NIDA Alumni Nominated for APDG Awards

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Congratulations to the NIDA alumni who have been nominated for 2025 Australian Production Design Guild Awards. These awards recognise the creativity, technical excellence and storytelling power of designers working across stage, screen and live events. It is exciting to see so many familiar names among the nominees and we wish them all the best of luck at the ceremony taking place on 16 August.

DOCKLANDS STUDIOS MELBOURNE ART DIRECTION FOR A FEATURE FILM OR TELEVISION PRODUCTION AWARD

Jennifer Hitchcock (Design, 1999) Art Director for Thou Shalt Not Seal
Nicholas Dare (Design, 2001) Art Director for Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Village Roadshow Pictures’ Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment. Inc. Art direction by Nicholas Dare (Design, 2001). Photo by Jasin Boland.

THE JENNIE TATE COSTUME DESIGN FOR A LIVE PERFORMANCE OR EVENT AWARD SPONSORED BY HLA MANAGEMENT

David Fleischer (Design, 2009) Costume Designer for Gilgamesh
Emma Vine (Design, 2014) Costume Designer for Turn of the Screw

A man in golden cloth painted gold with blue lighting.
Gilgamesh presented by Opera Australia, Sydney Chamber Opera & Carriageworks. Costume design by David Fleischer (Design, 2009) Photo by Daniel Boud.


CATHERINE MARTIN COSTUME DESIGN FOR A TELEVISION PRODUCTION AWARD

Gypsy Taylor (Design, 2003) Costume Designer for The Newsreader

NEXT PRINTING GRAPHIC DESIGN AWARD

Gabrielle Rowe (Design for Performance, 2017 & Masters of Design for Performance, 2019) Graphic Designer for Last King Of The Cross Season 2
Liv Hutley (Design for Performance, 2021) Graphic Designer for Love Island, Season 6
Liv Hutley (Design for Performance, 2021) Graphic Designer for The Red

VECTORWORKS AUSTRALIA LIGHTING DESIGN FOR A LIVE PERFORMANCE OR EVENT AWARD

Brockman (Production, 2011) Lighting Designer for American Signs
Ben Hughes (Cultural Leadership, 2019) Lighting Designer for Peter and the Starcatcher

CREATIVE CRUNCHERS MULTI-DISCIPLINE DESIGN FOR A LIVE PERFORMANCE OR EVENT AWARD

Simone Romaniuk (Design, 2003) Multi-disciplinary Designer for Eucalyptus
David Fleischer (Design, 2009) Multi-disciplinary Designer for Fangirls
Brockman (Production, 2011) Multi-disciplinary Designer for Flat Earthers: The Musical

Four performers, three are crouched and singing with one standing behind them. They are in pink light with DEBUNKED projected behind them.
Griffin Theatre Company and Hayes Theatre Company’s production of Flat Earthers: The Musical. Multi-discipline design by Brockman (Production, 2011). Photo by John McRae.

WYSIWYG 3D PRODUCTION DESIGN OR COSTUME DESIGN FOR A SHORT FILM, MUSIC VIDEO OR WEB SERIES AWARD

Courtney Westbrook (Design for Performance, 2016) and Ara Nuri Steel (Design for Performance, 2016), Production Designers for If/When

DESIGN AWARDS VIDEO DESIGN FOR A LIVE PERFORMANCE OR EVENT AWARD

Aron Murray (Technical Theatre and Stage Management, 2018 & Masters of Design for Performance, 2020) Video Designer for Arlington

NIDA FOUNDATION TRUST EMERGING DESIGNER FOR A LIVE PERFORMANCE OR EVENT AWARD

Elle Fitzgerald (Design for Performance, 2024) Set Designer for Alice, Mother of Cinema

A performer in a grey coat on a stage with another performer standing in a spotlight behind them.
NIDA’s 2024 student production of Alice: Mother of Cinema. Set design by Elle Fitzgerald (Design for Performance, 2024). Photo by Phil Erbacher.

AFTRS EMERGING DESIGNER FOR A SCREEN PRODUCTION AWARD

Camille Ostrowsky (Design for Performance, 2018 & Masters of Design for Performance, 2020) Production Designer for Breaking Plates

EVENT ENGINEERING SET DESIGN FOR A LIVE PERFORMANCE OR EVENT AWARD

Kate Beere (Design for Performance, 2018 & Masters of Design for Performance, 2020) Set Designer for Arlington
Pip Runciman (Design, 2002) and Luke Ede (Design, 2005) Designers for Bluey’s World
David Fleischer (Design, 2009) Set Designer for Into the Shimmering
Keerthi Subramanyam (Design for Performance, 2019) Set Designer for Nayika A Dancing Girl

Two children outside a fake house with two mascots from the children's series 'Bluey'.
BBC Studios and HVK Productions presented Bluey’s World. Designed by Pip Runciman (Design, 2002), Luke Ede (Design, 2005), Alison Ross, Jonothan Oxlade, and Ben Donnelly.

DOCKLANDS STUDIOS MELBOURNE PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR A FEATURE FILM AWARD

Fiona Donovan (Design, 1992) Production Designer for Sting
Fiona Donovan (Design, 1992) Production Designer for The Correspondent

A woman in gold lighting dancing on stage.
Belvoir St Theatre’s Production of Nayika: A Dancing Girl. Set design by Keerthi Subramanyam (Design for Performance, 2019). Photo by Brett Boardman.

View the full list of nominees here.

The APDG Awards will be held at the State Library of NSW, Sydney on Saturday, 16 August.

*Header image: Production photo from Peter and the Star Catcher. Produced by Dead Puppet Society, Glass Half Full Productions, Jones Theatrical Group and Damien Hewitt Production. Photo by Daniel Boud.