Luana Hanson – Production Designer
Luana Hanson is an award-winning Production Designer working across film and television, known for crafting distinctive, emotionally resonant visual worlds. With over 39 screen productions to her name for platforms including Netflix, BBC, Channel 4, ITV, Sky, Miramax and Sister, her work spans psychological thrillers, period dramas, dark comedies and more.
She holds an MA in Design for Film and TV from the Royal College of Art, graduating with Distinction. Her career began in high-concept, immersive design for major international events, with early clients including Michael Jackson, George Michael, King Constantine of Greece and Elton John. This early foundation in set design for events evolved into production design for Tv and film, commercials and music videos.
Luana is known for her precise storytelling, deep research and visual originality. She has worked across 17 countries, designing worlds set from the 1880s to the near future. Her collaborations include acclaimed directors and producers such as Gary Oldman, Taylor Hackford, Will Sharpe, Russell T Davies, Chris Morris, Nicola Shindler, Mel Smith and Harlan Coben.
Whether recreating an Iraqi battlefield, a Victorian parlour, or a hyper-stylised contemporary world, Luana brings cinematic scale, detail and atmosphere to every project.
She leads large creative departments with clarity and purpose, overseeing every visual aspect of a production, including art direction, construction, props, graphics, vehicles, animals, SFX and VFX, while managing complex schedules and budgets to deliver ambitious designs at scale.
Selected Credits
- 39 Film and TV productions
- 96 Commercials
- 12 Music promos and editorial shoots
- 33 High-end immersive events
- 24 Private residential interiors
Awards
- Winner – Royal Television Society Craft & Design Award, It’s A Sin
- Nominee – British Film Designers Guild Award, It’s A Sin
- Nominee – Royal Television Society Craft & Design Award, Flowers
Award-Winning Productions
Luana has designed 14 screen productions that have been nominated for or won major awards, including BAFTAs for Best Drama or Film.
Notable titles include:
It’s A Sin, Stay Close, Everyone Else Burns, Flowers, Last Tango in Halifax, The Diary of Anne Frank, The Mark of Cain, My Kingdom, My Wrongs, Saltwater and Nil by Mouth.
Interior Design
Alongside her screen work, Luana is an accomplished interior designer with a cinematic eye for spatial storytelling. She has received six Houzz awards, including recognition for outstanding service to the public. Her residential interiors are bold, textural and immersive, a seamless extension of her design for screen.
Her interior design portfolio is featured separately on this site.
PUBLICITY
(Click image to read PDF)
“Thank you so much for doing Passenger, it’s looking fantastic – really distinctive and real at the same time. I love what you and the art department have done.”
Jane Featherstone – Producer
“Many thanks for your eye, what a talent, lets do it again.”
Gary Oldman Director / Writer / Producer
“I had the privilege of working with Luana and as an actor it is important to feel that the template that is being created will enhance your performance and film itself… Luana is a very talented designer and artist.”
Hugh Jackman – Actor
“It is both my professional and personal opinion that Luana is a designer with exceptional ability as well as being a great collaborator and team player.”
Taylor Hackford – Director / Producer
“Thank you, thank you to all of you. I think you’ve been absolutely magnificent. What a handsome show, I’m so proud of you and your teams and everything you achieved. Way beyond my wildest hopes. You’re wonderful.”
Russell T. Davies – Writer
“The sets were just perfect, the detail incredible … I remember those posters in my bedroom.”
Elton John
“From her very first pitch, Luana connected with our vision for Stay Close. Every environment she designed was full of characterful depth and specific detail, which brilliantly supported the story we were telling and the world we built. Having engaged so strongly with the script, her instincts along the way consistently supported and enhanced that vision. From the grounded affluence of Megan’s suburban home to the bold and distinctive cherry paint on the Vipers nightclub exterior and the incredible detail in war photographer Ray’s studio flat, Luana’s production design was an essential part of what made Stay Close so successful.”
