# Felicity Abbott > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Felicity_Abbott > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Felicity_Abbott.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felicity_Abbott > Source revision: 1345093899 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) New Zealand production designer Felicity Abbott Born New Zealand Alma mater Elam School of Fine Arts (BFA) Australian Film Television and Radio School (MA Hons, 1999) Occupation Production designer Years active 2000–present **Felicity Abbott** is a New Zealand [production designer](/source/Production_design), who has worked in the film and television industry in many countries. Her many film and television credits include *[Redfern Now](/source/Redfern_Now)*, *[Upgrade](/source/Upgrade_(film))*, *[The Luminaries](/source/The_Luminaries_(miniseries))*, *[The Invitation](/source/The_Invitation_(2022_film))*, and the upcoming series *[My Brilliant Career](/source/My_Brilliant_Career_(TV_series))*. ## Early life and education Felicity Abbott was born in [New Zealand / Aotearoa](/source/New_Zealand), of [Māori](/source/M%C4%81ori_people) and Scottish descent.[1] She completed a BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) in Sculpture, at [Elam School of Fine Arts](/source/Elam_School_of_Fine_Arts), [University of Auckland](/source/University_of_Auckland), New Zealand.[1] She graduated from the [Australian Film Television and Radio School](/source/Australian_Film_Television_and_Radio_School) in 1999, after completing an MA (Film & Television) (Hons) in Production Design.[1] For her MA thesis, she collaborated with [cinematographer](/source/Cinematographer) Cordelia Beresford, to investigate the relationship between production design and cinematography.[1] She was awarded the [Fox Studios Australia](/source/Fox_Studios_Australia) Award for Excellence in Design in 1999.[2] Later in her career, she completed a post-graduate diploma in [art psychotherapy](/source/Art_psychotherapy) and community arts at Metaforà School of Art Therapy in [Barcelona](/source/Barcelona), Spain. ## Career Abbott has worked in Australia, New Zealand, the US, Europe, the Balkans, on film and television productions in a range of genres.[1] She is a professional member of the [Australian Production Design Guild](/source/Australian_Production_Design_Guild), the [British Film Designers Guild](/source/British_Film_Designers_Guild), and the [Art Directors Guild Local 800](/source/Art_Directors_Guild).[1] She co-designed the [short film](/source/Short_film) *Restoration*, directed by Cordelia Beresford. She also collaborated with Beresford on *The Eye Inside*.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] In 2006, Abbott completed *The Catalpa Rescue* (US title *Irish Escape*), directed by Lisa Harney for PBS (US), ABC (Australia), and RTÉ (Ireland) and *Playground* for director Eve Spence.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] In 2007, Abbott designed the Goalpost Pictures/[Channel 4](/source/Channel_4) film, *[The Eternity Man](/source/The_Eternity_Man)*, a film opera about the life of Australian [Arthur Stace](/source/Arthur_Stace), by British director [Julien Temple](/source/Julien_Temple). The world premiere screening of *The Eternity Man* was at the [Sydney Opera House](/source/Sydney_Opera_House) in June 2008 as part of the [Sydney Film Festival](/source/Sydney_Film_Festival).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] She did the production design for [Bruce Beresford](/source/Bruce_Beresford)'s 2018 comedy-drama *[Ladies in Black](/source/Ladies_in_Black_(film))*.[1] She collaborated with [Rachel Perkins](/source/Rachel_Perkins) on the 2009 musical film *[Bran Nue Dae](/source/Bran_Nue_Dae_(film))*, and again on *[Mabo](/source/Mabo_(film))*, a 2012 biopic about the life and work of [Indigenous land rights](/source/Indigenous_land_rights_in_Australia) campaigner [Eddie Koiki Mabo](/source/Eddie_Koiki_Mabo).[1] For the 2020 New Zealand miniseries *[The Luminaries](/source/The_Luminaries_(miniseries))*, the design crew had to build more than 105 unique sets from scratch, to recreate the West Coast of the [South Island](/source/South_Island) during the [gold rush](/source/Gold_rush) of the 1860s. This took a year to complete.[1] Other work by Abbott includes *[The Last Confession of Alexander Pearce](/source/The_Last_Confession_of_Alexander_Pearce)*, directed by [Michael James Rowland](/source/Michael_James_Rowland);[1] the 2022 American horror film *[The Invitation](/source/The_Invitation_(2022_film))*;[3] [Amazon Studios](/source/Amazon_Studios)' 2022 film *[Don't Make Me Go](/source/Don't_Make_Me_Go_(film))*; and the 2024 American horror feature *[Tarot](/source/Tarot_(2024_American_film))*.