Blackmagic wins major design award

The URSA Mini 4.6K: Great camera, great design

We wouldn’t normally cover awards (unless it’s our own RedShark Awards for NAB 2016 - more about that soon) but Blackmagic has just scooped one so high-profile it’s hard not to.

Essentially Blackmagic Design has become the first Australian company to be selected as Red Dot: Design Team of the Year. More than that in doing so it’s in some rather illustrious company. How illustrious? Well, how does Apple, Bose, BMW, Braun, Porsche, Sony, Adidas and Bosch sound as a peer group?

What’s more, four of the company’s products were recognised as well. The URSA Mini was awarded a “Red Dot: Best of the Best”, while the Micro Camera, URSA Electronic Viewfinder and Video Assist products were all awarded the Red Dot: Product Design 2016 award.

Design counts, and good design counts more: just ask any Apple shareholder.

Prof. Dr. Peter Zec, founder and president of the Red Dot Award, said: “The Blackmagic Design team has developed a reputation for combining user-centered design with highly innovative engineering to consistently deliver products that not only challenge, but change markets. 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.”

You can read more about the Award and Simon Kidd, Director of Industrial Design’s work in the press release over the page.

Blackmagic Design Wins Prestigious Red Dot Award: Design Team of the Year 2016

Blackmagic Design has become the first Australian company to be selected as Red Dot: Design Team of the Year, an honour widely acknowledged as the most prestigious design award in the world.

The annual award recognizes design teams whose work is consistently characterized by innovative achievements. Being awarded the Red Dot: Design Team of the Year is a unique accolade, as no designer or company can apply for this esteemed honour and sees Blackmagic Design join the exclusive company of previous winners including Apple, Bose, BMW, Braun, Porsche, Sony, Adidas and Bosch.

Blackmagic Design has rapidly grown over the last decade to become one of the world’s leading innovators and manufacturers of creative video technology. Blackmagic Design’s dedication to innovation, quality and rapid product development, has seen its products revolutionize the industry by allowing the highest quality video to be affordable to everyone. Blackmagic Design’s end-to-end suite of hardware and software products are used in films, television programs, advertisements and news broadcasts around the world. The global business is headquartered in Port Melbourne, with offices in the United States, Europe and Asia, and employs more than 800 staff as part of its dynamic “invention factory”.

Prof. Dr. Peter Zec, founder and president of the Red Dot Award, says, “The Blackmagic Design team has developed a reputation for combining user-centered design with highly innovative engineering to consistently deliver products that not only challenge, but change markets. 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.”

In addition to the design team award, four Blackmagic Design products were recognized in the Red Dot: Product Design 2016 competition. They were chosen from around 5,200 submissions from 57 nations and evaluated by an international jury of experts against specific criteria including: degree of innovation; functionality; ergonomics; longevity; ecological compatibility; and clarity of function.

Blackmagic Design’s URSA Mini was awarded a “Red Dot: Best of the Best”. Blackmagic Design’s Micro Camera, URSA Electronic Viewfinder and Video Assist products were awarded the Red Dot: Product Design 2016 award. Many of this year’s biggest Hollywood blockbusters have been made possible using these award-winning products, along with Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve, including The Martian, Mad Max: Fury Road, Furious 7 and The Dressmaker.

“We are honored to accept the Red Dot: Design Team of the Year Award for 2016,” said Blackmagic Design CEO Grant Petty. “We have a proud history of innovation and this award is confirmation of our resolve to continuously blow customers’ minds with exceptionally designed, high-quality, exciting products which make the creative process easier for them. The award is testament to the creative work of Simon Kidd and the entire design team and we are delighted that the team has been recognized with such a prestigious global award.”

Simon Kidd, Director of Industrial Design, who has built and led the design team since its inception 10 years ago, said “We have an incredible team of highly talented, passionate and dedicated designers. When you pick up one of our products, I believe you can see the commitment our team has made to creating the very best product possible. To be recognized among the top design-led businesses in the world truly endorses this commitment.”

Awards will be presented to the winners at the Red Dot Gala awards ceremony at the Aalto Theatre in Essen, Germany on 4 July 2016.
Blackmagic Design’s products will be on display in a special exhibition “Blackmagic Design – leading the creative revolution” the Red Dot Design Museum in Essen, Germany from 4 July 2016.