Interview with Advisory Board Member Richard Valk: 'The biggest step we can take is in the quality of content'
The Advisory Board of CIIIC consists of 21 carefully selected members who provide both solicited and unsolicited advice to our program team on substantive main lines. As representatives of the IX community and ambassadors of IX in the Netherlands, they are crucial for the connection with the industry. But who are these members, what do they do, and – most importantly – how do they view IX?
In part 13, Richard Valk of VR production company Valk Productions.
Who are you, what do you do?
‘I am Richard Valk, a producer and director with a background in animation and storytelling. In recent years, I have mainly worked as a (co)producer of animation, short films, and immersive projects. With the VR experience Flow, we won a major award in Venice (the Special Jury Prize, ed.), and my most recent co-production A Long Goodbye (about dementia) is now [August 27 – September 6, 2025] showing there.
My work often moves between film, art, and new technology. What energizes me is building strong creative teams, connecting creators, and continually seeking new ways to truly bring stories to life.’
“What gives me energy is building strong creative teams, connecting creators with each other, and continually seeking new ways to truly bring stories to life.”
Why 'immersive', what is your connection to new content/technology?
'For me, immersive is about the shift from spectator to participant. New technology not only provides us with different tools but also a new language to tell stories. It moves me because your audience stands in the middle of it instead of just watching. A good example is A Long Goodbye. When I first watched it entirely in VR, it deeply affected me — also personally, because my father had dementia. Through that experience, I could feel something of his world. That's something film alone could never convey in the same way.'
Why did you want to join the Advisory Board, what specifically appealed to you in/about the program?
'What appeals to me is that CIIIC looks beyond just technology. Creation, social significance, and the creators themselves are also central. I find it important that everyone, both big and small, has a place in how this field develops. From my experience in film and animation, I can bring a different perspective — alongside that of researchers, institutes, companies, and organizations that want to implement IX — and at the same time contribute to how new creators find their way within immersive.'
“When I first watched A Long Goodbye entirely in VR, it touched me deeply—also on a personal level, because my father had dementia. Through that experience, I was able to feel something of his world.”
What is your IX dream/mission?
‘I would love to see that immersive in the Netherlands does not remain a niche, but earns a full-fledged place within the creative industry. My dream is a mix of artistic and socially relevant projects – experiences that truly make an impact, touch, and connect people. For me, that's where the power of immersive lies: creating memories and insights that stay with you. Ultimately, I hope that we work towards a place where you can experience these works permanently, rather than just at festivals.’
Which developments in the field do you see as important to strengthen and why?
‘I see the combination of AI and immersive as a tremendous opportunity. Not because AI replaces the creator, but because it opens up new ways of making and thinking. However, this requires that creators maintain control over the content and direction.
Additionally, I believe that the biggest step we can take lies in the quality of content. Technology alone does not make an impact – it is the strong stories and designs that ensure the audience is moved and that the field advances.’
“The focus on public values also offers the Netherlands the opportunity to take a leading role in this area: demonstrating that creativity, ethics, and technology can go hand in hand.”
Public values play an important role at CIIIC, what is your view on that?
‘For me, public values are not a limitation but a guide. They ensure that we not only engage in exciting technical experiments but also create work that is socially relevant and inclusive. It can sometimes make things more complex, but ultimately it leads to better and more conscious work. And it also offers the Netherlands the opportunity to take a leading role in this: showing that creativity, ethics, and technology can go hand in hand.’
Finally, the Advisory Board gives advice – what is your message to the community? And how can people find and 'engage' you to potentially share their ideas with the community?
‘My message to the community: don’t stay on the sidelines, but share what you create and actively seek each other out. Use CIIIC as a platform to launch projects together and ensure that your work stands out both in content and visually; because that’s what resonates.
If anyone wants to approach me, they can find me as a sparring partner for everything related to storytelling, production, and the connection between animation and immersive. I am eager to think along about how we can bring together stories, art, and technology, and how we as a community can strengthen this field in its entirety. You can reach me via adviesraad@ciiic.nl.’
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Photography: Ben Houdijk