Zev Berman |
Storyworks 360

About

Website Collage 2.5.jpg

Story thus far

  • A creative leader and entrepreneur passionate about shaping the future of entertainment.

  • Seasoned producer, writer, and award-winning filmmaker

  • Broad portfolio of highly successful immersive entertainment and marketing solutions for Studio and Fortune 500 clients.

  • Projects and products have ranged from feature films and virtual reality experiences, to games and multi-platform digital applications.

As a producer and creative director Zev has pioneered a wide range of interactive products and experiences, shifting seamlessly between Second Screen mobile apps for Universal and Fox, Augmented Reality flight avionics for the Defense industry, an immersive science fiction adventure in Virtual Reality, an interactive satellite builder with real time validation for the Aerospace industry, and Graph Database Visualization tools for the finance industry. 

As a filmmaker, Zev has co-written and directed movies for Lionsgate and Universal. His films have been distributed globally in theaters and across ancillary markets such as cable, DVD, and Blu-ray. He has collaborated with Kevin Smith (Live Free Die Hard, Clerks), Elisabeth Moss (Handmaid's Tale), Henry Thomas (ET), Karen Allen (Raiders of the Lost Ark), Dominique Swain (Lolita), Martha Higerada (Altered Carbon) and Sean Astin (LOTR). 

As an entrepreneur, Zev co-founded Awesome Rocketship in 2014, a VR Start-up that develops immersive content experiences integrated with haptics for a select clientele.

What's the common thread in all of this? Zev nurtures the story in everything he does. 

'Linked' Project Gallery

The work presented on this site is representative. Many projects cannot be shown either in part or in full due to NDAs and negotiated viewing restrictions. 

Highlights

Project: Immersive VR Marketing Platform
Roles: Executive Producer / Creative Director
• Owned Client relationship - Led conceptualization and development for a VR experience intended for Chinese cinema goers across Asia where individuals can enjoy Hollywood 360 content experiences and purchase tickets for upcoming movies
• Produced immersive 360 content experience that blended CGI elements with photo realistic background plates

Project: Phoenix One VR Experience
Roles: Writer | Director | Co-Producer
• Wrote & Directed immersive branching science fiction narrative told in five chapters.
• Assembled international creative team and drove development.
• Integrated content experience with proprietary Haptic VR POD that provides motion effects and synchronized air flow.

Project: Graph Database Design Effort
Role: Producer/Creative Director
• Led product usability requirements and directed comprehensive UI/UX design effort for web-based data visualization tool.

Project: 'Fall Into Me' Virtual Reality Experience
Role: Co-Director & Writer
Clients: A&E Networks, Minority Media
• Onset Director
• Wrote and co-developed 360 VR experience based on the original series.

Project: Interactive Satellite Workshop - Tablet Application
Roles: Senior Producer and Co-Creative Director
Clients: DARPA, NovaWurks, Cloudesign
• Developed and built a touchscreen app that enables an end user to assemble a virtual satellite with realtime validation.
• Developed and led usability studies and focus groups with a team of NASA engineers.

Project: Arkysis Vision Video
Roles: Writer & Producer
Client: Arkysis
• Wrote and produced company vision video for start-up Arkysis.

'Linked' Experience

Owner | Storyworks360 | Pasadena CA  • June 2007 - Present

  • Storyworks360 represents Zev as an independent Producer, Director, and writer.

  • Projects have ranged from films and VR experiences to games and marketing materials.

  • Examples from the project gallery above were all developed through Storyworks360.

Co-founder / Head of Production | Awesome Rocketship | Venice, CA • Nov 2014 - Present

  • Co-founded VR start-up that is developing a location-based ‘out of home’ distribution network for VR experiences.

  • Conceived and co-developed free-standing Haptic POD with integrated motion actuators and air effects.

  • Key creative on revolutionary narrative VR content experiences; first effort recently praised by Steven Spielberg as ‘One of the best VR experiences I’ve ever seen!’

  • Currently drives on-going business development and to date has forged numerous relationships with content creators, vendors, strategic partnerships and venues

  • Currently spearhead production, on-going development roadmap and logistics.

Executive Producer / Creative Director | Deluxe Digital Distribution | Los Angeles, CA  • January 2012 – March 2014

Executive Producer / Creative Director | Deluxe Digital Studios | New Media; Burbank, CA • January 2010 – January 2012

Executive Producer | Deluxe Digital Studios - Creative | Burbank CA January 2008 – January 2010

  • Responsible for concepting, pitching, and developing interactive digital entertainment products for Studio Theatrical Marketing and Home Entertainment divisions

  • Account Manager for Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

  • Produced documentaries, EPKs, games, live community events, and commentaries

Director & Co-writer of feature film 'Borderland' | Lionsgate Entertainment | Los Angeles, CA • January 2005 – January 2008

Producer/Director | Freelance | Los Angeles CA • February 2003 – January 2005

  • Directed commercial spots for TV and Web. Produced corporate videos, and direct marketing initiatives

  • Clients included Panasonic, Decide.com, and the US Military

Director of feature film 'Plain Dirty' | Universal Studios |  Los Angeles, CA • January 2001 - January 2003

  • Project: Directed the Southern drama 'Plain Dirty' for independent production company Tonic Films, starring Dominique Swain, Karen Allen, Henry Thomas, and James Urbaniak.

  • The film played the US and International festival circuits, winning awards, before it was picked up by Universal and premiered on Showtime. The film was subsequently released on DVD and cable domestically and worldwide.