Randy Caspersen

Randy Caspersen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at Northern Illinois University, serving as Program Coordinator for both the Digital Media Production Certificate and Film and TV Studies Undergraduate Certificate. He teaches studio production, field production, post-production, and scriptwriting courses including COMS 357, 358, 427, 436, 463, and 466.

His educational background includes an M.F.A. from Columbia College Chicago.

Caspersen's creative research centers on film and video production with strong emphasis on LGBTQ+ representation, disability inclusion, and gender studies. His work bridges documentary and narrative filmmaking through community-based storytelling and experimental techniques, often collaborating with university centers like NIU's Center for the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality. He explores social justice themes through both creative practice and academic inquiry.

His filmography reveals consistent engagement with marginalized communities, particularly through disability representation in "Go Penguins!" and LGBTQ+ narratives across multiple shorts. The work demonstrates technical mastery in production while maintaining activist-oriented storytelling that has achieved international festival circulation.

Notable awards include:

• Best Feature Documentary at the Los Angeles Diversity Film Festival for "Go Penguins!"
• 2015 CINDY Award for "Altered Barbie Workshop"
• Best Experimental Film (Second Place) at the 2010 Columbus International Film + Video Festival for "Toward the Blue"
• 2008 Best Men’s Short Film at Q Cinema Film Festival and Best Gay Short Film from the Great Lakes Film Festival for "Dolls"

Caspersen secured the Illinois Humanities Council Production Grant and NIU Division of Research and Innovation Partnership Opportunity and Completion Grants for "Go Penguins!". He actively involves undergraduate students in productions like "The Pin", which was crewed by Department of Communication students and collaborated with Theatre and Dance, providing hands-on experiential learning in professional filmmaking contexts.