Bill Taylor

William "Bill" Taylor is a special and visual effects artist specialized in matte paintings. In 1983 he formed with Syd Dutton the effects company Illusion Arts, Inc., located in Van Nuys, California, which provided matte paintings to several Star Trek projects. The company was closed in 2009. As part of Illusion Arts, Inc., Taylor worked on several episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Enterprise, and five Star Trek films.

During his time on Star Trek Taylor earned two Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Achievement in Special Visual Effects:
 * Emmy Award nomination for the episode, shared with Gary Hutzel, Robert Legato, David Takemura, Michael Okuda, Don Greenberg, Erik Nash, Steve Price, Robert Stromberg, Syd Dutton, and Don Lee
 * Emmy Award nomination for the episode, shared with Robert Legato, Gary Hutzel, David Takemura, Patrick Clancey, Steve Price, Michael Okuda, Erik Nash, Syd Dutton, and Don Lee

In 1985, Taylor won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for the television mini-series A.D., shared with Syd Dutton and Albert Whitlock. In 1976 he received the Golden Scroll for Best Special Effects from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films for his work on the science fiction thriller Dark Star, shared with Douglas Knapp. In 1992 he received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Special Effects for his work on the horror film Frankenstein Unbound, shared with Syd Dutton. Prior to this, Taylor won a Technical Achievement Award at the 1982 Academy Awards for the concept and specifications for a Two Format, Rotating Head, Aerial Image Optical Printer. Since 2006, Taylor is a member of the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Visual Effects Branch). 

Prior to the founding of Illusion Arts, Inc., Taylor worked as matte photographer on projects such as the drama The Hindenburg (1975), the action drama Airport '77 (1977), the comedy The Prisoner of Zenda (1979), the music comedy The Blues Brothers (1980), the television mini series Masada (1981), the comedy History of the World: Part I (1981), the horror film Cat People (1982), and the science fiction film The Thing (1982).

Together with Dutton and the staff of Illusion Arts, Inc., he worked as special visual effects supervisor, artist, and matte painter, photographer and camera operator on projects such as the drama The River (1984), the comedy Maxie (1985), the horror sequel Psycho III (1986), the family movie The Karate Kid, Part II (1986), the science fiction comedy Spaceballs (1987), the science fiction thriller The Running Man (1987), the fantasy adventure The Neverending Story II: The Next Chapter (1990), the comedy sequel Mannequin: On the Move (1991), the fantasy comedy The Addams Family (1991), the comedy Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993), the comedy sequel Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994), the action comedy Beverly Hills Cop III (1994), the comic adaptations The Shadow (1994) and Batman Forever (1995), the fantasy film DragonHeart (1996), the adventure The Mask of Zorro (1998), the remake Psycho (1998), the family adventure Muppets from Space (1999, with Wyatt Weed), the war drama U-571 (2000), the drama The Gift (2000), the horror film From Hell (2001), the action thriller The Fast and the Furious (2001), the science fiction remake The Time Machine (2001), the action thriller The Bourne Identity (2002), the comedy Bruce Almighty (2003), the mystery thriller The Village (2004), the science fiction film Serenity (2005), the fantasy adventure The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005), the action sequel The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006), the remake Miami Vice (2006), the final cut edition of the 1982 science fiction thriller Blade Runner (2007), and the fantasy sequel The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008).

Following the abandonment of his company, Taylor worked as visual effects supervisor on the action film Black Jacques (2011) and the crime drama The Wettest County in the World (2012, with Mark Stetson).

Star Trek work
(This list is currently incomplete.)
 * - Yosemite National Park landscapes
 * - Camp Khitomer landscape
 * - Picard/ Borg cube pull back reveal
 * - Romulus surface and buildings
 * Star Trek: The Next Generation
 * - Ligon II surface (Season 1)
 * - Angel I surface
 * - Velara III surface
 * - Darwin Genetic Research Station (Season 2)
 * - Borg cube interior
 * - Tau Cygna V landscape (Season 3)
 * - Qo'noS surface
 * - Matte Cameraperson
 * - Jouret IV surface (Season 4)
 * - La Barre landscape
 * - Ventax II surface
 * - Qo'noS surface (Season 5)
 * - Romulus landscape
 * - Romulus landscape
 * - Moab IV surface
 * - Starfleet Academy
 * - Arkaria Base (Season 6)
 * - Ohniaka III Research Station
 * - Moon landscape (Season 7)
 * Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
 * - Bajor landscapes (Season 1)
 * (Season 3)
 * - Starfleet Headquarters (Season 4)
 * - Ferenginar landscape (Season 5)
 * - Sappora VII surface (Season 7)
 * - destroyed San Francisco landscape/ Bajor landscape
 * - Cardassia Prime surface/ Fire Caves exterior
 * Star Trek: Voyager
 * - Ocampa underground city (Season 1)
 * - Banea surface
 * - Starfleet Headquarters (Season 2)
 * - Mars outpost landscape
 * Star Trek: Enterprise
 * - Qo'noS surface (Season 1)
 * - Banea surface
 * - Starfleet Headquarters (Season 2)
 * - Mars outpost landscape
 * Star Trek: Enterprise
 * - Qo'noS surface (Season 1)