by FilmInk Staff
Around 70 talented designers and design associates were nominated for the 2025 APDG Awards, competing for awards in 20 categories for outstanding designers in feature film, television, live performance and events.
This year, the Awards ceremony was held at the State Library of NSW in Sydney on Saturday 16 August 2025, with a wonderful celebration starting in the Glasshouse Foyer followed by the official ceremony in the Auditorium, which was attended by over 220 people, with many more following it via the live stream.
Sponsors presented many of the awards, and special guest presenters included Deirdre Brennan, CEO of Screen Australia, Kyas Hepworth, Executive Director of Screen NSW and Keinton Butler, Senior Curator at Powerhouse.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga won 3 awards: Annet Mackie for Concept Art, Sophie Nash, Jacinta Leong APDG & Nick Dare for Art Direction for a feature film or television production, and Katie Sharrock for Set Decoration for a feature film or television production.
Other awards for feature films were Production Design for a feature film, won by Felicity Abbott APDG BFDG for her work on Tarot, and Costume Design for a feature film, won by Terri Lamera APDG for her work on Runt. The Animation Design award was won by Adam Elliot for his work on Memoir Of A Snail.
In television, the Production Design for a television production award was won by Alex Holmes APDG for his work on Eric, and the Costume Design for a television production award was won by Andrew Cox for his work on Lost Boys & Fairies. The Production Design or Costume Design award for a short film, music video or web series award was won by Courtney Westbrook & Ara Nuri Steel for their work on If/When.
The Graphic Design award was won by Liv Hutley for her work on Love Island USA (Season 6) and the Design for a commercial award was won by Steven Jones-Evans APDG for his work on Telstra ‘Holly Jolly Xmas’
The emerging design categories are consistently popular, as they give emerging designers an opportunity to share their work with the broader design community. Nathan Andrew Evans won the Emerging Designer for a Screen Production Award with his work on Interview with a Hero.
One of the most anticipated awards for the night was the Artisan Lifetime Achievement Award, which this year went to a Screen practitioner and was awarded to Peter Wyborn, Prop Maker. Peter trained in the UK and moved to Australia, beginning his career here with Createk and Mirage Effects. In 1986, with Julian Smallwood, he set up Jupiter Models and Effects, supplying props, models and sfx for TVC’s and movies. Following this he led talented teams on many international and local films including Red Planet, Star Wars Episodes 2 and 3, Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions, Australia, The Great Gatsby, Superman Returns, Pirates of the Caribbean, Wolverine, Stealth, Alien Covenant, Peter Rabbit, Interceptor, Planet of the Apes and many others.
The Australian Production Design Guild (APDG) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to representing designers and their associates in screen, live performance, events, and digital production across Australia. The APDG is committed to recognizing and nurturing excellence in design through awards, mentoring, and accreditation.
To see a full list of nominees and winners, visit HERE.
Photo by MRSHERBORNE
