We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sharvari Bhat. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sharvari below.
Sharvari, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
I was probably 7 years old when I had decided to become an interior designer. Something about designing spaces and decorating homes was exciting to me. Around the same time, I was also watching a lot of Indian cinema, particularly Hindi films from the 90s and early 00s. I found myself developing an interest in how a character’s space could convey and enhance their emotions. So naturally I started watching more films, paying close attention to how a set was decorated and that was basically how I became interested in pursuing an artistic path. It began with an aspiration to become a Production Designer. When I worked in the art department for theater productions, I was exposed to the other leadership roles on creative projects. I noticed that I enjoyed logistics and planning when it related to a creative endeavor. I felt passionate about assembling and coordinating all the moving parts to make a story come to life”. So that’s how I found my path towards creative producing, which is what I am currently working towards.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I am a Creative Producer from Pune, India, currently based in New York City. I received a dual degree in Film & Television and Psychology from Boston University. During undergrad, I did a lot of theater; I directed, stage managed, and tech directed stage plays for a theater group called Wandering Minds. I later went on to become the President of the theater group in 2020 and was a part of pivoting the club’s strategy to put up online plays and showcases during the pandemic.
I recently completed an MFA in Creative Producing from Columbia University’s School of the Arts. Through Columbia University I have produced over 10 short films and my projects have been generously supported by Panavision, NY Women’s Fund, From The Heart Productions, The Film Collaborative, and The Gotham Film Institute. My most recent film, Sink, screened at the 47th Asian American International Film Festival. I worked as a Production & Post-Production Assistant in branded content at Piro earlier this year. Over the summer, I produced my first feature film – an absurdist comedy of manners. I am currently working as a Production Intern Trainer at The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. I move to LA in January 2025 and I’m looking forward to making new friends and meeting new collaborators!
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
This is such a vague answer, but I really wish I had known that people want to collaborate with you just as much as you do. I was always very hesitant about putting myself out there and asking for work. But this industry is built on relationships and the more you speak about your skills and interests, the more people will approach you for collaborations or work. If I could go back in time, I would engage in more meaningful networking with my peers in the industry.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
Currently, life feels so uncertain because I am moving across the country to a city I have visited a handful of times. My immediate goal is to meet new people in the creative field and make meaningful connections. I also want to experience working on a big studio film or television set, to learn and observe how that machinery functions. A long term mission I have is to adapt one of my favorite rom-com YA novels into a feature film and hopefully make it with a brown girl playing the lead character. I can’t tell you the name of the novel because I don’t want anyone to purchase the rights before me.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharvariibhatt/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharvari-bhat-7a1091127/
