Blade Runner‘s influence on our vision of the future can not be understated.The seminal science fiction film based on Philip K. Dick’s novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? basically defined the way we conceived the future for the past 30 years, so staggering was the impact of the post-modern apocalyptic Los Angeles of 2019 that it presented us with back in 1982. Its visual influence was so profound, we’re still seeing elements of the Blade Runner aesthetic pop up in TV series, movies, comics, video games and music—including our recent Studio-produced music video for Neon Indian’s “Polish Girl.”Led by a team of visionary designers and filmmakers that famously included director Ridley Scott, designer Syd Mead and effects specialist Douglas Trumbull, the film created an elaborate parallel universe of replicants, cyberpunks, flying cars (the Spinners) set against a congested and crumbling urban city-scape. Now, thanks to the digitization of a rare book documenting the cult film’s entire visual concept, we can see how this world came together in the mind’s eye of its creators.The Blade Runner Sketchbook was first published 30 years ago on a very limited run and features sketches of elements and objects especially created for the film. The book—which would look great in your living room—can be found for sale starting at $279 on Amazon, but you can flip through the entire thing below (for free) courtesy of Issuu.For more on Blade Runner’s visual conception, check out this behind-the-scenes video interview with Syd Mead.Open publication – Free publishing
Advertisement