Draft:Yelena Rachitsky
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Yelena Rachitsky | |
|---|---|
| Occupation(s) | Curator; producer |
| Years active | 2010s–present |
| Employer | Meta Platforms |
| Known for | Immersive and interactive media; virtual reality programming and production |
Yelena Rachitsky is a curator and producer of immersive media who serves as Head of Emerging Formats at Meta, where she leads content innovation across platforms including mixed and virtual reality.[1][2] She previously worked at Oculus/Meta on non-gaming experiences and narrative VR, and has been featured in film and interactive media outlets for her work advancing new storytelling forms.[3][4]
Early life and education
[edit]Rachitsky is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in Art History.[3][5]
Career
[edit]Rachitsky has held leadership roles developing and commissioning narrative and experiential projects in virtual reality. By 2016 she was working as a creative producer at Oculus, focusing on non-gaming experiences and creative outreach,[3] and by 2019 she was billed as an executive producer of experiences at Oculus overseeing narrative-driven VR projects.[6] She has spoken publicly about design challenges in interactive storytelling, including balancing agency and authored narrative in immersive works, as well as her push for a broader content ecosystem and partnerships beyond in-house production.[4][7]
Before joining Oculus/Meta, Rachitsky was creative producer for the Future of StoryTelling (FoST) summit and consulted for the Sundance Film Festival's New Frontier program, where she helped program and platform emerging media work; she earlier worked in the documentary division at Participant Media.[3] She has been featured as a speaker and curator at international industry events, including Cannes' NEXT (Marché du Film)[8] and the Game Developers Conference.[2]
In September 2025, Rachitsky was a featured speaker in the Toronto International Film Festival’s Visionaries series at the Industry Conference.[1][9][10]
Awards and recognition
[edit]- News & Documentary Emmy Awards: nominee for Outstanding Interactive Media: Innovation (2022) for "Goliath: Playing with Reality" (executive producer).[11]
- Peabody Awards (Interactive & Immersive): nominee (2023) for the VR anthology "Reimagined" (released on Meta Quest).[12]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "VISIONARIES: Yelena Rachitsky". Toronto International Film Festival. TIFF. 2025. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
- ^ a b "Yelena Rachitsky". Game Developers Conference. Informa. 2025. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
- ^ a b c d Hess, Taylor (September 27, 2016). ""Storytelling in VR is Changing What We're Used to in Traditional Film": Yelena Rachitsky on Virtual Reality". Filmmaker Magazine. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
- ^ a b Bye, Kent (April 7, 2018). "The Yang and the Yin of Immersive Storytelling with Oculus' Yelena Rachitsky". Road to VR. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
- ^ "What it means to be a VR Producer: Q&A with Yelena Rachitsky | Meta Quest for Creators". Meta Quest for Creators. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
- ^ "4/8/19 Yelena Rachitsky and Isabel Tewes". MIT Open Documentary Lab. April 8, 2019. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
- ^ Jenkins, Aric. "The fall and rise of VR: The struggle to make virtual reality get real". Fortune. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
- ^ "Yelena Rachitsky — Creative producer and head of education at Oculus Story Studio". Cineuropa. 2016. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
- ^ "TIFF's Industry Conference returns September 5–9 with an expansive lineup, compelling conversations, and fresh perspectives". TIFF. August 18, 2025. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
- ^ Vlessing, Etan (August 18, 2025). "Donna Langley, Edward Berger, Sterlin Harjo Join Toronto Film Fest Industry Conference Lineup". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
- ^ "43rd News & Documentary Emmy Awards Nominations (with credits)" (PDF). The Emmys. National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. September 15, 2022. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
- ^ "Reimagined". Peabody Awards. 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2025.