I work across disciplines as a production designer, writer and director. I have a love of visual storytelling, which carries across all my work.

Can you give some examples of how you promote equity, diversity and inclusivity in your practice?

I began receiving a growing number of scripts that relied on violence against women as a plot device to advance a male protagonist’s character arc. After encountering this pattern repeatedly, I made a personal commitment not to design for projects that used this trope. I am naturally drawn to scripts that feature authentic representation of women, non-binary, and gender-diverse people, as well as LGBTQIA+, culturally diverse, and representation of people with disability.

I put so much energy into my design work that I want my contributions to support narratives that reflect a wide range of experiences and identities, fostering inclusivity and understanding. For example, I’m very grateful to have had the opportunity to design a beautiful film written by Marcus Khoudair and directed by Joey Chebatte, drawing on the real life brotherly connection between Julian and Luke Maroun. The film explores a day in the life of two brothers, and their varied perspectives as one brother is living with disability.

When it comes to crewing projects, I actively seek to build diverse teams. In the projects I write and direct, I ensure that at least 50% of my crew is female, non-binary, or gender-diverse; a quota I’ve been able to meet on all my own projects. For the Monska music video, 81% of our cast and crew was female/non-binary or gender diverse. I prioritise casting and crew selection that reflects a diverse range of identities (not just limited to gender). While the industry as a whole still has a long way to go in achieving true balance, I consider these efforts, however small, to be a way to help create a more inclusive and equitable working environment.

You are multidisciplinary (Designer, Writer and Director), can you outline how each aspect of your practice informs the other?

I’m driven by a deep desire to create. Whether I’m writing, directing or designing, the most exciting part of the process for me is collaborating with a talented team to bring a storyworld and its characters to life. I thrive on working with others and believe that great ideas often emerge from the collective wisdom of a creative team.

Though I began my career in production design and have spent over a decade freelancing in the field, expanding my skills into writing and directing has made me a more well-rounded designer. I believe that working across different departments in film deepens your sense of empathy and broadens your understanding of the collaborative nature of storytelling. This cross-disciplinary experience has not only enhanced my design work but also allowed me to approach each project with a more holistic perspective

Design concept: All Silent Dogs

A teenage girl is faced with a choice: give up her ability to transform into a dog or face the familial and societal consequences of keeping it. All Silent Dogs explores the experience of living with a disability through a compelling and thought- provoking metaphor.

Every creative decision was centered around Ylva’s pivotal internal conflict—whether to give up her ability to transform into a dog, or to embrace this transformation and live with the freedom it offers. This decision became the emotional core that informed our design choices. Colour played a crucial role in shaping the storyworld, serving as a visual reflection of the emotional and thematic contrasts in the film. The family home was deliberately designed in muted, neutral tones, symbolising the sterile, controlled environment in which Ylva (Julia Savage) feels confined. In stark contrast, the forest was alive with vibrant greens, representing freedom, vitality, and the wild unpredictability of Ylva’s personality.

Ylva’s bedroom was designed in stark white, black and grey, with limited personal artefacts and furniture with hard edges. A hint at the freedom of the forest was encapsulated in the small terrarium on her desk; greenery trapped in glass. Further locations such as the doctor’s office were designed in a similar bland colour palette. I designed posters for the office, which highlighted the clinical, impersonal world that Ylva is navigating. The choice of artwork and signage helped underscore the tension between her two worlds.

Working with Julia Savage, the young actress who portrayed Ylva, was an absolute pleasure. Julia brought incredible nuance to the character, capturing the complexity of Ylva’s emotional journey with such subtlety and depth.

All Silent Dogs was nominated for the APDG Award for Best Production or Costume Design for a Short Film, Music Video or Web Series 2023.

Credits

Writer/Director: Natalia Stawyskyj Production/Costume Design: Isabella Andronos

Art Department Assistants: Joe Finsterer, Laura Bailey, Emily Brassil Director of Photography: Meg White

Producers: Natalia Stawyskyj, Katherine Shearer Executive Producer: Alex White

Cast: Julia Savage, Jack Finsterer, Liz Wheeler, Kamil Ellis Screenability, Two Shoes Films, Bull Ant Films

Currently available on SBS on Demand

A young Filipino boy in Western Sydney gets an enchanting crash-course in his homeland culture when his uncle reveals himself to be a cross-dresser in the ‘Bakla’ tradition.

