Eric R. Williams
Since 2016, Eric has been developing storytelling techniques for cinematic virtual reality (cine-VR) and other forms of new media. He has written, directed and/or produced award-winning cine-VR experiences which have screened in festivals around the world.
Eric’s storytelling is rooted in film and television. He wrote professionally for American Movie Classics, Universal Studios, Workshop Productions and Fox Interactive, and he has been recognized for four prestigious awards for film and television:
Writer's Guild of America
"Best New Work"
National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
“Emmy Award for Interactive Media” (regional)
World Congress of Science and Factual Producers (The Buzzies)
“Most innovative Factual Project of the Year” (finalist)
Ohio Arts Council
"Award for Individual Excellence in Screenwriting"
More recently, Eric has been working immersive media, telling interactive stories and directing cinematic virtual reality experiences, where he and his colleagues have received national recognition.
FBI National Academy
Winner: “Science and Innovation Award”
Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts (Davey Awards)
Silver: “Best Interactive Film for Health and Fitness”
Urban Media Makers
First place: “Best Virtual Reality Training Video”
Graphic Design USA (the GDUSA awards)
First place: “Best-of-Year Award for Health + Wellness”
Real World XR Awards
Semi-finalist: “Best use of Sound & Music in XR”
New York International Media Festival
First place: “Best Virtual Reality Award”
Eric oversees the cine-VR arm of the Game Research and Immersive Design Laboratory (the GRID Lab) at Ohio University, where he and his colleagues have garnered more than $5M in grants using cine-VR for projects to improve society, working with:
Voinovich Academy for Excellence in Public Service
Ohio Police Officers Training Academy
Ohio Department of Public Health
Ohio University’s School of Nursing
Ohio University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine
Ohio Colleges of Medicine’s Medicaid Equity Simulation Project
Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital’s BETTER Lab
Eric has authored five books, three podcast series, two television series, and two cine-VR series:
Books
The Power of Virtual Reality Cinema (Routledge)
Virtual Reality Cinema: Tips and Techniques (Focal Press)
Screen Adaptations: Beyond the Basics (Focal Press)
Screenwriter's Taxonomy: A Roadmap (Routledge)
Media and the Creative Process (Cognella)
Podcast Series
How to Appreciate Great Movies (Audible)
Falling in Love with Romance Movies (Audible)
Television’s New Golden Age (Audible)
Video Series
Imagining Tomorrow’s Entertainment (Wondrium)
How to View and Appreciate Great Movies (Great Courses)
Cine-VR Series
Reality of Policing (OPOTA)
Multi-dimensional Policing (OPOTA)
As an educator, Eric was the inaugural director of the MFA in Communication Media Arts program at Ohio University where he teaches New Media Storytelling and Virtual Reality Cinema courses in the McClure School of Emerging Communication Technologies. His teaching distinctions include:
Scripps College of Communication Teaching Leadership Award
Ohio University Presidential Teacher Award; finalist
Honors Tutorial College Distinguished Mentor Award
Ohio University Award for Excellence in Teaching
Williams earned his undergraduate degree from Northwestern University in Chicago, and his MFA from Columbia University in New York City. In his spare time, he likes to take long-distance hikes with his wife in remote locations such as inside the Grand Canyon and along the Appalachian Trail (which they hiked for six months in 2000).
