Ethan Shaftel

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Ethan Shaftel
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CitizenshipAmerican
OccupationFilm director and producer
Years active2000s–present
Websitewww.ethanshaftel.com

Ethan Shaftel is an American film and virtual reality director. His work includes short films and virtual reality projects that have screened at festivals such as the Sundance Film Festival, Tribeca Festival,[1][2] Venice Film Festival, and Annecy International Animation Film Festival.[3][4] He is known for directing the 2007 film Suspension, as well as various other films.[5][6]

Career

Shaftel began his work in filmmaking while studying at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, experimenting with live-action interactive narratives and other non-traditional formats.[7] His early work includes co-directing the science-fiction feature Suspension (2007), which was distributed by Warner Bros., and directing the short film Flesh Computer (2014), a science-fiction work later included in the anthology Galaxy of Horrors (2017).[8] Suspension won a Spirit of the Independents Award.[9]

Shaftel later focused on VR and immersive media. His 360-degree short film Extravaganza premiered in Tribeca's immersive program in 2017.[10][11]

In 2019, he directed the animated VR short Kaiju Confidential for the studio ShadowMachine. The film premiered at Sundance Film Festival and was later shown in VR programs, including Cannes XR and Zlín Film Festival; it was also nominated for the Annie Awards.[3][12] His project Ajax All Powerful (2020), a VR comedy about a wish-granting genie,[13] screened at Venice Film Festival and Tribeca Film Festival.[14][15]

Shaftel's later VR+AR narrative Gargoyle Doyle[16] features Jason Isaacs and Haley Joel Osment and was presented in the Venice Immersive section of the 80th Venice International Film Festival.[17][18][19] The work went on to receive the Cristal Award for Best VR at Annecy Film Festival,[20][21][22] among other mixed-reality and XR awards, as well as a Webby Award.

Shaftel has also directed and designed video installations, tour visuals, and screen content for various musicians and companies, including Nike, Tokyo Disneyland, and various concert tours.[7][3]

Selected filmography

Films
  • Suspension (2007), co-director
  • Flesh Computer (2014), director
VR short films
  • Extravaganza (2017)[10][11]
  • Kaiju Confidential (2019)[3]
  • Ajax All Powerful (2020)[14]
Other VR works
  • Gargoyle Doyle (2023)[18]

References

  1. ↑ Robertson, Adi (2017-05-03). "At Tribeca's VR showcase, artists are trying to move beyond empathy". The Verge. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  2. ↑ Robertson, Adi (2017-04-26). "The best virtual reality from the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival". The Verge. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Kaiju Confidential (2019) – About film". Zlín Film Festival. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  4. ↑ "Ethan Shaftel". LA ACM SIGGRAPH. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  5. ↑ "Cinequest". Cinequest. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  6. ↑ von Busack, Richard. "Suspension". Metroactive - Cinequest. SanJose.com. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Ethan Shaftel: "Filmmaker and VR Creator"". Wevr. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  8. ↑ "(Review) "Galaxy of Horrors" (2017)". Horror Society. February 23, 2017. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  9. ↑ "History". Film Independent. 2025-11-21. Retrieved 2025-11-24.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Tribeca Immersive's Virtual Arcade and Storyscapes Projects Unveiled for the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival". Tribeca Film Festival. March 3, 2017. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Ethan Shaftel Guides Us Through VR Filmmaking on an Indie Budget in Tribeca Short "Extravaganza"". Directors Notes. July 3, 2017. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  12. ↑ "Kaiju Confidential". Marché du Film. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  13. ↑ Antunes, Jose (2023-08-23). "Cinema 4D and Zbrush used in animated comedy for VR by Jose Antunes". ProVideo Coalition. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Ajax All Powerful". La Biennale di Venezia. 2020. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  15. ↑ "2020 Tribeca Festival". Tribeca. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  16. ↑ Milligan, Mercedes (2024-10-31). "Award-Winning VR Comedy 'Gargoyle Doyle' Arrives on Meta". Animation Magazine. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  17. ↑ "A Week In Italy: Everything We Saw At Venice Immersive". UploadVR. 2023-09-10. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "Gargoyle Doyle". La Biennale di Venezia. 2023. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  19. ↑ "Gargoyle Doyle Is A Comedic VR Movie Launching Today On Quest". UploadVR. 2024-10-31. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  20. ↑ Arena, Rossella (2024-07-03). "Meet the team behind Gargoyle Doyle, winner of Cristal for Best VR Work at Annecy 2024". The European Animation Journal. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  21. ↑ "Film Index". Annecy Festival. 2023-06-17. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  22. ↑ "Animation film category VR Works: Gargoyle Doyle". Annecy Festival. Retrieved 2025-11-20.

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