Christopher Perry

Chris Perry, associate professor of media arts and sciences, holds an M.S. in media arts and sciences from the Media Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an M.F.A. in art from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His B.A., in physics and astronomy, is from Amherst College.

His primary interests are in computer graphics and visual storytelling, particularly the intersection of the two. Perry comes to Hampshire from Pixar Animation Studios, where he worked as a technical director on the films A Bug's Life and Finding Nemo, and as a graphics software engineer on Toy Story 2.

Recent and Upcoming Courses

Computer Animation I
This course will introduce students to the production of animated short films with the tools and techniques of three-dimensional (3D) computer graphics. Readings and lectures will cover the theoretical foundations of the field, and the homework assignments will provide hands-on, project-based experience with production. The topics covered will include modeling (the building of 3D objects), shading (assignment of surface reflectance properties), animation (moving the objects over time), and lighting (placing and setting the properties of virtual light sources). Due to the large amount of material being covered, additional workshops outside of class may be scheduled.
Animation Workshop
This workshop is intended for intermediate and advanced students who wish to pursue independent animation projects within a classroom environment. It provides a structured opportunity for students to develop projects of their own choosing and is ideal for students in Division II. The weekly meetings will be structured around providing creative and critical support for the participants. All participants will be required to present their work to the group frequently during the semester, and these reviews may be complemented with readings, screenings, and other assignments where appropriate. Students will be allowed to work collaboratively as long as each student has distinct roles and responsibilities on the proposed project. Prerequisite detail: Students interested in the workshop must have a demonstrable level of mastery over their medium and have successfully completed at least one college-level course in their prerequisite area(s).