DARREN EMERSON - CO-FOUNDER/CCO OF EAST CITY FILMS, DIRECTOR, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, PRODUCER & CONSULTANT
Darren’s Bio
Darren Emerson is an award-winning director, writer and producer of immersive experiences, and the co-founder of London production company East City Films.
His first VR film Witness 360: 7/7 (2015) was selected in competition at IDFA Doclab, and Cannes. The VR documentary Indefinite (2016) won the first-ever Sheffield DocFest VR commission and was featured by the New York Times in a specially commissioned article.
Common Ground (2019), was commissioned by Creative XR and had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival. It had its UK premiere at Sheffield Doc Fest 2019 where it received rave reviews for its bold new approach to documentary storytelling in VR. Common Ground won the award for Best Immersive Storytelling at Sandbox Immersive Festival in China, the Grand Prix Innovation at Festival du Nouveau Cinema, Outstanding VR Narrative at the World Press Photo Awards, and Best VR Experience at the Broadcast Digital Awards 2020.
Darren was the Executive Producer of The Waiting Room VR (2019) which premiered at the Venice Film Festival and won Best Digital Story Telling at IDFA Doclab.
Darren directs live-action VR for commercial and broadcast clients such as BBC, ITV, MTV, and The National Theatre.
Darren is also a regular contributor to thinktanks, panels and workshops in VR, presenting masterclasses of his work to universities, film festivals and global industry meetups.
Selected VR Filmography as Director:
Witness 360: 7/7 (2015)
Lexus: The Life RX (2016)
Indefinite (2016)
No Small Talk (BBC, 2016)
Welcome to Laphroaig (2017)
Junior (ITV, 2017)
King of Infinite Space (2017)
San Miguel: Rich List (2017)
Malaria: Life on the Frontline (Comic Relief, 2018)
Common Ground (2019)
Selected articles: