We recently connected with Mehdi Bennani and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Mehdi thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I first learned about Production Design and the importance of the Art Department in film and TV through a class I took at the University of Southern California. I had struggled for 2 years in Architecture school and switched from a 5-year program to a 4-year program, knowing that I didn’t want to become an architect, but having no clue what else I could do. Since I had no more studio classes, I focused on finding electives I would enjoy. Classes like acting, art, art history, film… until I stumbled upon a class called Introduction to Art Direction. I was immediately hooked. With the background and skills I had learned in architecture, and my passion for film, I knew this was the path I wanted to take. In that class, the professor would make us work on different scripts and make us design sets, build models, research, do presentations, and also meet people from the industry. One of the first times I felt starstruck was when Deborah Riley, production designer of the last 5 seasons of Game of Thrones, came to talk to us in class.

After I graduated from USC, I knew that this was what I wanted to do. I started as a volunteer production assistant in the art department on small school shorts, until Tayo Amos, who recently directed an episode of Chicago Fire, gave me a shot as a production designer for her master’s degree thesis project. Back then, I didn’t have any experience in the field besides assisting. It was challenging but it turned out good for a first project. After that, I knew I needed to learn more, so I decided to apply for the production design master’s program at the American Film Institute. There, I was able to learn in-depth everything there is to know about production design and filmmaking.

At the end of the program, I designed 2 thesis projects and co-designed another, which have all been selected for screening in different festivals. I still have so much to learn but I am happy I found what I wanted to do in the end.

Mehdi, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am half French, half Moroccan, I was born and raised in Morocco with both cultures surrounding me. From a very young age, I was fascinated by movies but also by filmmaking. When I was little, my dream was to become an actor, because I loved creating characters and worlds that I would immerse myself in while playing make-believe. In high school, I got more into learning about filmmaking as an art, and almost 15 years later, I am proud to be a filmmaker myself as a production designer.

The production designer’s job is to create the world in which the characters live or to which they travel. The designer is the head of the art department. Almost everything that the characters touch or interact with, whether it is on a studio set or a location, falls under the responsibility of the art department. As a production designer, I work in close collaboration with the director and the cinematographer to design everything that surrounds the characters. The goal of this collaboration is for us to work towards the same vision of the film. Once there is a clear vision of the film that is shared by all, the designer will guide their team in realizing that vision. Good production design can only be achieved if we work as a team with all the different departments working on the project.

My favorite part of the job is to work on the details of a set or a location. If we are working in a house, it needs to show who lives there, the characters’ personalities, backgrounds, and hobbies, to make it feel lived in, even if it is not written in a script. The house can show the characters’ entire lives even without them there.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I think for me the most rewarding aspect is to do what I love and be proud of the work I did. Whether the movie does well or not, the fact that I put all of my efforts into doing the best job I could do brings me pride. I couldn’t see myself working in a 9 to 5 job that didn’t require being creative or making art. I’ve always loved creating art from a very young age. I used to draw and paint a lot. I am always looking to learn more and gain more skills in different aspects of the job that I have. For example, I have always been fascinated with Concept Art as a step of designing, and although I don’t consider myself good at it, I want to keep learning and add it to my skills. Another rewarding aspect of the job is to make good connections with people who are kind and as passionate as you. This business is mostly about connections, and one thing I learned is that if you are kind, people will want to keep working with you, and when everyone is kind, the job feels a lot easier for everyone.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Since my first job as a production designer, I have made it my goal to work on as many projects that talk about underrepresented voices. Coming from an Arab and Muslim background, it is part of me to want to show the different cultures that surround us here in the US. Although there have been some improvements in Hollywood, we are still very far from an equal representation of all of these cultures. So working towards that goal is fulfilling because everyone deserves to be seen and heard; everyone deserves their stories to be told.

Contact Info:

• Website: mbennanidesign.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mb.onsets/