Syd Dutton

Syd Dutton is a visual effects artist, specialized in matte paintings, who worked on several Star Trek television series and films. Dutton was interviewed on for the special feature "The Art of Alien Worlds" on the VOY Season 4 DVD. In this special, he explained several matte paintings for episodes such as and , as well as the exterior of the Romulan Senate in . According to the call sheet from Monday , Dutton was picked up at home at 8:00 a.m. from the transportation department to work on the matte painting for the episode , including location sketches at the Japanese Garden.
== Personal and awards ==
Born as Sydney Richard Dutton in San Francisco, California, Dutton started his career in the matte department at Universal Studios in the late 1970s. He learned from matte expert Albert Whitlock, who provided matte paintings for . In 1983, Dutton helped form (along with Bill Taylor) the effects company Illusion Arts, Inc., located in Van Nuys, California, which provided matte paintings for several Star Trek projects. The company was closed in 2009 and Dutton joined the Culver City-based VFX shop "Zoic Studios" as art director and lead matte artist. 
During his time on Star Trek, Dutton earned two Emmy Award nominations and one win for Outstanding Achievement in Special Visual Effects:
* Emmy Award nomination for the episode , shared with Gary Hutzel, Robert Legato, David Takemura, Michael Okuda, Don Greenberg, Erik Nash, Steve Price, Robert Stromberg, Bill Taylor, and Don Lee
* Emmy Award nomination for the episode , shared with Robert Legato, Gary Hutzel, David Takemura, Patrick Clancey, Steve Price, Michael Okuda, Erik Nash, Bill Taylor, and Don Lee
* Emmy Award for the episodes and , shared with Dan Curry, Ronald B. Moore, David Takemura, Don Lee, Erik Nash, Peter Sternlicht, Adam Howard, and Robert Stromberg
In 1985, Dutton won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for the television mini-series A.D., shared with Bill Taylor and Albert Whitlock. Dutton was also two times nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Special Effects: in 1992, for the horror film Frankenstein Unbound, shared with Bill Taylor, and in 2005, for the fantasy film Van Helsing, shared with Scott Squires and Ben Snow.
== Early career ==
At the beginning of his career, Dutton worked as matte artist and special effects artist on feature films such as (1976, with Albert Whitlock and Bill Taylor), Joseph Sargent's (1977), (1978), the science fiction television movie Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979, with Scott Squires, David Stipes and fellow matte painter Dan Curry), (1980), (1981), (1981), (1982, starring Malcolm McDowell), (1984, with Brad Dourif and Patrick Stewart), (1984), (1985), (1985), (1985), (1985), (1985), (1986), and (1986).
== Illusion Arts, Inc. ==
After founding the company Illusion Arts, Inc., Dutton worked with his company on films including the comedy Critical Condition (1987), (1987), Spaceballs (1987), (1989), (1990), (1991), (1991, with Christopher Lloyd and Carel Struycken), (1993), (1993), (1995), (1996), (1996), (1996), (1998), (1999), (1999), (1999), (1999), (2000), (2001), (2001), (2002), (2002), (2003), (2004), (2005), (2005), (2006), (2006), (2006), and (2008).
The last contributions of Illusion Arts, Inc. can be seen in (2008), (2009), and (2009).
==Star Trek credits ==
(This list is currently incomplete.)
*
** – matte painter: Yosemite National Park landscapes
** – matte artist: Camp Khitomer landscape
** – matte painter
** – matte painter: Picard/ Borg cube pull back reveal
** – special visual effects: matte artist Romulus surface and buildings
*
** – matte painter: Ligon II surface (Season 1)
** – matte painter: Angel I surface
** – matte artist: Velara III surface
** – matte painter: Darwin Genetic Research Station (Season 2)
** – matte painter: Borg cube interior
** – matte painter: Starbase 515 (reuse of Angel I matte painting)
** – matte painter: Tau Cygna V landscape (Season 3)
** – matte painter: Qo'noS surface
** – matte painter: Jouret IV surface
** – matte artist: La Barre landscape (Season 4)
** – matte painter: Turkana IV surface
** – matte painter: Ventax II surface
** – matte painter: Qo'noS surface (Season 5)
** – matte painter: Romulus landscape
** – matte painter: Romulus landscape
** – matte artist: Penthara IV surface
** – matte painter: Moab IV surface
** – matte artist
** – matte painter: Starfleet Academy/matte supervisor
** – matte painter: Arkaria Base (Season 6)
** – matte painter: Ohniaka III Research Station (reuse of Darwin Genetic Research Station matte painting)
** – matte artist: Moon landscape (Season 7)
*
** – matte painter: Bajor landscapes (Season 1)
** – matte painter: Klaestron IV surface (reuse of Angel I matte painting)
** (Season 3)
** – matte artist: Starfleet Headquarters (Season 4)
**
** – matte painter: Ferenginar landscape (Season 5)
** – matte artist: Sappora VII surface (Season 7)
** – matte artist: destroyed San Francisco landscape/ Bajor landscape
** – matte painter: Cardassia Prime surface/ Fire Caves exterior
*
** – matte painter: underground city (Season 1)
** – matte painter: surface (reuse of Angel I matte painting)
** – Starfleet Headquarters (Season 2)
** – matte artist: Mars outpost landscape
*
** – matte painter: Qo'noS surface (uncredited) (Season 1)
** – Special Effects Artist/ Consultant (uncredited)
== External links ==
* 
Dutton, Syd
Dutton, Syd
Dutton, Syd