Luminary production designer
Riya Vaidya, an LA-based production designer and art director, is a respected name in the film and media sphere, with an artistic vision fueled by curiosity, conscience, and optimism. A natural genre-hopper with an intuitive understanding of human nature and an empathetic eye, is drawn to eclectic narratives, magical worlds, and heartfelt stories which hold complexity and humor, often centered around characters who feel strange or out of place, working to decode, connect, and feel empowered in their weird and wild universe.
Her early work in the film industry started in the costume department in India, on an untitled comedy web series pilot starring popular Indian comedy & music duo, JordIndian. This was followed by work on a commercial for White House Menswear, with acclaimed art director & celebrity stylist Nidhi Rajain.
With an undergraduate background in industrial design, an MFA in Production Design from the American Film Institute, and a lifelong love for the arts, Riya's receptivity for exploring & charting the unknown forms the foundation of her skills & ever-expanding perspective.
Riya's outstanding production design work has been recognized and exhibited widely; most recently for the short film âDead Girl' - which premiered at AFI Fest in 2024, and won the Best Direction award at the LGBT Los Angeles Film Festival. Her talents were displayed across multiple cities in North America & in India, with âDead Girl' being an official selection and screening at prestigious film festivals, which include the Chicago Horror Film Festival, one of the top global horror film festivals and launchpads for indie filmmakers, and South Asia's biggest LGBTQ+ film festival, Kashish Pride Film Festival in Mumbai.
Additional noteworthy selections for âDead Girl' include the Independent Shorts Awards, LGBTQ+ Toronto & Los Angeles Film Festival 2025, and OutSouth Queer Film Festival 2025 in North Carolina. OutSouth Queer Film Festival is regarded as one of the most influential queer film festivals in the US and the world, indicative of the sweeping impact of Riya's artistic finesse. The film was also awarded with the Exceptional Merit title at LGBTQ Unordered International Film Festival, and nominated for the âBest Short Film' at the LA Indies Film Festival.
Riya also designed the short film âBorders', an official selection for Aperture International Film Festival in Atlanta. Another significant film in her repertoire is 'Sà «nna', in which she imbued the sets with delicate depth and background detail as the art director. âSà «nna' directed by Radha Mehta, was supported by the 2024 Julia S Gouw film grant, and presented by Janet Yang Productions & the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment.
Other films elevated by Riya's prowess in the art department include: âLady Parts' - as set dresser & special effects master, screened at over a dozen festivals including the Seattle International Film Festival, and âBehold A Lady' - as property master & set dresser, which was showcased and awarded at the Newark Black Film Festival. She was also the production designer for the proof-of-concept film for the feature film âKissinger Takes Paris', with director Jeff Stanzler.
Riya's production design and art direction work spans across multiple formats - shorts, commercials, music videos, and series. More information on her work & visuals are available on the website: www.riyavaidya.art
