About
In her three decades at The University of Michigan, Terri Sarris has created and taught 20 original production and writing courses which have helped shape the Department's undergraduate 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 films - often toy and puppet film allegories inspired by the works of Eastern European animators, have screened at Festivals and curated programs nationally and internationally.
In her spare time, Terri helps create and perform original live scores for classic silent films with the musical toy trio "Little Bang Theory," the brainchild of international, award-winning composer, Frank Pahl. Little Bang Theory recently performed at Ann Arbor's Michigan Theater, with Theatre Gigante in Milwaukee, and at the Detroit Film Theater, 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.
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.
Faculty Affiliations: Institute for Research on Women and Gender, Bentley Historical Library Fellows
