In the worlds crafted by Jordanian production designer Reem AlShaini, space is never passive. Her environments are not just built—they’re composed, with a deep sensitivity to memory, texture, and atmosphere. Across independent cinema, commercial work, and international productions, Reem approaches each project with a sharp narrative eye and a deep sensitivity to space.

Growing up in Amman—a city layered with history, improvisation, and shifting light—Reem developed an early awareness of how environments hold feeling. Her foundation in architecture gave her the tools to understand space structurally, but it was lived experience that shaped her creative voice.

“It’s not just one influence,” she says. “It’s everything—growing up in the Middle East, traveling, seeing how people live, learning from art, history, architecture, cinema… All of that shapes how I see space and what I want it to express.”

Her design perspective is rooted in a wide field of reference. Time spent moving between regions, cultures, and languages has informed how she reads space—not just as a backdrop, but as a narrative force. Arab cinema introduced her to the expressive power of silence and restraint, but her influences span continents: vernacular architecture, modernist design, ruins, ritual, contemporary art.
“I’m interested in what spaces remember,” she explains. “The emotional residue of a wall, a doorway, a surface worn down by time or use. That speaks louder to me than anything decorative.”

Before pursuing her MFA at the American Film Institute, Reem had already built a diverse body of work—working on short films, independent features, and high-scale commercial projects. These experiences sharpened her ability to translate ideas into emotionally resonant visual worlds under varied and often complex conditions. Her architectural training supported this range, while her cross-cultural awareness deepened the emotional logic of her designs.

Working in the U.S. marked an inflection point in her career. Immersed in a new creative environment and collaborating with international filmmakers, she refined her process through high-level production environments. Her thesis film, PATAKHA—a recreation of an Indian firecracker factory—was nominated for the 45th College Television Awards, presented by the Television Academy Foundation. For Reem, the project was a defining moment in her U.S. career, reflecting her ability to lead complex design work with cultural sensitivity and artistic clarity.

“We designed every detail with intention, rooted in research and cultural respect,” she says. “And every decision came out of creative dialogue.”

That collaborative, deeply researched approach has carried through to her professional projects. As Art Director on The Stand (Tribeca Film Festival) and Production Designer on Emigre Americana (Palm Springs International ShortFest), Reem brought an unmistakable sense of texture and emotional depth to the screen. Her work has been recognized by leading industry platforms, establishing her as a production designer working at a high level within the U.S. and international film industries.

Her sets feel lived-in, specific, and emotionally legible—worlds that hold complexity, not just surface.

“I don’t believe in neutral space,” she says. “Even the emptiest room tells you something—what’s missing, what was lost, what’s about to change.”

Now working internationally, Reem continues to design environments that bridge cultures, histories, and cinematic traditions. Whether creating intimate interiors or expansive visual worlds, she remains grounded in a belief that production design isn’t about spectacle—it’s about truth. Her creative leadership and distinct visual voice position her as a rising force in production design.