The Australian Directors’ Guild (ADG) this week announced the full list of nominees for the 2024 ADG Awards, with winners to be honoured at a ceremony at the Astor in Melbourne on Friday, 22 November.
This year’s directing nominations span 19 categories – including features, TV, short films, music videos, animation and commercials.
There are separate categories for direction of feature films budgeted under $1.5M, and those budgeted over. In the higher budget category are George Miller (Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga) and Robert Connolly (Force of Nature) alongside Paul Middleditch (Uproar), and Kyle Portbury for the surprising religious period film, The Hopeful.
In the Under $1.5M feature category, the nominees are film directors Timothy Despina Marshall (In the Room Where He Waits), Haydn Butler (Home Kills), Indianna Bell and Josiah Allen (You’ll Never Find Me) and Dane McCusker (The Big Dog).
In the category for Best Direction of Debut Feature, Butler, Bell and Allen were also nominated, alongside Natalie Bailey (Audrey) and Daniel Fenech (The Blind Sea).
Sarah Hickey received three nominations, across Children’s Series, Commercial Content and a Commercial Advertisement.
In the animation category are Alexs Stadermann (200% Wolf) and Tania Vincent and Ricard Cussó (The Sloth Lane).
Contending for the Best Direction in Feature Documentary are Gracie Otto (Otto by Otto), Frances Elliott and Samantha Marlowe (Renee Gracie: Fireproof), Jenny Hicks (Dale Frank – Nobody’s Sweetie), and James Bradley (Welcome to Babel).
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FULL LIST OF 2024 ADG NOMINEES
The Esben Storm Award for Best Direction of a Children’s Series Episode
- Sarah Hickey – Crazy Fun Park S1 E4 – Remember Me
- Craig Irvin – The Spooky Files S1 E5 – Welcome to Lake Tranquillity
- Rosemary Myers – Beep and Mort S2 E2 – Today! The Musical
- Sian Davies – Surviving Summer S2 E1 – Selection
- Nina Buxton – Planet Lulin S1 E7 – Hair Raiser
Best Direction of a Comedy Series Episode
- Robyn Butler & Wayne Hope – Colin From Accounts S2 E5 – Waterfall
- Helena Brooks – Population: 11 S1 E10 – Like Father, Like Son
- Trent O’Donnell – Population: 11 S1 E1 – Outback UFO Tours
- Alyssa McClelland – Sex Education S4 E6
Best Direction of Online Shortform
- Nash Edgerton – Far Enough – Vote Yes
- Ryan Cauchi – Greystanes – Chapter 09
- Jemma Cotter – I’m So Sorry For Your Loss S1 E3 – Dead Ringer
- Kaius Potter – Fluff – Before The Mirror
- Jesse Vogelaar – Ruby Rai P.I. S1 E2 – Gobbo & Chi Chi
Best Direction of Online Longform
- Liam Fitzgibbon – Descent S1 E4 – Get Busy Livin’ or Get Busy Eel
- Jessica Smith – Videoland S1 E1 & E2
- Aimée-Lee Xu Hsien – Pleasant Avenue S1 E2 – Mr Masala
- Monique Terry and Abby Gallaway – Touch S1
- Joanna Beveridge – Shippers S1 E7 – O K-Drama
Best Direction of an Interactive or Immersive Project
- Simon Croker and Rosie Pavlovic – David’s Dead!!
- Logan Mucha – A Beat To Hold Back The Dawn
- Ben Joseph Andrews and Emma Roberts – Turbulence: Jamais Vu
Best Direction of a Music Video
- James Chappell – Stephen Sanchez: Baby Blue Bathing Suit
- Mick Soiza – Semiiré: Decisions
- Kyle Caulfield – Allday, Cubsport: Miss You Still
- Cameron Zayec – Witchgrinder: Queen of Sin
Best Direction of Commercial Content
- Sarah Hickey – Monster & Bear: The Perfect Brief
- Tony Walsh – Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute: To Keep A Heart Beating
- Tony Walsh – NRL: Dolphin Smart!
- Hossein Khodabandehloo – Public Transport Victoria: Hi Vis Humanity – Transport Workers are People Too
Best Direction of a Commercial Advertisement
- Michael Spiccia – Amazon Prime: Concrete Jungle
- Tim Bullock – AAMI: Athletes In The Making
- Sarah Hickey – FIFA Women’s World Cup Trailer 2023
- Aislinn Lowe – Google: Meet Google Demand Gen
- Tom Noakes – Apple: Swoop
Best Direction of a Student Film
- Lucien Perry – Hiraeth
- Isabella Andronos – Under the Water
- Lotte Sweeney – Bottleneck
- Chloe Kemp – Say
- Veniamin Gialouris – Gorgo
Best Direction of a Short Film
- Nick Russell – Favourites
- Lucy Coleman – Lean In
- Will Suen and Sejon Im – Sweet Juices
- Annelise Hickey – Hafekasi
- Nick Lacey and Nathan Lacey – Die Bully Die
Best Direction of an Animation
- Alexs Stadermann – 200% Wolf
- Tania Vincent and Ricard Cussó – The Sloth Lane
Best Direction of a Short Documentary
- Gianna Mazzeo – The History of the Carabiner
- Brietta Hague – Compass S39 E10 – Not In My Name
- Patrick Abboud – Gayrabia
- Ella Wright – Tee Ken Ng
Best Direction of a Documentary Series Episode or One-Off
- Emma Watts – Last Chance To Save A Life
- Nel Minchin – The Way We Wore S1 E1 – The Media
- Serge Ou – RUNN
Best Direction of a Drama Series Episode
- Jeffrey Walker – The Artful Dodger S1 E8 – Untapped Potential
- Fadia Abboud – House of Gods S1 E5 – Lament
- Adam Murfet and Jessie Oldfield – Heartbreak High S2 E8 – Boys Don’t Cry
- Leticia Cáceres – Erotic Stories S1 E1 – Philia
- Emma Freeman – Fake S1 E5
Best Direction of a Miniseries Episode
- Peter Salmon – After The Party S1
- Bonnie Moir – Exposure S1 E5
- Glendyn Ivin – The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart S1 E1 – Black Fire Orchid
- Tig Terera – Swift Street S1 E1 – Thank You Elsie
- Bharat Nalluri – Boy Swallows Universe S1 E1 – Boy Smells Rat
Best Direction of a Debut Feature
- Haydn Butler – Home Kills
- Indianna Bell and Josiah Allen – You’ll Never Find Me
- Daniel Fenech – The Blind Sea
- Natalie Bailey – Audrey
Best Direction of a Documentary Feature
- Frances Elliott and Samantha Marlowe  – Renee Gracie: Fireproof
- Jenny Hicks – Dale Frank – Nobody’s Sweetie
- James Bradley – Welcome to Babel
- Gracie Otto – Otto by Otto
Best Direction of a Feature Film (Budget under $1.5 M)
- Haydn Butler – Home Kills
- Indianna Bell and Josiah Allen – You’ll Never Find Me
- Dane McCusker – The Big Dog
- Timothy Despina Marshall – In the Room Where He Waits
Best Direction of a Feature Film (Budget $1.5 M or over)
- Paul Middleditch & Hamish Bennett – Uproar
- Robert Connolly – Force of Nature
- George Miller – Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
- Kyle Portbury – The Hopeful
The ADG Awards 2024 will take place at the Astor Theatre in Melbourne on Friday 22 November from 5pm. The ceremony will be hosted by musical comedian Gabbi Bolt. Tickets on sale now.
