François Audouy (French: [odwi]; born June 17, 1974) is a French-American production designer known for his work in feature films, limited series and music videos. He is a frequent collaborator with director James Mangold, having designed The Wolverine (2013) its sequel Logan (2016), Ford v Ferrari (2019) (which was nominated for several Academy Awards including Best Picture[1]), and the upcoming film A Complete Unknown.
François Audouy | |
|---|---|
 Audouy speaking at the 2019 Camp conference in Calgary, Alberta, Canada | |
| Born | June 17, 1974 |
| Occupation | Production Designer |
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Spouse | Véronique Audouy (1998–present) |
| Children | 2 |
| Website | www |
Early life
editAudouy was born in Toulouse, France, to a French father and an English mother.[2] He grew up bilingual, speaking both French and English fluently. At the age of six, he relocated to Southern California with his mother following her remarriage. The move exposed him to Hollywood's creative landscape, which influenced his eventual career path.[3]
Career
editAt the age of 21, Audouy was recruited by production designer Bo Welch as a graphic designer and concept illustrator for the film Men in Black. This early role made him one of the first all-digital concept artists during the industry's transition from traditional to digital design.[4] Over the next decade, he worked in the art departments of several major films, including Spider-Man, Zodiac, Minority Report, and Avatar.
Audouy later transitioned to production design, with his first major project being Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, where he combined historical elements with fantasy. His subsequent work on Logan and Ford v Ferrari helped establish his reputation within the industry.
In addition to his work on feature films, Audouy has brought his expertise to television and music videos. In the upcoming Shondaland series The Residence, Audouy reimagined the White House with a unique visual approach.
Audouy has also designed award-winning commercials and music videos for top artists, including Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, Billie Eilish, Pink, Harry Styles, Camila Cabello, and Dua Lipa.[5] His work in these areas has been recognized with multiple Art Directors Guild Awards, one of the few production designers to be acknowledged in both film and music video categories.[6]
Filmography
editAs production designer
editFeature Films
edit| Year | Film | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter | Timur Bekmambetov | |
| 2013 | The Wolverine | James Mangold | |
| 2014 | Dracula Untold | Gary Shore | |
| 2017 | Logan | James Mangold | |
| 2019 | Ford v Ferrari | James Mangold | |
| 2021 | Ghostbusters: Afterlife | Jason Reitman | |
| 2023 | Air | Ben Affleck | |
| 2024 | A Complete Unknown | James Mangold |
Television
edit| 2025 | The Residence | Liza Johnson, Jaffar Mahmood |
As art director
editFeature Films
edit| Year | Film | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Spider-Man | Sam Raimi | assistant art director |
| Men in Black II | Barry Sonnenfeld | assistant art director | |
| 2003 | The Cat in the Hat | Bo Welch | assistant art director |
| 2004 | The Terminal | Steven Spielberg | supervising graphic designer |
| 2005 | Charlie and the Chocolate Factory | Tim Burton | art director |
| 2007 | Transformers | Michael Bay | art director |
| Lions for Lambs | Robert Redford | supervising art director | |
| 2009 | Watchmen | Zack Snyder | supervising art director |
| 2011 | Green Lantern | Martin Campbell | supervising art director |
Awards
editAudouy has won four ADG awards, including the ADG’s first-ever award bestowed to a music video at their 26th Annual Awards show. His commercial and music video work has earned him multiple nominations and wins.
| Year | Project | Type | Category | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Apple MacBook Pro: Scary Fast | Commercial | Excellence in Commercials | Won | |
| 2023 | Just Eat: Did Somebody Say | Commercial | Excellence in Commercials | Nominated | |
| Bud Lite Seltzer: Land of Loud Flavors | Commercial | Excellence in Commercials | Nominated | ||
| 2022 | Apple Music: Happier Than Ever | Commercial | Excellence in Commercials | Won | |
| Ghostbusters: Afterlife | Feature Film | Excellence in Fantasy Film | Nominated | ||
| Ed Sheeran: Shivers | Music Video | Excellence in Music Videos | Nominated | ||
| Pink: All I Know So Far | Music Video | Excellence in Music Videos | Nominated | ||
| Coldplay BTS: My Universe | Music Video | Excellence in Music Videos | Nominated | ||
| Neom: Made to Change | Commercial | Excellence in Commercials | Nominated | ||
| 2021 | Harry Styles: Falling | Music Video | Excellence in Short Format | Won | |
| Camila Cabello: My Oh My | Music Video | Excellence in Short Format | Nominated | ||
| 2020 | Ford v. Ferrari | Feature Film | Excellence in Period Film | Nominated | |
| 2018 | Logan | Feature Film | Excellence in Contemporary Film | Won | |
| 2006 | Charlie and the Chocolate Factory | Feature Film | Period or Fantasy Film | Nominated | As Art Director |
| Year | Project | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Ford v Ferrari | Best Art Direction & Production Design | Nominated |
References
edit- ^ Cieply, Michael (May 9, 2011). "Aside from the vampires, Abraham Lincoln film seeks accuracy". New York Times.
- ^ "Francois Audouy". geni_family_tree. 17 June 1974. Retrieved 2021-01-26.
- ^ "Francois Audouy | World Building Institute". worldbuilding.institute. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
- ^ Admin (2013-07-22). "Interview – Production Designer François Audouy talks about The Wolverine". flickeringmyth.com.
- ^ "François Audouy". IMDb. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
- ^ "NEOM - Made to Change". Clios. Retrieved 2022-07-03.