Meet Palash Gandhi

We were lucky to catch up with Palash Gandhi recently and have shared our conversation below.

Palash, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?

I’m someone who finds inspiration in the smallest details of my surroundings—whether it’s a tiny object or a stroll through an old town in a city. Everything around me tells a story, and I love studying the patterns that emerge. I like staying curious and observant, which keeps my creativity alive, embracing new experiences, and staying open to the world’s little wonders.

Films don’t exist in isolation. They draw from real-life stories, architecture, and sometimes even surreal, imaginary worlds. Inspiration can come from anywhere.
For me, much of my creative process is shaped by the worlds I explore through games and animated films, where I dive into imaginative universes filled with unique characters. I’m drawn to opportunities that let me mix genres, disrupt traditional storytelling structures, and play with unconventional visual styles. It’s risky, but those risks can spark the next big creative breakthrough.

The film is inherently collaborative. Working with a diverse group of writers, directors, cinematographers, editors, producers, and actors opens the door to fresh perspectives and innovative ideas. I believe in the power of feedback from fellow filmmakers or even the audience. It’s often through these discussions that new angles and hidden opportunities emerge.

On weekends, I immerse myself in films from various cultures, each offering different storytelling techniques. I also take time to step back and let my creativity breathe, collecting movie snippets, spending hours on Pinterest, and playing games. I end up creating mood boards, constantly referencing and piecing together inspiration for future projects.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am a designer passionate about crafting spaces that narrate stories through the visuals I create, transforming them into unforgettable experiences for the end user. With a deep interest in design, I graduated in 2018 with a degree in Architecture from Mumbai, India, and then pursued my Master’s in Production Design at the Savannah College of Art and Design. This journey has allowed me to refine my artistic abilities and expand my creative horizons, merging my architectural foundation with the expansive world of visual storytelling in filmmaking.

I am inspired by the words of renowned architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe: “God is in the details.” In the fast-paced realm of Production Design and the Film Industry, where time and money are constantly at stake, the challenge of crafting a new world within tight deadlines is ever-present. Creating environments that maintain architectural authenticity while ensuring every detail aligns with the story is both challenging and exhilarating. This balance of precision and creativity makes the entire process feel both surreal and thrilling.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Reflecting on my journey, I believe that attention to detail is one of the most vital qualities of storytelling. Every element, from props to architectural spaces, conveys a character’s essence and communicates how they experience or have experienced the environment. Additionally, film and spatial design is inherently a collaborative process, requiring the ability to adapt and work within a team. The designer should be receptive to feedback and willing to adjust the design to suit the character’s story, the brand’s needs, finances, or any other circumstances.

Designing for film demands a unique blend of creativity and practicality. Another crucial lesson I’ve learned is the importance of conveying a narrative through multiple layers of design. Both the character and the camera must be able to navigate and interact with the space, allowing the environment to become an active participant in storytelling. To build depth in any scene, it’s vital to craft a cohesive relationship between the foreground, midground, and background, ensuring each layer works harmoniously to support the character’s narrative.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?

Rather than a single book, I would attribute my expanded understanding of design and storytelling in film to the works of Hayao Miyazaki (Studio Ghibli) and Satoshi Kon. Their films have been instrumental in broadening my creative perspective and approach.

As Hayao Miyazaki aptly puts it, “The creation of a single world comes from a huge number of fragments and chaos.” This profound idea has deeply influenced my understanding of how complexity and seemingly chaotic elements can come together to form cohesive and captivating surreal narratives.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://palashgandhi.myportfolio.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/palashgandhi23/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/palash-gandhi-4266a3258/