Meet Rupali Ingle | Quirky Production Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rupali Ingle and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rupali, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
Hailing from India and being a Bollywood buff, My favorite quote of all time is a very famous dialogue from the 2007 hit Bollywood – Hindi movie ‘Om Shanti Om’ said by one of the biggest superstars of all time Shah Rukh Khan. “Itni Shiddat se maine tumhe paane ki koshish ki hai, ke har zarre ne mujhe tumse Milane ki saazish ki hai. Kehte hain ki…agar kisi cheez ko dil se chaaho to puri kayanat usey tumse milane ki koshish mein lag jaati hai.” Which translates to the below in English –
I have tried so hard to get you, that every ounce of me has conspired to unite me with you. It is said that…if you love something with all your heart, the entire universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.

This is my go to quote which inspires me not only in my career but life in general and has really pushed me to keep dreaming and work hard until I can turn my goals/dreams into reality. If you believe in spirituality, this quote talks about manifestation. I believe in the divine power which always works in our favor no matter how tough it gets and is always watching over, supporting us in fulfilling our mission/ purpose here on earth. I think we should all go after what we want fearlessly, put in the efforts and ultimately surrender to the universe who will make it happen for us in divine timing. So Yaa , I’ll keep following my crazy dreams until they manifest in reality.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a quirky production designer 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 recently got selected as an Artisan Fellow for Women in Film LA as a Production Designer which I am super excited about. I was also one of the panelist at San Diego Comic Con 2023 for ‘Women of the Hollywood Art department’ Panel. I am also currently a participant in the BAFTA Newcomers Program as a Production Designer and I am also a member of the Art directors Guild Local 800 as an Assistant Art Director. I am working my way up and I aspire to become a Production Designer for Film & TV. 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. What sets me apart is ‘Me’. Another jaw dropping dialogue from a 2007 superhit Bollywood movie ‘Jab we met’ said by the amazing Kareena Kapoor Khan – “ Mein Apni favorite hoon” which translates in english to “I am my favourite”. So I believe there is no one else like me and that’s my selling point. So I embrace my inner unicorn. Haha! My credits include the hit Fox show ‘9-1-1’ S6, ‘Star Trek Picard : The Final Season’, ‘Abbott Elementary S1’, feature film ‘White Men Can’t Jump 2023 and Bollywood Movie ‘Kedarnath’. 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 can’t wait to share more exciting projects which I worked on in the past couple of months as a Production Designer in near future.
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. This gave me the required skillset to work in the art department here in Hollywood. Right after graduation, I got my first job on ‘Abbott Elementary’ Season 1. Since then, I have learned and worked my way up and have been lucky to work on some really cool projects. The major lesson which I have learnt so far is that there are always going to be challenges, but we should just keep pursuing our goals no matter what. The trick is not give up at any point and try our best. I think the rest will follow….

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Some of my favorite spots to visit would first be Dodge College of film and Media Arts, Chapman University where I graduated from in Orange, CA. So I would definitely take my best friend to a special place where I started my journey from. For mouthwatering desert and fantastic view, my top favorite is Orange Hill Restaurant where everyone needs to have the sticky toffee pudding. Visiting Disneyland would definitely be a priority as I absolutely love it. In LA, I would suggest exploring ‘The Getty Center’ which has an excellent view and great inspiring art exhibitions going on throughout the year. I really loved ‘Tim Walker’s Wonderful things exhibition over there. Taking an Angels Flight is another must do along with visiting ‘The Broad Museum’ which is just across the street. Another gemstone would be to visit ‘The Museum of Jurassic Technology’ which would be my top favorite in LA amongst the rest and you should definitely try the tea that they serve hot at the top. Another must do would be to see a concert at ‘Hollywood Bowl’. In terms of restaurants, my top choices are Formosa Café, Yamashiro for breathtaking view of LA, Paradise Biryani Pointe and Bhookhe restaurant, Artesia for amazing Indian food. Also, The Ugly Mug, Burbank for some great muffins and their special unicorn/rainbow coffee. Another must visit would be the Malibu Pier and ‘BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir – Temple , Chino Hills. I think everyone should visit it just to get a glimpse of the astonishing architecture of this holy temple. I just love San Diego, so a two day trip to it would be perfect exploring San Diego Museum, the Zoo and restaurant’s like The Marine Room and Wolfie’s carousel Bar are my top favorite.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
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. For me, It’s always the first chances/experiences which are most special as they are the foundation of what comes next. I have had the privilege of having brilliant Mentors who believed in me and ignited this fire within me 10x more. They are the ones who gave me the guidance which I needed the most to fulfill my goals professionally. 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. Apart from my mentors, I would like to thank my parents who have supported me especially my father, who really believes in me and gives me the freedom to just do what I want. I have always been a very stubborn child who was very clear in terms of the directions / choices that I wanted to make so I think he gave up thinking there is no point. She will ultimately do what she wants! Lol 

Website: https://www.rupaliingle.com

Image Credits
Art Directors Guild, Paramount Plus ‘Star Trek Picard : The Final Season and Fox – ‘911’ season Six.