Meet Rhea Michelle D’Souza | Production Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rhea Michelle D’Souza and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rhea Michelle, what do you attribute your success to?
Success is always difficult to define. For a long time I was attracted to the moving target of my perception of it, which only resulted in my being in a constant state of anxiety. Someone once told me that we tend to live in the anxiety of our future and the guilt of our past. While that may always hold true because of the society we are set up to live in, I have tried to find my success in the present. I think of the films that I design as raising a child. From reading the script and the inception of ideas, to nurturing, sharing and realizing designs it requires so much patience and bodily effort. Such an important part of film-making is breathing life into these characters and the spaces they occupy. Giving every piece a history of its own, which together forms a subtle biography of the character it houses. I do believe that anything we put our soul and love into will be successful. I definitely talk to the props and the furniture (this is definitely going to be problematic in my old age), very much like you would talk to a plant to make it healthy. And although my horticulture skills are far from successful (after managing to kill multiple cacti) I think my success comes from pouring honesty and heart in the work and allowing it to come together. Also by knowing that there is no way I can do my job without the collaboration of the entire team who are all working towards the same goal. I think when we all agree to trust each other and ourselves, that’s when the most beautiful work can happen!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Designing sets for movies was always so fascinating to me. To create a world which seems fictional but is really just honest. I grew up in Mumbai, India and was constantly surrounded by a million layers of texture, color, pattern and design – I loved it. The noise, the dust, the smells all contribute to the character of a place and it was not for me to make an aesthetic judgement, but to simply connect with every part of it and understand its place in that environment. My undergraduate studies was a combination of western design along with traditional Indian arts and I found myself merging the two in my mind. I love playing with pattern and texture when I design especially diving into specific cultures and time periods. I have been lucky to work with great designers, so many of them women, who inspired me and helped me become a stronger artist. I always suffered from very low self confidence but I had chosen to be in a business where I was my own brand and I did not know how to sell myself. Taking time for myself at grad school in NYU Tisch helped with that enormously. I was working constantly on short films and enjoying them thoroughly. It helped me understand the kind of designer I wanted to be and the stories I wanted to tell.
The idea of a new challenge is intoxicating. Every project or phase of my life is a new game to play, a riddle to solve. I realized very early on that I thrive when the job is challenging and this throws my life off-balance. I think a part of this stems from my being a woman and people around me thinking I cannot do a task even if it is just lifting a heavy piece of furniture. In some way this sparked a raging fire in me at the beginning to prove that I was capable. As I went through my career, the pressure of the work decreased when I didn’t need to prove myself but just trust that I can do it with the team I have around me.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My favorite thing to do in New York is to watch the rest of New York run around while I sip on my Iced Tea and slowly chew on my mini chocolate Croissant (from Breads Bakery). Anyone visiting me in my Brooklyn apartment will be coerced into strolling over for some great wood oven pizza at Seraghina and walk away incredibly satisfied with a loaf of their fresh crusty bread for next morning’s breakfast (or that nights 2 am snack). A post-Covid day would include a show at St. Anne’s warehouse in DUMBO and a walk along the river. Thrift shopping is the new treasure hunting and I can spend hours at Beacon’s Closet, Housing Works or Cure Thrift Shop (in Manhattan) among others. A day trip up to the museum Dia Beacon is such a great way to be close to the city but completely away from the craziness of it. A window seat on the train looking over the river is a must for the most scenic train ride ever (definitely a bonus if it’s snowing). Artechouse in Chelsea, The Morgan Library and the Museum of Moving Image are some of my favorite Galleries in the city and they constantly have new shows to look out for! Nights are all about exploring some backyard bars with good vibes and great drinks. I can’t have someone come by and not visit Do or Dive, Franklin Park and Chavelas (their pitcher of Margaritas can turn the even worst nights pretty great). Oh and we are subway-ing and walking everywhere, so your feet better love living in your shoes.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I was very lucky to begin my career in India while still in undergrad with the help of some fantastic Production Designers like Dhara Jain, Bindiya Chhabria, Suzanne Merwanji and so many others who were great mentors and encouraged me to pursue this dream of doing a masters at NYU Tisch Design for Stage and Film. My 3 years at NYU has help me grow in ways I am still learning. I will be forever grateful for the unimaginable support of the faculty and students I have had the great fortune of meeting here.

Website: rheadsouzadesign.com

Instagram: @rheaaa24

Image Credits
Jana Schuessler Isabel Padilla Khalea Ross Robinson Pedro Tamames Lina Younes