The Blackmagic Industrial Design Team has been named the 2016 Red Dot: Design Team of the Year. Led by Simon Kidd, Blackmagic Design has rapidly grown over the last decade to become one of the world's leading innovators and manufacturers of creative video technology.
Dynamically emerging from a tech start-up to become a global industry leader, Blackmagic Design produces an end-to-end suite of hardware and software products used in films, television programme, advertisements and news broadcasts around the world. Their cameras and software are used on many acclaimed Hollywood films including The Martian, Mad Max: Fury Road, Furious 7 and Avatar. Blackmagic's driving philosophy is to foster true creativity by making the highest quality video affordable for everyone. The design team combines this approach with its dedication to innovation, quality and rapid product development, and in this way revolutionises the industry.
"Simon Kidd's team has developed a reputation for combining user-centred design with highly innovative engineering to consistently deliver products that not only challenge, but change markets," commented Prof. Dr. Peter Zec, founder and president of the Red Dot Award. "Their strong product language is backed by a deep-rooted design philosophy that is focused on use and function in an uncompromising way. That makes Blackmagic Design the deserved recipient of the highest Red Dot title in 2016."
Simon Kidd, Director of Industrial Design at Blackmagic has built and led the design team since its inception 10 years ago and has become known for ground-breaking, industry-changing designs that have challenged conventional thinking in a traditionally conservative industry.
"We are honoured to receive this coveted award and consider it the highest honour in global design," Kidd stated. "It recognises our unwavering commitment to making the highest quality video affordable for everyone through incredibly well-designed, high quality, innovative products. To be recognised among the top design-led businesses in the world truly endorses this commitment. We are a young company with an evolving design legacy and we consider this historic award to be validation of the work that we have done to date... and inspiration for the team to go forward."