Justin Perkinson

Justin Perkinson is an award-winning filmmaker, immersive storyteller, and Assistant Professor of Cinema Production at Virginia Tech's School of Performing Arts.12 His work spans various disciplines and leverages both traditional and emerging technologies to create impactful content.

Background and Expertise

Justin's background is diverse and international. He was raised in Virginia and Jamaica, and has lived and filmed in several countries around the world.1 He is multilingual, speaking English, Spanish, Jamaican patois, Mandarin Chinese, and some French.1

Education and Achievements

Justin holds impressive academic credentials:

• Dual MFA in Film Production/Directing and Cinematography from the University of California, Los Angeles
• Fulbright Arts Grantee at Communication University of China in Beijing
• Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar at Universidad del Salvador in Buenos Aires, Argentina
• BA from Davidson College in North Carolina1

Professional Work

As a filmmaker, Justin has worked on various projects including:

• Documentary and narrative shorts and feature films
• Television productions
• Branded content
• Extended Reality (XR) content, including Virtual Reality (VR) and 360° experiences1

His work has been featured in American Cinematographer magazine, screened at international festivals, exhibited in museums, and broadcast on national television.1

Notable Projects

Some of Justin's notable works include:

1. "Under the Net" - The United Nations Foundation's first VR/360° project for their Nothing But Nets campaign against malaria
2. "Benthos 360" - An immersive underwater experience about freshwater mussel conservation
3. "Winter Worm Summer Grass" - A documentary about caterpillar-fungus diggers on the Tibetan Plateau13

Teaching and Research Interests

At Virginia Tech, Justin focuses on several areas:

• Nonfiction Filmmaking
• Immersive Storytelling
• Extended Reality (XR) and Emerging Technologies
• Media Creation for Social and Environmental Impact
• Multicultural Storytelling
• Communicating Science
• Underwater Image-making
• Creative Pedagogy1

Justin Perkinson is committed to building on the foundations of cinematic storytelling while inspiring students to find their own paths, passions, and voices in the field of cinema production.1