NEW WAVE SOUTH ASIAN EDITION PART 3 - AVNI GOYAL X RELIZA SHRESTHA X RAHIL KOSHTI

Demystifying art department - A panel of South Asian Production Design Professionals curated by Parul Sondh for International Production Design Week.
Focusing solely on South Asian Production Design Professionals working in their home countries or abroad, this conversation is an attempt to represent the new generation who has gone against traditional career choices and rigid societal structures to navigate work on their own terms. It is also an attempt to demystify working in cinema, specifically art department and to bring forward the beauty of creating worlds.

PART 3 - AVNI GOYAL X RELIZA SHRESTHA X RAHIL KOSHTI
Art Department (or lack of) in Nepal, Concept Art, Typography for set textures, Working on field , few things we chat about in this final session.


Meet The Participants -

AVNI GOYAL
PRODUCTION DESIGNER | CONCEPT ARTIST

Avni graduated in BA (Hons) Set Design for Screen from Wimbledon College of Arts, London in 2018. During her time in London, she designed an exhibition space for the BFI’s ‘India on Film’ (images attached) summer festival and assisted Geraldine Pilgrim to create a site-specific performance of Macbeth with 16–17-year-old students through University of the Arts’ outreach program.

Soon after her return to India, she designed her first feature film Gamak Ghar (2019), directed by Achal Mishra which went on to win many awards and accolades at various film festivals, and was even screened at the Museum of Modern Art, New York.

For the next four years, she assisted Subrata Chakraborty and Amit Ray on several films including Mimi (2021), Gangubai Kathiwadi (2022) and, most recently, the upcoming Netflix web series Heeramandi, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

She has also assisted Takis, a London-based theatre set and costume designer on many stage productions. Most recently she created the concept art for his costume designs for A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2023) at the Shakespeare’s Globe, London.

Avni co-founded @storey_studio, with her sister and architect Aditi Goyal, a multidisciplinary design studio for architecture, interior and set design for film & theatre.

Production design is so innately multidisciplinary in its nature, she is excited to bring this holistic approach to her independent practice, whether the space to be designed is in a studio, on stage or is someone’s home.


RELIZA SHRESTHA
PRODUCTION DESIGNER [NEPAL]

Reliza’s journey started as a model/ actor in music videos while pursuing her graduation. On set, she got interested in the process of filmmaking specifically decor and aesthetics.

She then worked as an assistant director on several projects to understand the cinematic process, the various departments and found an affinity towards production design.

She has worked on a Nepali web series - Pariwartan, short films - Aasha, Aama ko Tihari. In advertising, her portfolio includes 7up, Thums Up etc.and she has designed a Nepali feature film - Maya.

Though Production design is her primary focus, she also does a bit of direction and cinematography.

Having worked in Nepal on a project this year, it was interesting to chat with Reliza on the presence or lack of art department.

Part 3

RAHIL KOSHTI
GRAPHIC DESIGNER

For the final session of @newwavesouthasianedition, I speak with Rahil, a new entrant to the world of cinematic design.

A curious graphic designer with a history of seven years in the graphic industry, Rahil’s educational foundation includes the Indian School of Design and Innovation the GLS Institute of Design, & The Riverside School.

His primary areas of specialisation encompass branding and identity design, as well as website design and development and has also delved into the realm of game design.

In his own words - ‘Recently, I've pivoted my focus towards production design for the film industry, with notable contributions to a feature film directed by Konstantin Bojanov, an Amazon web series, and an IQOO mobiles commercial. Additionally, my passion for technology has led me to collaborate with SolarpunkDAO, a blockchain-based climate solution project.

A new entrant to the world of cinematic, we talk about typography and textures.



ABOUT THE CURATOR -
Parul Sondh is an Indian Production Designer and visual artist based in Paris. Her feature work has premiered in varied sections of Cannes – Titli (un certain regard, 2014), Monsieur (semaine de la critique, 2018), Agra (quinzaine des cinéastes, 2023) and other film festivals. She was awarded Filmfare, Industry award (César Indian equivalent) in 2018 for her work on the feature film Daddy. Her series work, Kohrra is streaming on Netflix worldwide.
Website - www.parulsondh.com