Sidney Malik

An innovator of immersive film, Sidney Malik is the Director of the First British Virtual Reality feature film and is a Masters in Virtual Reality. A non-binary, pioneering creative, Sidney is a rising young British Arab Actor and Producer, Writer and Director of feature films. Malik has also produced independent British Horror feature and cult films, with a focus on projects that exhibit cultural diversity and address important industry realities. Malik was born on May 28, 1988, in London, England, to a prestigious Saudi-Arabian family. Their father, Dr Mumtaz Mahmood Malik was a leading Marketing Executive and the first person to complete a PhD in Marketing in the United Kingdom. After their father passed away in tragic circumstances, Sidney Malik's mother, Lamia helped to keep his fascination with film alive, bringing up their four other siblings working as a single mother maintaining the life the early passing of their father. Sidney Malik would inherit their mother and father's VHS film collection at this time and would sometimes watch 3-4 films a day. Sidney has stated their knew their wanted a career in Acting after being selected to appear in a performance of Shakespeare's Hamlet at the age of ten at the Greenwich Theatre, in a transient moment where they felt the power of acting in keeping the memory of their father alive reciting iconic the words 'Remember Me' on stage. Malik continued to pursue their passion for acting as the lead in various school plays, although their mother sensed his desire for more advanced education. Sidney was soon accepted at the renowned Hill House International School, the chosen primary education institution for HRH the Prince of Wales where their would excel in his writing and performance skills here as well as develop their skills as a young London Gentleman, being educated in the affluent surroundings of Knightsbridge. Malik would continue their academic career at Highgate School, where Sidney created the Film Society , which showcased thought provoking, eclectic and cult films twice a week to their students. At school, Malik was close friends with Harry Gilliam, son of Monty Python Founder and Iconic Director Terry Gilliam and was invited to a special screening of The Brothers Grimm with Matt Damon and one of their most inspirational actors Heath Ledger. At school Malik would showcase his skills as an exceptional young actor being awarded the Lyttleton Speech Award where they performed a monologue from The Lord of the Rings, playing the schizophrenic Smeagol/Gollum character. their would go on to play a young African American teenager in an adaptation of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, where Sidney was awarded distinction in his drama module. their most exemplary feat at Highgate School was when they gained 100% in his module on the literary works of T. S Eliot. What was even more remarkable was that they learned the prose in the same classroom where Eliot had taught English a century earlier in 1916. Their passion for English Literature and Classical Civilisation remained an integral part of his education as did his ardor for Shakespeare's work, vowing to one day become one of their generation's greatest storytellers. Unexpectedly struck by the tragedy of Heath Ledger, who had inspired him so much in his career early on, an arduous time, Sidney would be faced with the difficult decision of whether they would do work in film or pursue a career in Law and chose to pursue a degree in History, studying world history and honing his skills as a writer at the University of London. Malik decided to utilize his time at University to gain experience not only in world history but the world, travelling across the United States of America. Sidney Malik would visit the sports entertainment extravaganza Wrestlemania 25 and 26 and by Wrestlemania 27, and would become part of the WWE Family, meeting their childhood idols such as Jake The Snake Roberts, Triple H and CM Punk, and is even personal friends with WWE Legend Kane and is most definitely a new prominent rising voice in sports entertainment social media. Malik is now fulfilling a life long dream of training and performing as a Professional Wrestler with the ERA's Wrestling VR, and recently performed a stunt scene with leading British Professional Wrestler Will Ospreay. After University, in the next two years, Sidney mastered his skills as a filmmaker and writer as well as worked and volunteered in a variety of positions including at the London Screenwriters Festival, Sundance London, and even Blockbuster Video Store. When Blockbuster Video closed down, Sidney was out of work and in this time of hardship focused his efforts to volunteer work with the Princes Trust. Sidney soon applied for their Get Started in Media scheme and was accepted where they would be the first generation to be offered expert training and mentor-ship at the BBC, West Ham United Football Club and from the Princes Trust Ambassadors. The Prince's Trust is a charity organization founded by HRH the Prince of Wales and has helped countless people in gaining professional and personal success, including actor Idris Elba. After having successfully completed vocational