Melika Bass

Melika Bass is an Associate Professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), specializing in Film, Video, New Media, and Animation. She holds a BA from Earlham College (1997) and an MFA from SAIC (2007). Her work bridges experimental film, performance art, and narrative exploration.

• Exhibitions: BAMcinemaFest (Brooklyn), Oberhausen Film Festival (Germany), BFI London Film Festival, Torino Film Festival, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, and Kino der Kunst (Munich).
• Awards: Notable honors include the Artadia Award and recognition from Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film.

Her research focuses on hybrid cinematic forms, interdisciplinary collaboration, and innovative performance documentation. Bass teaches courses on directing actors for film/video, advanced video projects, and graduate film/video media production. She emphasizes hands-on experimentation with scripting, rehearsal techniques, and post-production workflows in her pedagogy.