The Vancouver chapter of the Association for Computer Machinery’s Special Interest Group for Computer Graphics will host an iconic guest at its fifth-anniversary celebration on Wednesday (May 14)-Blade Runner’s visual futurist, Syd Mead.

SIGGRAPH event producer Mike Davison told the Straight by phone, “Syd’s a legend, hugely influential. When you mention his name, designers’ jaws drop.” Mead designed vehicles, street sets, and props for the 1982 cult film. Tron and Aliens designs also sprung from Mead’s noggin.

Visual Futurist: The Art and Life of Syd Mead starts at 7 p.m. at the Granville 7 Cinemas (DVD and book signing at 6 p.m.), and includes a Blade Runner: The Final Cut screening with a talk and Q&A by Mead. (Tickets are $25 at www.siggraph.ca/. ) Tangible Interaction will bring their Zygotes, inflatable balls with touch-responsive LEDs. Sponsor Sophia Books will be there, and cosponsor Softimage has a surprise, but Davison wouldn’t tell.