of this year’s ADG Awards (#ADGawards) is production designer Scott Moses, ADG. Final online voting will be held through April 7, 2021, and winners will be announced at the virtual gala ceremony on Saturday, April 10, 2021. ADG Awards are open only to productions when made within the U.S. by producers signatory to the IATSE agreement. Foreign entries are acceptable without restrictions.
