Overview
The BFDG was founded in 1946 “for the betterment of design in British films” as The Society of British Film Art Directors and Designers. The Guild of Film Art Directors then grew out of this society which went on to become the current British Film Designers Guild, representing all branches of the Art Department from Students to Production Designers.
The Guild’s membership is made up of creative professionals from every branch of the Art Department with a wide range of skills and experience working on Feature Films, Shorts, Commercials and Television. We welcome applications to join us from Students about to graduate and take on their first junior role, through to award winning Production Designers and every level in between.
The Society of British Film Art Directors and Designers was established in 1946 with the first President being Laurence P. Williams. Out of this society grew the Guild of Film Art Directors. In 1980 the name was changed again to the British Film Designers Guild with the proviso it be called the BFDG when talking or writing about the Guild.
The BFDG Production Design Awards are the highlight of the Guild’s year. Recognising the incredible talent within the Guild, our annual flagship event puts the work of the Production Designer and their Art Department and Set Dec teams on the map, right in the middle of the busy Awards season.
1946 The Society of British Film Art Directors and Designers is founded with Lawrence P Williams as President.
1952 Paul Sheriff wins the Best Set Decoration Academy Award for his work on Moulin Rouge.
1962 John Box, John Stoll and Dario Simoni win Best Art Direction and Set Decoration Academy Awards for their work on Lawrence of Arabia.
1965 John Box, Terence Marsh and Dario Simoni win Best Art Direction and Set Decoration Academy Awards for their work on Doctor Zhivago.
1968 John Box, Terence Marsh, Vernon Dixon and Ken Muggleston win Best Art Direction and Set Decoration Academy Awards for their work on Oliver.
1971 John Box, Ernest Archer, Jack Maxsted and Vernon Dixon win Best Art Direction and Set Decoration Academy Awards for their work on Nicholas and Alexander.
1975 John Barry, Norman Reynolds, Leslie Dilley and Roger Christian win Best Art Direction and Set Decoration Academy Awards for their work on Star Wars.
1980 The Guild is renamed The British Film Designers Guild. Art Director Alan Tomkins becomes Chairman of the Guild.
1982 Art Director Tony Curtis becomes Chairman of the Guild. John French becomes the first Guild administrator.
1984 Production Designer Peter Lamont becomes Chairman of the Guild for the first time, a position which he repeated in 1990, 1994 and 2000.
1986 The Guild holds its first summer ball at Pinewood Studios and Charlie Bishop takes over the Chairmanship. An accidental death and injury insurance policy was included in the membership fee, a version of which is still one of our members’ key benefits today.
1988 Production Designer John Graysmark becomes Chairman of the Guild.
1980 Jack Stephens wins Best Art Direction Academy Award for his work on Tess.
1982 Stuart Craig, Robert W Laing and Michael Seirton win Best Art Direction and Set Decoration Academy Awards for their work on Ghandi.
1986 Brian Ackland-Snow and Brian Savegar win Best Art Direction and Set Decoration Academy Award for their work on A Room With A View.
1988 Anton Furst and Peter Young win Best Art Direction and Set Decoration Academy Awards for their work on Batman.
1992 Art Director Peter Murton becomes Chairman of the Guild.
1996 Art Director Terry Ackland-Snow takes over Chairmanship of the Guild, a position that he repeats in 2002 and 2006.
1998 Production Designer Austen Spriggs becomes the next Chairman of the Guild.
1992 Ian Whittaker wins Best Set Decoration Academy Award for his work on Howards End.
1994 Ken Adam wins Best Art Direction Academy Award for his work on The Madness of King George.
1996 Stuart Craig and Stephenie McMillan win Best Art Direction and Set Decoration Academy Award for their work on The English Patient.
1997 Peter Lamont and Michael D. Ford with Best Art Direction and Set Decoration Academy Award for their work on Titanic.
1998 Martin Childs wins Best Art Direction Academy Award for his work on Shakespeare in Love.
2004 Art Director Fred Hole becomes the next Chairman of the Guild.
2005 Mary Krauss takes over as Guild Administrator.
2008 Art Director Malcolm Stone takes up his position as Chairman of the Guild.
2009 The BFDG logo gets a redesign by Production Designer Kevin Phipps.
2010 Production Designer Kevin Phipps becomes Chairman of the Guild. Mads Bushnell becomes Guild Administrator, and starts to shape the Office Management Team as the support arm of Membership operations.
2012 The Guild gains our first female Chair, Art Director Susan Whitaker. Su is integral in the development of the Membership system used to look after Guild members.
2014 Production Designer Simon Bowles takes up his Chairperson position.
2016 The Guild celebrates our 70th anniversary. Production Designer Peter Walpole becomes Chairperson of the Guid.
2018 The BFDG logo gets a redesign again by Production Designer Kevin Phipps to reflect the evolution of the Guild. Supervising Art Director Adam O’Neill becomes Chairperson of the Guild.
2012 The First Production Design Awards are handed out at the Guild AGM with winners Darren Tubby receiving Spotlighting New Talent, Hyde Park on Hudson receiving Best Production Design for Simon Bowles, Mark Raggett and Celia Boback and Peter Lamont receiving the first Lifetime Achievement accolade.
2014 Anna Pinnock wins Best Set Decoration Academy Award for her work on The Grand Budapest Hotel.
2020 Production Designer Sonja Klaus becomes Chairperson. Covid hits the World and the UK Film & TV Industry faces challenges. The BFDG Production Design Awards are held online.
2021 The Guild celebrates our 75th anniversary with our Production Design Awards moving to brand new Design Hotel The Londoner in Leicester Square.
2022 American Production Designer Blair Barnette becomes Chairperson of the Guild, closening relationships with the ADG. Mads Bushnell steps down as Operations Director of the Guild, handing responsibilities over to an established Office Management Team.
2023 The Guild re-establishes our Mission and Values, adding the word ‘Community’ into our tagline. The WGA / SAG AFTRA Stikes create havoc on the British Film & TV Industry, there is a decline in work and many members face challenging times.
2024 Production Designer Jonathan Paul Green steps into the Chairperson role. The BFDG website is redesigned and a new membership system is introduced.
2024 James Price, Shona Heath and Zsuzsa Mihalek win Best Art Direction and Set Decoration Academy Award for their work on Poor Things.
