Chris Stopka

PRODUCTION DESIGNER AND TECHINCAL DIRECTOR

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

WHO I AM

I was born and raised in Wheaton, Illinois. My two favorite films are Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low and John Carpenter’s The Thing.

My core belief as a scenic professional is that if the plot affects the character then the set should be a dynamic part of showing that change to the audience.

I am a former US Army paralegal and spend most of my time working as a freelance scenic carpenter and stagehand for theaters including: Northlight Theatre, Studebaker Theater, and the Athenaeum Center.

In my free time, I love to hike and play D&D with my friends.

WHAT I DO

WORLD BUILDER. I design and create worlds that help tell the story of films and theatrical productions without distracting the audience. Set Build or Location Modification. Spaceship or Studio Apartment.

TEAM ORGANIZOR. My clerical skills developed as a paralegal will always come in handy. Generating scenic budgets and tracking orders. Planning and facilitating task lists.

PRACTICAL EFFECTS COORDINATOR. 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.

EDUCATION

Columbia College Chicago ‘23

Bachelor of Fine Arts Film and Television [Production Design]