About
In her three decades at The University of Michigan, Terri Sarris has created and taught 20 original undergraduate production and writing courses in the Department's curriculum, from first-year seminars through advanced workshops, including sketch and situation comedy, experimental media, documentary, screendance, multi-camera TV production, and courses for WOLV-TV. Her former students have gone on to careers in all areas of media, including as Emmy-award winning directors, editors, producers and executive producers, writers, actors, media teachers, scholars, and more. She is the recipient of numerous grants and awards for innovative undergraduate teaching and advising, and has been named a faculty fellow at the Bentley Historical Library, the CRLT Faculty Interdisciplinary Associates Program, and the National Center for Institutional Diversity.
In addition to teaching a full Lecturers' course load every semester for over 30 years, Terri maintains an active creative practice. Her creative work includes award-winning feature and short films (shot on 16mm, Super 8mm film, and digital media), film and television scripts, and work as a curator, programmer, film festival board member, and festival juror in the larger media community. Her filns have screened at Festivals and curated programs nationally and internationally. She is currently editing a short experimental film entited "Waste of Ages," inspired by Virgina Woolf's To the Lighthouse.
In her spare time, Terri helps create and perform original live scores for classic silent films with the musical toy trio "Little Bang Theory." Little Bang Theory will be performing with Benshi Yamauchi Nanako to the classic Japanese experimental film A Page of Madness. Supported by the Center for Japanese Studies and curated by Mark Nornes:
https://ii.umich.edu/cjs/news-events/events.detail.html/98536-21796883.html
Oct 8 and 9: Theatre Gigante, Milwuakee, Wisconsin
Oct 13: Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor
Oct 16: Detroit Film Theater, Detroit
In 2022-23, Terri transitioned to teaching half-time and will retire fully from teaching in May, 2023, with plans to write and make art, music, and film, full time.
View her creative work on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/user3842874
Faculty Affiliations: Institute for Research on Women and Gender, Bentley Historical Library Fellows
