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Justin Perkinson

Justin Perkinson, Assistant Professor

Justin Perkinson, Assistant Professor
Justin Perkinson, Assistant Professor

School of Performing Arts
251-F Henderson Hall
195 Alumni Mall  (0141)
Blacksburg, VA 24061
540-231-6654 | jperkinson@vt.edu

Justin Perkinson is an award-winning director, producer, and cinematographer. Raised in a multicultural family (Virginian and Jamaican), he is passionate about telling global stories in innovative ways. A recent Fulbright Arts Grantee to China, Justin has lived and shot movies in several countries around the world and speaks English, Spanish, Jamaican patois, and Mandarin Chinese. His production credits include narrative and documentary feature films and shorts, television, branded content, and virtual reality projects.

Justin's work has been featured in American Cinematographer Magazine, screened at various festivals around the world, broadcasted on national television, and viewed millions of times online. Recent production partners include VICE Media, United Nations Foundation, PBS, History Channel, Team USA Basketball, Samsung, Hyundai, GE, Maserati, LinkedIn, Airbnb, Live Nation TV, among others.

Expanding upon his love of traditional cinematic forms, Justin is curious about the intersection between immersive storytelling, emerging technologies, and social impact. His most recent VR project, “Under the Net”, is the United Nations Foundation’s first-ever virtual reality film, created for the Nothing But Nets campaign to fight the global malaria crisis. Launched with Discovery VR and Samsung VR, the film won “Best VR Documentary” at Cinequest Film & VR Festival, a Gold Medal Shorty Award, and Best Video at the PR News Platinum PR Awards. It was screened for legislators on Capitol Hill during World Malaria Day 2017 and, most importantly, is helping raise much-needed funds for mosquito bed nets distribution worldwide.

As an educator, Justin is committed to building on the essential foundations of cinematic storytelling to help inspire students to find their own individual paths, passions, and voices.

  • Multicultural Storytelling
  • Documentary Filmmaking
  • Narrative Filmmaking
  • Virtual Reality & Emerging Technologies
  • Immersive Storytelling
  • Branded Content Creation
  • Media Creation for Social Impact
  • Dual MFA Directing, Cinematography – University of California, Los Angeles
  • Fulbright Arts Grantee – Communication University of China (Beijing, China)
  • Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar – Universidad del Salvador (Buenos Aires, Argentina) 
  • BA, Davidson College