[1] She is production designer for the upcoming [Netflix](/source/Netflix) series *[My Brilliant Career](/source/My_Brilliant_Career_(TV_series))*, which was being filmed in [South Australia](/source/South_Australia) and produced in the [Adelaide Studios](/source/Adelaide_Studios) in 2025.[3] ## Awards and nominations - 2014: Winner, [ACS](/source/Australian_Cinematographers_Society) Award for Design on a Television Drama in the [Australian Production Design Guild](/source/Australian_Production_Design_Guild) (ADPG) Awards, for *[The Outlaw Michael Howe](/source/The_Outlaw_Michael_Howe)*[4] - 2014: "Highly commended" in the ADPG Award for Design on a Television Drama, for *[Redfern Now](/source/Redfern_Now)*[4] - 2015: Nominated, ADPG Award for Design on a Television Drama, for *[Redfern Now](/source/Redfern_Now)*/*Promise Me*[5] - 2018: Nominated, [AACTA Award for Best Production Design](/source/AACTA_Award_for_Best_Production_Design) in the [8th AACTA Awards](/source/8th_AACTA_Awards), for *[Upgrade](/source/Upgrade_(film))* (with Katie Sharrock)[6] - 2020: Winner, [New Zealand Television Award for Best Production Design](/source/New_Zealand_film_and_television_awards), for *The Luminaries*[1] - 2023: Nominated, Best Production Design, [British Film Designers Guild](/source/British_Film_Designers_Guild) Awards, *Don't Make Me Go*[1] - 2023: Nominated, Best Production Design, British Film Designers Guild Awards, *The Invitation*[1][7] - 2025: Winner, Docklands Studios Melbourne Award for Best Production Design at the ADPG Awards, for *Tarot*[1] ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-aftrs_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-aftrs_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-aftrs_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-aftrs_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-aftrs_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-aftrs_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-aftrs_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-aftrs_1-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-aftrs_1-8) [***j***](#cite_ref-aftrs_1-9) [***k***](#cite_ref-aftrs_1-10) [***l***](#cite_ref-aftrs_1-11) [***m***](#cite_ref-aftrs_1-12) [***n***](#cite_ref-aftrs_1-13) [***o***](#cite_ref-aftrs_1-14) ["Felicity Abbott"](https://www.aftrs.edu.au/alumni/alumni-showcase/felicity-abbott/). *Australian Film Television and Radio School*. 2 December 2025. Retrieved 3 March 2026. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [AFTRS Annual Report 98/99](https://web.archive.org/web/20090912180642/http://www.aftrs.edu.au/downloads/file/pdfs/ar99.pdf), Appendix 5, p.99. (archived 2009) 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-mbc2025_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-mbc2025_3-1) ["'My Brilliant Career' Series Adaptation Now in Production in South Australia for Netflix"](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/my-brilliant-career-series-adaptation-now-in-production-in-south-australia). *About Netflix*. June 2025. Retrieved 3 March 2026. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-adpg2014_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-adpg2014_4-1) ["2014 APDG Award Winners"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160303222336/http://www.apdg.org.au/awards/past-winners/2014-2/). *[APDG](/source/Australian_Production_Design_Guild)*. Archived from [the original](http://www.apdg.org.au/awards/past-winners/2014-2/) on 3 March 2016. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["2015 WINNERS"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160229032924/http://www.apdg.org.au/awards/2015-winners/). *APDG*. Archived from [the original](http://www.apdg.org.au/awards/2015-winners/) on 29 February 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2016. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Winners & Nominees"](https://www.aacta.org/aacta-awards/winners-and-nominees/2018-aacta-awards/). *AACTA*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20260122071254/https://www.aacta.org/aacta-awards/winners-and-nominees/2018-aacta-awards/) from the original on 22 January 2026. Retrieved 3 March 2026. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["The Invitation"](https://britishfilmdesigners.com/winner-finalist/the-invitation/). *British Film Designers Guild*. 11 October 2024. Retrieved 3 March 2026. ## External links - [Felicity Abbott](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2199622/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier)) Authority control databases International VIAF WorldCat National United States --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Felicity Abbott](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felicity_Abbott) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felicity_Abbott?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.