Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashutosh Rokade.
Hi Ashutosh, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I come from a city called Pune in India. I was born in a family of artists and I had a creative upbringing. I was always drawn towards art and enjoyed drawing. Initially, I aspired to be a fine artist, but my parents suggested that I could learn on my own rather than spending five years in formal education. Taking their advice, I studied architecture. I loved creating visuals based off a concept and the idea of adding a spatial element to those designs is what pushed me to pursue architecture for my undergraduate studies. Halfway through the program, I realized that architecture was more technical than it was creative and it didn’t align with my long-term career aspirations. In search of a more creative field, I turned to production design. I had worked for a few theatre plays in the set department in my junior college and that further fueled my interest in production design. I had also worked as a freelance visual artist from a young age.
After my graduation, I worked for a few Indian films in the art department. A year later, I moved to the United States to pursue my master’s degree in production design from Savannah College of Art and Design. During my time at SCAD, I worked on numerous short films as a production designer. One of the highlights was being selected for an internship on the feature film “May-December,” directed by Todd Haynes and starring renowned actors like Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore, and Charles Melton. The film was screened at the Cannes Film Festival 2023 and set to release in theaters later this year. Another memorable experience was leading the production design for two short films shot on an XR stage in Atlanta.
After completing my master’s degree, I applied to and was accepted into the Production Design Initiative by the Art Director’s Guild (ADG). Additionally, I discovered my interest in themed entertainment design during my studies and have been expanding my scope of work in that field. Recently, I became a member of Slice Creative Network, a platform for freelancers in the themed entertainment industry.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’ve had my fair share of struggles especially when I decided to move to the US for my post graduation. For anyone who comes from a middle-class Indian family, being able to afford higher education in a foreign country is challenging. However, with the support of my family and a generous scholarship from SCAD after reviewing my portfolio, I managed to overcome this obstacle. Additionally, moving to a new country and being away from my family initially felt daunting. But I was fortunate enough to meet some amazing people here who helped me adapt quickly and feel at home.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a designer at heart. I primarily work in production design, visual art, and architecture. I specialize in designing for projects ranging from films and theater to architecture and themed entertainment design. As a visual artist, I have handled projects involving graphic design, illustrations, paintings, murals, comic book art and more.
Among my projects, I am most proud of an XR stage short film where I served as the lead production designer. The narrative was fantastical, a genre I particularly enjoy working with. Designing the set pieces and props was a fulfilling experience. The execution part came with its own challenges, but it all worked out perfectly at the end.
I believe my education in architecture and a strong background in visual art is what sets me apart. This combination allows me to design with maximum creativity while ensuring that my designs are both innovative and feasible for execution.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, art played a central role in shaping my personality. I was constantly drawing, painting, or trying to create something. My father is an artist and I used to watch him work and help him out with his projects. This gave me a comprehensive understanding of various mediums, tools and materials. I had a deep fascination for other art forms, such as music and dance, and I was particularly intrigued by Indian classical dance forms. Whenever I discovered something inspiring, I tried to express it on paper in my own interpretation. I kept learning and improving through this process.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ashutoshrokade.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashutosh.rokade/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashutosh-rokade-/
