stopka

Chris

Production Designer

Art Director

SFX Coordinator

Props Master

Production Designer Art Director SFX Coordinator Props Master

About Me!

WHO I AM

Chicagoland born and raised. My two favorite films are Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low and John Carpenter’s The Thing.

My core belief as a filmmaker is that if the plot affects the character or the world the character lives in, then the set should be a dynamic part of showing that change to the audience.

WHAT I DO

PRODUCTION DESIGN. I design worlds that help tell the story of a film without distracting the audience. Set Build or Location Modification. Spaceship or Studio Apartment.

ART DIRECTION. My clerical skills developed as a paralegal are still getting put to good use. Monitoring budgets. Tracking orders. Facilitating Tasks. Catching Receipts. Let’s make some spreadsheets and get organized.

SFX. Blood. Guts. Gore. Fog. Rain. The puff of dust when a bullet hits the ground. You name it, I’ll figure out how to make it happen in-camera on the day.

PROPS. They’re not just things in frame, they’re intentional plot devices. They move the plot forward. I create or select props with that in mind.

Education

Columbia College Chicago ‘23

Bachelor of Fine Arts Film and Television [Production Design]