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Real world article
(written from a Production point of view)

Sean Hargreaves (born 1 September 1965; age 58) is an illustrator, concept artist, production designer and special effects artist who worked as Visual Effects Art Director and Senior Concept Designer on Star Trek Beyond. [1] More recently, Hargreaves was contracted by CBS Studios for the second season of Star Trek: Picard as senior concept designer, working under the aegis of Production Designer Dave Blass, the then newly appointed head of the production design department.

He previously worked as Production Designer and Concept Designer for Industrial Light & Magic (1998-2001) and Digital Domain (2006-2008) and as Matte Painter for Rhythm & Hues in 2011.

Early life and career[]

Hargreaves was born in Blackpool, Lancashire, England and moved to the United States in 1978 where he attended the Sam Houston State University and the University of Houston. In 1989 he received a Bachelor in science from the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California. At the age of eighteen, Hargreaves started to work in Visual Engineering in Dallas, Texas where he worked as concept illustrator and designer for prototypes for Texas Instruments and IBM. Following his graduation from the Art Center of Design, he worked two years for General Motors in Newbury Park, California.

Through a friend he made his first steps in the entertainment industry working as a storyboard artist for commercials. His first feature film assignment as illustrator was Candyman (1992, starring Tony Todd and Virginia Madsen).

Further work as illustrator include The Shadow (1994), Crimson Tide (1995), Batman Forever (1995), Seven (1995, costume design by Michael Kaplan), Heat (1995), and The Rock (1996).

Later career[]

In 1992, Hargreaves was hired to work as designer for sets, props, and costumes for a feature film in Paris, France along with fantasy designer Jean Moebius Giraud. The film was finally released in 1997, The Fifth Element, directed by Luc Besson. Also in 1997, he worked as assistant art director on The Lost World: Jurassic Park, art direction by Lauren E. Polizzi.

Further filmwork as illustrator and/or concept artist include Spawn (1997, based on the comic book by Todd McFarlane), G.I. Jane (1997), Amistad (1997), Godzilla (1998), Toy Story 2 (1999), and The Cell (2000).

Also in the 1990s, Hargreaves worked as illustrator for the Michael Jackson music video "Scream" and as art director on the Nine Inch Nails music video "Perfect Drug". In 1998, he was hired for three years by ILM and worked as production designer on a number of First Union Bank commercials, directed by Steve Beck. Beck brought Hargreaves back aboard this time as production designer for his Thirteen Ghosts (2001). The film starred F. Murray Abraham and had art direction by Don Macaulay.

Four years later, Hargreaves again worked as production designer, this time for Neverwas. The film was cast and executive produced by Amanda Mackey Johnson. He also worked as concept illustrator on Rollerball (2002, with Lucia Rijker), the animated film Innocence (2004), The Fountain (2006, with Mark Margolis, Stephen McHattie, and Donna Murphy), Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (2013, with Robert Knepper and Derek Mears and casting by Alyssa Weisberg).

In 2006 and 2009, Hargreaves received three ADG Excellence in Production Design Award nominations for his work on commercials for UPS, AARP, and Chevy. In 2011, he published his first book, "Places", depicting his personal designs.

His work as matte painter was part of the drama Big Miracle (2012, with fellow matte painter Matthew Gilson) and the action sequel The Bourne Legacy (2012).

Recent work[]

Hargreaves also worked as concept artist and matte painter on Into the Storm (2014, with Scott Lawrence and music by Brian Tyler). As concept artist, he also worked on Seventh Son (2014, art direction by Andrew Li) and as matte painter on 300: Rise of an Empire (2014).

In 2015, he received an ADG Excellence in Production Design Award from the Art Directors Guild in the category Short Format – Web Series, Music Video or Commercial for his work on the Apple commercial "Perspective".

External links[]

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