training at the BBC, Malik would be specially selected by West Ham United Football Club as part of their Media team and Community Sports Trust. Here, Sidney worked with the local community in media education.Sidney gained invaluable experience as a film critic in London publishing feature articles on The Monuments Men with George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman and Jean Dujardain at the National Portrait Gallery, Lone Survivor and a special retrospective of Al Pacino at the BFI. Further developing his impact as a writer and voice in cinema, Sidney would become part of a new horror organization called The Crypt, founded by Eli Roth and Jack Davis. The Crypt App, allowed Malik and Eli Roth's Crypt Family to showcase and support each-other's game changing horror content on their own platform. Malik's channel would become the London Crypt which would soon go on to become Crypt TV UK, the UK base of Crypt TV and the new home of British Horror. During the Media Scheme with The Prince's Trust, Sidney Malik was able to meet with iconic British Actor Pierce Brosnan with the Fairbridge Scheme. This would become the turning point in Sidney Malik's professional development where they would be advised first hand in acting and life from Brosnan and pose his questions. On set of the Brosnan's film, Survivor, also starring Milla Jovovich, Malik spent the day learning what it takes to become and sustain an stellar career in film and was so inspired by the opportunity. The final part of the Prince's Trust's Media training would see Malik being specially chosen for a scholarship in film at Met Film School, at Ealing Studios. This would be a definitive moment in Malik's life and would master the art of documentary filmmaking from British Documentarian Sasha Snow and make his first film - Father Figures. Malik's documentary revealed the true life story of his grandfather, Syed Kamal, an Arab Actor who became Pakistan's most famous film Director, Actor and Star and father of their national cinema. When Kamal died, he would donate his film collection to Malik, who never quite realized his impact in film nor his life. Malik would concentrate his efforts to making a positive impact in the British Film Industry. This has much been attributed to his attendance of British Film events available to students at the British Film Institute and Bafta and mentor-ship from the Princes Trust. Continuing his work at emerging horror organization Crypt TV, covering events across the UK and the world. Working closely with the British Horror Community, helping to bring the Weird Is Good message to the UK and manage the campaigns for their life changing opportunities such as Six Second Scare, a film competition judged by Quentin Tarantino, Eli Roth, Rob Lowe, Elijah Wood, Kid Kudi and Vanessa Hudgens. As part of the Women In Horror Initiative to the UK, Malik helped to produce Six Hot Chicks in A Warehouse and Egomaniac, two horror features addressing the need for female filmmakers in the horror industry. At this time, Sidney would begin to develop a fascination for virtual reality filmmaking, seeing it as the future of film. Sidney would create a series of virtual reality experiences that would be showcased ahead of Egomania'c world premiere at Horror Channel's Frightfest Film Festival and was the hallmark event of the opening event of the London Horror Festival. Since, Malik has led a new wave in British virtual reality production at ERA Film Studios to develop and inundate a new era in film. ERA Film In 2018, at ERA Film Studios, Malik created the 31 Nights of VR Horror experiences and later undertook the first Masters in Virtual Reality at the University of the Arts London, where they was granted access to the Stanley Kubrick Archive to complete their final thesis project. Sidney Malik is the founder of ERA Film Studios, and an early pioneer of Virtual Reality Film, Extended Reality Academy Film Studios was founded by Sidney Malik during their Masters in Virtual Reality at the University of the Arts London. Written, directed by and starring Sidney Malik, founder of ERA Film Studios and pioneer of virtual reality cinema, Once Upon A Time In Britain marks a watershed moment in the development of ERA Film Studios and independent innovative British film. Once Upon A Time In Britain is a dark, descent into the depths of 1950s London in Film Noir VR, telling a tale of a missing detective and the failed, forgotten, exiled detective en-tasked to find him. A ground breaking virtual reality motion picture, witness the first film of its kind and immerse yourself in a scintillating, sinister, ground breaking film feat and experience like no other. Once Upon A Time In Britain stars Sidney Malik, Steven Berkoff, Will Ospreay and many more yet to be announced in an elite ensemble cast. Sidney Malik is also a proud young Freemason and supporter of charitable initiatives including Greening The Screen's sustainability in film, Women in Film, Diversity in Media and socially conscious, environmental and preservation projects. Malik is now working on a series of productions including London Nightmares, London Gangsters, Once Upon A Time In Egypt and Once Upon A Time In Arabia.