About
In over three decades at The University of Michigan, Terri Sarris created and taught 20 original production and writing courses which helped shape the FTVM 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 was the recipient of numerous grants and awards for innovative undergraduate teaching and advising, and was 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 maintained an active creative practice. Her creative work (https://vimeo.com/user3842874) 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 recent films - toy and puppet film allegories inspired by European stop-motion filmmakers (Jiri Trnka, Ladislav Starevicz, and Jan Swankmeyer) 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 performed in fall 2022 with Benshi Yamauchi Nanako to the classic Japanese experimental film A Page of Madness at Ann Arbor's Michigan Theater, with Theatre Gigante in Milwaukee, and at the Detroit Film Theater. (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. It has been a joy to teach so many creative students over the past 38 years!
Former Faculty Affiliations: Institute for Research on Women and Gender, Bentley Historical Library Fellows
