Doing Both: Art, Film, and Building Worlds with Aaliyah Shae

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Join the noseyAF Dispatch 📬 At the end of the month, your inbox gets a little happier — all the month's noseyAF episodes sent straight to you. → Subscribe to the noseyAF Dispatch This conversation was recorded Live at Lumpen Radio on Saturday May 9th, 2026 Ep #113: Doing Both: Art, Film, and Building Worlds with Aaliyah Shae Summary This episode is for everyone who's ever looked at a film set and wondered who put that there, and why it matters. Aaliyah Shae is a Chicago-based production designer, photographer, and painter whose work is all about building worlds that feel lived in and deeply human.

We talk about production design, what it actually means to create a "false reality" on screen, and how the small details, a hair tie on a nightstand, height markers on a door frame, are what make a story real. We also dig into Aaliyah's community work with the People's Panther Party, a Pilsen-based mutual aid organization she helped launch just before Halloween, and what it looks like when art and activism melt into one.

Chapters 00:00 — Introduction to the Episode 00:36 — Exploring Design and Creativity 20:33 — The Art of Storytelling Through Design 33:55 — Community Engagement and Activism 53:16 — People's Panther Party Updates & Free People's Press Launch What We Talk About How Aaliyah figured out she could do both : design and film and why "pick a lane" is not the only way to build a creative career What production design actually is and why every single thing on a film set has been accounted for (yes, even the books on the shelf — don't judge the books) "Life layers" — the small details that make a set feel real — hair ties, kids' drawings on the fridge, height markers on door frames How travel sparked her design eye — from a high school architecture program in Kentucky to France and Barcelona with her French class The film Portrait of a Lady on Fire — Aaliyah's go-to visual inspiration and why she says just Google the images Working in indie film vs. studio projects — and why she encourages every filmmaker to just write something and design the heck out of a room How the People's Panther Party got started — collective exhaustion, a plane ride back to Chicago the day before Halloween, and the realization that some kids were going to sit inside while everyone else trick-or-treated What they've done in just a few months — reverse candy drive, holiday grocery deliveries to 30 families, a bi-weekly grocery program, a grant win, and now the launch of Free People's Press , a quarterly community newspaper Her advice for anyone who wants to start showing up for their community — it starts with listening, not with having it all figured out Pilsen as a neighborhood — why she loves it and what it gets right about community The crossover between film and activism — and how craft nights became a sneaky good way to build community Things We Mentioned People's Panther Party — Pilsen-based mutual aid organization Free People's Press — their new quarterly community newspaper,Foxglove Coffee in Pilsen Foxglove Coffee — woman-owned coffee shop in Pilsen Aaliyah Shae's Website Portrait of a Lady on Fire — French queer period film, Palme d'Or winner at Cannes; Aaliyah's visual inspo pick CUSP — Chicago United Solidarity Project — organization that helped People's Panther Party secure a grant Pilsen Arts & Community House — one of the few free creative spaces in Chicago Aaliyah mentions Liberate Your Business — book by Becky Mollenkamp All about... Aaliyah Shae You're gonna love Aaliyah Shae — she's a world-builder in the truest sense.

A Chicago-based production designer, set decorator, photographer, and painter, Aaliyah creates spaces on screen that feel like real people actually live in them. She also co-founded the People's Panther Party, a Pilsen-based mutual aid org doing bi-weekly grocery deliveries, community events, and now a neighborhood newspaper — all born out of the belief that you don't have to be a professional organizer to show up for your community.

She started making outfits out of paper for her little brother. She hasn't really stopped creating since.

Connect with Aaliyah Shae Instagram: @aaliyahshae Website: People's Panther Party Instagram: @peoplespantherparty People's Panther Party Website: More ways to connect Email: stephanie@ Subscribe to the noseyAF Dispatch Check out my work Follow me on Instagram @stephaniegraham Listen to more episodes Support & Feedback noseyAF is listener-supported — thank you for being here. 💛 ⭐ Rate & Review the Show — it gives the show street cred and helps new listeners find the show 📣 Share noseyAF with a friend who needs to hear this Episode Credits Produced, Hosted, and Edited by Me, Stephanie Graham Lyrics: Queen Lex Instrumental: Freddie Bam Fam Cover Art: Emma McGoldrick