We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rupali Ingle a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Rupali, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
As a child, I was into sports and art. Being in sports helped me to fuel up my drive and learn to accept the defeat as well learn to appreciate the win. It made me a tough cookie! The strength and the confidence that I possess today comes from my own belief in myself. We need to start from believing in ourselves, because if we don’t then how will anyone else believe in us. Accepting and knowing what we truly are and finding our soul’s true calling really helps in making dreams come true. I have mostly always been the youngest in the several rooms that I had the privilege of being a part of and I think the key is to stop comparing yourself to others. Every person’s journey is unique. You need to work super hard to get close to where you wish to hit the mark. ‘Why fit in when you were born to stand out? ‘ was one of the quotes on a billboard that I happened to cross my path by several years ago and since then has always encouraged me to find my individuality, my creative sense of style as I knew that it is what sets me apart from the rest. I am not like them or anyone else, I am me and I am proud of that.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am a quirky visualizer who loves to dive deep into imaginative fantasy worlds full of vibrant colors and dimensions creating interesting spaces for the characters of a story. I am currently a participant in the BAFTA Newcomers Program as a Production Designer based in LA and I am also a member of the Art directors Guild Local 800 as an Assistant Art Director which I joined in 2022. I am working my way up and I aspire to become a Production Designer. As an Assistant Art Director, I am a part of the Art Department who is responsible for bringing ideas to life. A production designer imagines and designs the world in which a story takes place whether it’s in Film or TV. The design holds the key to transport the audience in different worlds and timelines. It is my dream to design a world that the world hasn’t seen before.
The most fun part of being a production designer is that ‘Every time there is a new story and you get to imagine and bring that story to life with your environment. I feel as a production designer, I get to paint my ideas on a much bigger canvas and I can’t wait to work on all the exciting projects coming my way. I absolutely love fantasy movies as I feel they are more fun, there is a challenge in coming up with something new and there’s more creative freedom for a designer.”
My credits include the hit Fox show ‘9-1-1’ S6 and ‘Star Trek Picard : The Final Season’ as an Assistant Art Director. I have won and been nominated for several ‘Best Production Design’ awards for my short films ‘A Yemeni’ and ‘La Casita de la Mariposa’ as a Production Designer. I graduated with a Masters in Production Design from Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, Chapman University in 2021 where I was a fellowship recipient.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Well, I think the important quality is to be passionate about whatever you wanna be or do. Curiosity goes a long way and everyone loves being in company with someone who is enthusiastic and is ready to learn.
Be ready to learn. Everyone starts somewhere, no one is born with all the knowledge in the world. There is a first time for everything. Being humble and letting others know that you are new and are open to learning is very helpful. Making a mistake is acceptable but learning to correct it is the key.
Reaching out to people. I didn’t know anyone when I came here in California to work in Hollywood. Absolutely no one. I am the first from my family to get a Masters in the USA. I kept working hard on my portfolio and just kept reaching out to people and letting them know that I wanted to work in the art department and I aspire to join the Union as an Assistant Art Director. People can only help you when you know what you want and have the potential to go further in the Industry. I was lucky enough to find three amazing Mentors along the way.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
There are a lot of people who have channeled me in the right direction to become who I am today with obviously such a long way ahead. I don’t want to name anyone in particular but want to bring focus on every single person who believed in me and decided to take a chance on me. People who trusted me and gave me my first opportunities to learn and grow stronger.
My internship experience in the Bollywood movie ‘Kedarnath’ helped me find my calling for Production Design. My time at Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, Chapman University helped me to develop the skills and portfolio to step further and get a head start in the industry.
My practical work experience in Hollywood so far has helped in practically applying all the skills that I had developed at Chapman to real life projects. I am in fact just getting started in the industry and I can’t wait to work on more exciting projects coming my way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://rupaliingle5.wixsite.com/ringle
- Other: BAFTA Newcomers Program https://www.bafta.org/supporting-talent/meet-the-us-newcomers-#rupali-ingle
Image Credits
Xuerui (Joy) Wang – Cinematographer ‘La Casita De La Mariposa’ Gülnigar Ralph-Nurhikim – Cinematographer ‘A Yemeni’
