22 years in. Still obsessed!

Most recently ACD at Buck, I've just moved into the role of Lead Technical Director of Visual Intelligence — researching what's emerging, building what's missing, and figuring out how it all applies to the work.

I started my career as a designer and never stopped adding tools to the kit. Compositing, 3D, lookdev, Creative direction, whatever the job needed. I've worked as Head of Design, Associate Creative Director, Art Director, and Lead Compositor. The industry keeps shifting and I keep shifting with it, without losing anything I've built along the way.

I've worked on spots for Google, Microsoft, Pepsi, Sony, Meow Wolf, and a lot in between. I'm equally comfortable leading a team or being the one in Nuke at midnight making it work.

The part I didn't expect to love as much as the work itself: teaching. Mentoring people, sharing what I know, watching someone click into something they couldn't do before. That stuff matters to me.

Based in Chicago. Always learning. Always building.


WEAPONS OF CHOICE:   NUKE | AFTER EFFECTS | C4D | MOCHA | ADOBE SUITE | ARNOLD | REDSHIFT
OTHER SKILLS:   | STYLEFRAMES | TEAM MANAGEMENT | PROJECT LEADERSHIP | MENTORING | AI

CONTACT:
dperns@gmail.com

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STUDIO EXPERIENCE:
BUCK NYC
ATKPLN
FRAMESTORE CHI
CARBON
VITAMIN PICTURES
FILMWORKERS
IMAGINARY FORCES
METHOD STUDIOS CHICAGO
LEVIATHAN
SAROFSKY
THE LAB NYC
FILMWORKERS
BRANDNEWSCHOOL NYC
NICE SHOES NYC
PLUS ET PLUS
SUPERFAD NYC
THORNBERG AND FORESTER
PERCEPTION NYC
GRETEL
LEROY AND CLARKSON
THE MARTIN AGENCY
DIA