An image of Chris Stopka- a professional man with curly brown hair, wearing glasses, a black shirt, and a striped button-up shirt, smiling at the camera against a neutral background.

Chris Stopka

PRODUCTION DESIGNER AND TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

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 designer and technician is that if the plot affects the character then the set should be a dynamic part of showing that change to the audience.

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]

People wearing masks on a film or TV set. Three individuals standing and conversing around a table with equipment, while a woman in the background looks on. The setting appears to be a studio or warehouse with various production gear.
Three people sitting at a table having a conversation, with a woman smiling and reaching out her hand to another woman, and a man kneeling next to the table reaching out his hand to the woman. Two women are standing in the background, and a bright light is set up overhead, suggesting a filming or photography scene in a cozy, dimly lit restaurant or cafe.