Andy McDonell began working on theatre and film in 1999. Setting about gathering broad experiences in props and model making, set building, sculpting and special effects working on Theft of Sita, Olympic Opening Ceremony, Yeperena Festival, Ned, Farscape, Kangaroo Jack,

The Matrix, The Fountian, Starwars and Stealth before disappearing for a year to help build a straw bale house somewhere.  

In 2005 he began a Bachelor of Theatre Design at NIDA designing for Mountain Language - Harold Pinter, Three Sisters - Anton Chekov, Antony and Cleopatra - William Shakespeare and Private Life of the Master Race - Bertolt Brecht too graduate with a William Fletcher Trust Grant in 2007.

While still at NIDA he also set designed Carmen - Georges Bizet (at the Sydney Theatre) and since has production designed The Bee-  Hideki Noda (Darlinghurst Theatre), You Cant Buy My Soul - Kev Carmody and Brendan Fletcher (State Theatre for Sydney Festival), My Name is Rachel Corrie - Rachel Corrie (Downstairs Belvior) and the upcoming feature film Mad Bastards - Brendan Fletcher (Due for release 2009).