Eric R. Williams
Area of Expertise
- New Media Storytelling
- Cinematic Virtual Reality (Cine-VR)
Education
- Northwestern University; BSC
- Columbia University; MFA
Eric Williams writes, produces and directs both fiction and non-fiction projects.
Cine-VR
Eric played a key role in two large VR projects that use new storytelling techniques for social projects:
- Appalachian Law Enforcement Initiative (ALEI), an innovative training method that leverages the cinematic virtual reality to improve law enforcement training.
- Medicaid Equity Simulation Project (MESP) a multi-year project using cine-VR to address biases towards certain populations seeking medical care.
Eric works with OHIO students to craft cine-VR shorts that have screened around the world:
International Festivals
- Beeston Underground FilmFest
- Buchheim Museum Exhibit
- Cameroon Underground FilmFest
- Munich Outdoor MiniFest
- Museum Lichtspiele Kino
- Saigon Underground FilmFest
Domestic Festivals
- Birmingham Underground FilmFest
- ICAN/HANNA International Media Festival
- Los Angeles Lift Off Film Festival
- New York Nil Gallery International Media Festival
- Real World XR Festival
- Seattle Transmedia Film Festival
- Short Sweet Film Fest
- The Film Collective
His work using 360-degree cameras to capture real world emergency room traumas has been featured nationally in venues such as the Huffington Post.
Film & Television
Production
Eric’s background in traditional media informs his work in emerging technologies:
- Co-producing and co-directing Guyana's first documentary television series, Guyana Pepperpot;
- Creating and co-producing the reality show pilot Don’t Try This at Home for American Movie Classics;
- Producing and directing the documentary, Breaking News: The Collision of Consumerism and Journalism in a Democracy;
- Co-writing and co-directing the Emmy-Award-winning educational series What's the Problem?;
- Producing and directing a twenty-episode video series documenting the work of the Tropical Disease Institute in remote regions of Ecuador;
You can view some of professor Williams’ work (as well as the work of his students) on his vimeo page.[Password: EWCV]
Screenwriting
Eric worked professionally as a screenwriter for more than fifteen years. During that time, his screenplay Crystal Messiah was performed on Broadway after winning the WGA award for "Best New Feature Script". Additionally, he:
- Wrote a Columbo murder mystery for Universal Studios;
- Co-wrote the comedy rap script Legendary with director Alfredo DeVilla (Nothing Like the Holidays);
- Adapted Bill Littlefield's novel The Prospect and Louis Urrea’s anthology Across the Wire into feature screenplays for Workshop Productions.
- Co-wrote the web-series SubterraNYa with Stephen Lancellotti (Digger 3D) for Fox Online.
- His screenplay Crystal Messiah performed on Broadway after winning the WGA award for "Best New Script".
- Optioned his original script I.Vermeer to Grateful Films.
- Developed the original screenplay Under Fire with Carl Craig (American Soul, Hollywood Shuffle) and Patrick Muhlberger (Trailerpark, Wonderquest).
- Adapted the anthology Voices From the Heartland into a television series. Three of the scripts received the Ohio Arts Council's award for Individual Excellence in Screenwriting.
Awards
Teaching
- Distinguished Mentor Award (Honors Tutorial College)
- Innovation Strategy Award (Ohio University)
- Presidential Teaching Award: Finalist (Ohio University)
- Teaching Leadership Award (Scripps College of Communication)
- University Professor Award: Excellence in Teaching (Ohio University)
Production
- Best use of Sound & Music in XR - Semi-finalist (Real World XR Festival)
- Best Virtual Reality Award - First Place (New York Nil Gallery International Media Festival)
- Outstanding Virtual Reality Film - First Place (Short Sweet Film Festival)
- Emmy Award - Interactive Media; Regional (National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences)
- Best Editing, Documentary – First Place (Lake Havasu International Film Festival)
Screenwriting
- Best New Work – Feature Screenplay (Writers Guild of America)
- Individual Excellence in Screenwriting (Ohio Arts Council)
- Semi-finalist – Screenwriters' Lab (Sundance Film Festival)
- Finalist/Participant – Producers’ Lab (Film Independent)
Books and Media
In order to share his research and experience, Eric works as a writer, editor and host on a variety of book and media projects:
Books
- Virtual Reality Cinema: Tips and Techniques - 2021
- The Power of Virtual Reality Cinema for Healthcare Training - 2021
- Screen Adaptation: Beyond the Basics - 2017
- The Screenwriters Taxonomy - 2017
- Media and the Creative Process - 2014
Media Series
- The Future of Entertainment (Wondrium) – coming in 2022
- TV's New Golden Age (Audible) - 2021
- How to Appreciate Great Movies (Audible) - 2020
- Falling in Love with Romance Films (Audible) - 2019
- How to View and Appreciate Great Movies (Wondrium) – 2018
You can find more details about Eric and his work here.