The film was a deeply collaborative effort between writer/director Vonne Patiag and director of photography Dimitri Zaunders and I. Intended to capture the essence of Justin’s evolving sense of self, the film unfolds with a rich and colourful aesthetic. The design of the film was a vibrant collaboration that drew heavily on Filipino cultural elements, with insights from cultural consultant Caroline Garcia enriching the world-building.

The bedroom scene was filled with floral patterns, sparkling jewelry, and reflective objects, creating a sensory experience that blurred the line between reality and fantasy. In close collaboration with Dimitri, we utilised various practical lights to infuse magic into the story. Warm bulbs around the dressing table, glowing shrines, and colored festoons in the karaoke bar all contributed to the dreamlike atmosphere. We collected shining materials such as tinsel, diamantes and crystals to hand on the camera; this allowed for small rainbow anomalies to find their way into the edges of the frame. For the car scenes, we used a simulated travel studio to maintain our stylised approach to world-building, keeping the visual language consistent and immersive.

Blending rich cultural references with a vibrant, dreamlike aesthetic, we were able to capture Justin’s (Callan Young) evolving sense of self through colour, texture, and light.

Credits:

Production Design: Isabella Andronos Cultural Consultant: Caroline Garcia Design Assistant: Emily Borghi

Director of Photography: Dimitri Zaunders Costume Design: Sofi Fox

Producer: Maren Smith, Vonne Patiag Hair and Makeup: Vianna Houghton

Cast: Marcus Rivera, Ala Paredes, Callan Young SBS, Create NSW, In-Between Pictures Currently available on SBS on Demand

Furlough follows the day in the life of two sisters, aged 16 and 17, as they navigate the delicate balance between freedom and responsibility. What seems like a reckless adventure, teetering on the edge of danger, ultimately reveals a deeper, more poignant message: the importance of cherishing fleeting, ephemeral moments.

Collaborating closely with writer/director Phoebe Tonkin and director of photography Giovanni C. Lorusso, I helped shape the environments that would reflect the characters’ journey. I was drawn to the script’s distinctive, almost abstract approach to storytelling, capturing the elusive, fleeting moments of youthful rebellion and self-discovery. There’s an ethereal quality to the narrative that resonated deeply with me, and I wanted the design to reflect that same sense of transience and raw energy. We carefully planned long, continuous shots through a chaotic teen party, using design details to enrich the atmosphere—elements like a crackling fire, outdoor couch, scattered cans, and a hot tub all added to the sense of spontaneity and youthful abandon.

Embracing the messiness of a party scene, we created a lived-in, authentic environment full of visual texture. The space was alive with fairy lights, vibrant disco lights, and even a UV jellyfish lamp. My design team and I also focused on the subtle details; crumbs on the table, lipstick graffiti on the bathroom mirror, prop drinks scattered throughout, to help make the space feel organic, immersive, and true to the chaotic energy of the moment. Brilliant performances by Milly Alcock and Markella Kavenagh further grounded the world, with every element of the design working to pull the audience deeper into the characters’ world. Together, we created an environment that not only served the narrative but amplified the emotional undercurrent of the story.

Credits

Writer/ Director: Phoebe Tonkin

Production Design: Isabella Andronos

Costume Design: Jonathan Hindmarsh

Director of Photography: Giovanni C. Lorusso

Producer: Jessica Carrera (Dollhouse Pictures)

Cast: Milly Alcock, Markella Kavenagh

Thanks for sharing these insights into your practice Isabella, is there a project on the horizon that we can look forward to seeing from you next?

For my production design work, I’ve just wrapped on two short films (Dependent by Joseph Chebatte and Flow by Kate Vinen) and I’m in pre-production for another project (HOMO by Vonne Patiag) that will be shot in the coming weeks. They’ll be playing at festivals in the new year.

For my writing/directing work, I’m in the process of writing my second short film, and developing a feature film with excellent Writer/Director and frequent collaborator, Beck Thompson. My short film, Under the Water, is screening at the Bay International Film Festival (UK) on November 30th, for anyone who happens to be over that way.