Daniel O’Hara – Director
“Art dept was consistently strong right from kick off… and it just got better … it wasn’t just what you did but the way you did it … willing to pitch in and improvise on the spot in a way that energised the whole team. The sound of ludicrous cackles is always a great thing…thank you so much.”
Chris Morris – Director & Writer
“Luana brought great style and imagination .. a terrific member of the team … a very valuable asset to any project.”
Lyndia La Plante – Writer
“Luana became an invaluable ally in all the creative process. Her drawings were superb – imaginative and practical … superb at handling limitations of the budget without compromising our artistic intentions …she is delightful and immensely popular. Such fun, highly intelligent, engaged, modest, loyal and trustworthy on every level.”
Don Boyd – Director / Writer / Producer
“Luana Hanson was the production designer on the first series of Everyone Else Burns,” a Channel 4 scripted comedy produced by Jax Media. She is a talented and experienced designer who managed her team and budget well, and I would not hesitate to recommend her.”
Nicki Perkins – Line Producer
“Luana’s sets are like immersive installations with stories behind every detail. She and her team are all lovely too and brilliantly can-do. She’s got an amazing eye and sensibility and delivered amazingly at every location she had transformed. Thank you.”
Jamie Jay Johnson – Director
“Luana’s set design on all of our shows have been so clever and beautifully realised with attention detail and also an appreciation for the dramatic needs of the show.”
Nicola Schindler – Producer
“Luana designs and creates sets that feel like immersive experiences for the actors. The attention to detail is extraordinary. Every space is unique, world-building and a crucial aspect to defining a show’s overall tone and aesthetic and Luana goes above and beyond to achieve this.”
Molly Seymour – Producer, Everyone Else Burns Series 1 & 2
“I have worked with a number of different production designers on over 20 feature films and there are few designers that I would rate as highly as Luana, for her vision insight she brings to the script, as well as for her immense professional support and enthusiasm.”
Elinor Day – Producer
“Luana is a designer of great creative insight, high morale, an eye for detail with an outstanding work ethic. One would be crazy not to pass up the chance to work with her. A highly experienced and wonderful talent.”
Nicole Charles – Director, Passenger
“Luana is a great team player and leader; everyone that worked in her department was made to feel an important part of the creative effort …you would be very lucky to have her on board. Luana is a passionate, driven and talented lady.”
Deborra – Lee Furnace – Director / Writer
“Nothing has been beyond your talents and your imagination has been an inspiration …Thank you for lending us some large part of your talent.”
Norma Heyman – Producer
“Luana led a great team that was inspired by her knowledge and professionalism … it was a pleasure working with Luana she produced a great look both on location and in the studio … a supremely talented Production Designer.”
Adam Bohling – Producer
“Your tenacious attention to the finish and detail is what makes our sets look so special, I was very lucky to have you look after my vision … the end result is absolutely superb.”
John Byrne – Director / Writer / Artist
“To collaborate with someone who not only inspires their own team but also people in other departments is truly special. When you see that kind of quality, care and attention to detail, it really inspires everyone to do better work and really importantly it inspires ME ! I love working with people who up my game …. On top of that you were so much fun to work with – even when thing were incredibly difficult you somehow managed to stay positive and see the funny side – I really appreciated that and your team did too. Hope you are not too busy to work with me again.”
Nick Collett – Director
“Time and time again we were blown away by the incredible things we’ve seen on set …we cannot express how much we appreciate the effort and creativity you poured into every set and the detail.”
Oliver Taylor & Dillion Mapletoft – Writers
“Luana is one of the most talented and artistically gifted people I have ever had the pleasure to work with ….her positive attitude and enthusiasm for what she does is truly fantastic, she brings incredible skills and ideas to the projects….She is versatile, responsible with budgets issues and has a tremendous creative balance … and has a truly cinematic look and approach.”
Simon Fellow – Director
“I had the opportunity of working with Luana on Derek Jarman’s Edward II…Based on my judgement Luana is a Production Designer of outstanding talent, who is very highly regarded in the film making community, who is also known to be a team player.”
Steve Clark Hall – Producer