Chriss Williams Professor • Department of Communication View CV Website Chriss Williams graduated from NYU’s Graduate Film Program. His thesis film, BLOODS ON THE MOON, starred two Tony Award Nominees and won the Time Warner/Warner Bros. Fellowship. It screened at the American Film Institute (AFI) Film Festival.Chriss worked directly with Julie Taymor, MacArthur 'Genius Grant' winner and Tony-winning director of THE LION KING, as her Casting Assistant, on the PBS production of FOOLS FIRE. Chriss also served as Casting Assistant on the CBS Movie, SEPARATE BUT EQUAL, which won an Emmy Award for casting. Chriss also served as Assistant to Director Spike Lee on his film, CROOKLYN. Chriss' first feature, ASBURY PARK, had its premiere at Lincoln Center’s "Independent's Night" series. The film won the Gordon Parks Award for Directing and was screened at Palm Springs and Atlanta film festivals.Chriss’ second film, BELLCLAIR TIMES, won the Prestigious Newark Black Film Festival.Beyond his contributions to the higher education and the film industry, Chriss holds a law degree from Rutgers and has demonstrated a commitment to social justice by serving as a Pro Bono Attorney for Partners, a non-profit public interest law firm serving survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. In this role, he represents women in Final Restraining Order Hearings. For this work, he was awarded their prestigious “Partner in Hope” award. Professional Interests Film education. Law. Writing. Degrees JD Law, Rutgers University Newark, NJ MFA Film and Television, New York University New York, BS Business/Marketing & Management, Montclair State College Montclair, NJ Specialization Film & Law Licenses and Certifications 12/31/2005 Admitted to the NJ Bar 2005 (Licensed to practice law in NJ), Representative Publications “Color Aware Casting to Usurp Stereotype”; THE WORKS OF SHONDA RHIMES Edited by ANNA WEINSTEIN; BLOOMSBURY; "Appetites And Anxieties: Food, Film, And The Politics Of Representation," by Cynthia Baron, Diane Carson, and Mark Bernard; Volume 69, Issue No. 1 2017 Representative Presentations Black Masculinity in the Film, "In The Heat of The Night" West Orange Classic Film Festival West Orange Film Society West Orange, NJ 2024 "Screenwriting for Tablets & Devices," Panel title: Traditional Formulas and Shifting Contexts: From Scriptwriting to Gaming, 2014 University Film & Video Association Conference University Film & Video Association Bozeman, MT 2014 “How We Teach Directing,“ Panel Title: Acting Like a Director: The Benefits of Student Directors Studying Acting, 2015 University Film & Video Association Conference University Film & Video Association Washington, DC 2015 “Just In Time Instruction: A New Model of Film Pedagogy,” Panel Title: Pedagogy & Collaboration: Creating Teachable Moments & New Models For Pedagogy, 2013 University Film & Video Association Conference University Film & Video Association Orange, CA 2013 “Your Film Is Too Long,” Panel Title: Frameworks for Training the Next Generation of Filmmakers 2015 University Film & Video Association Conference University Film & Video Association Washington, DC 2015 Awards and Honors 2024 Inductee NJ BMX Hall of Fame NJ BMX Hall of Fame 10/19/2024 2022 Partner in Hope Partners for Women and Justice 05/04/2022 Notable Courses Taught Filmmaking 1, 2, 3Visual EffectsScreenwritingWriting the TV DramaFilm as a MediumFilms of Diversity & JusticeFilm andCivic EngagementFilm as Cross Cultural Communication Email 973 720 2431 102 Hamilton Hall Tues. 2-3; Wed. 12-1:30 & by Apt/Zoom
