Rick Portin elevates entertainment by fusing traditional storytelling with cutting-edge innovation—crafting experiences that captivate across digital, broadcast, feature, and episodic formats. His creative vision harnesses the power of AI, AR, XR, Mixed Reality, Motion Capture, and LED Volume technologies to deliver immersive content across entertainment, gaming, streaming, and sports platforms.
Rick brings a distinctive blend of creative vision and production leadership to top-tier clients including: 20th Television Studios, Viacom, E! Entertainment Television, Bungie, Ubisoft, Vin Di Bona Productions, WME/IMG, Google, Starbucks, Digital Domain, Microsoft, Xbox, Valve, ITV Studio, Blizzard, BBC and NBC Sports. His roles span Executive in Charge of Production, Director, Executive Producer, Futurist, and Creator—each reflecting his ability to deliver compelling, forward-thinking content.
Rick’s work transforms entertainment through:
ESPORTS Championships infused with pop culture, celebrity’s, food, fashion, and fun—creating authentic, high-energy experiences for global gaming audiences.
AI and AR integration featuring digital humans and immersive LED Volume environments that transport viewers across time and space.
Gamified storytelling, extending episodic streaming content into mobile and social platforms to build vibrant audience communities.
Reimagined entertainment formats, blending reinvented storytelling with magical new possibilities—seamlessly integrated with interactivity, e-commerce, advertising, and merchandising opportunities.
Rick serves as a consultant and Executive Producer/Director for Xbox Studios, where he has led the creation of interactive, live entertainment shows enriched with transmedia social experiences. His work includes high-profile productions such as the Halo Global Esports Championships, Gears of War, Live from E3, GameStock and HaloFest in collaboration with 343 Industries. Rick also partnered with Xbox’s BigPark Studios in Vancouver to develop the Xbox Production Infrastructure, pioneering digital sports broadcasting and “click-to-interact” live digital television formats.
Rick Portin played a pivotal role in shaping the future of entertainment at Microsoft, contributing to both MSN and the Advanced Consumer Technology Research Group. As Executive Producer, he led the development and management of MSN Interactive Television, driving innovation across digital, broadcast, and interactive formats. His leadership extended to building production facilities, AI-driven content workflows, and digital television studios.
Rick’s work at the Microsoft ITV/Digital Studio included strategic collaborations with major Hollywood studios such as Rysher Entertainment, Fremantle, Warner, NBC, Paramount Television, Universal, MSNBC, Food Network, PBS, USA Networks, Tribune, and Turner—where he Executive Produced enhanced episodic network television shows.
As part of Microsoft’s ACT Research and Development team, Rick helped design and develop next-generation home entertainment technologies and content. He also consulted with Microsoft’s AI team, applying his expertise to advance intelligent production systems and interactive media experiences.
As Director of 105 live arena interactive esports Dota2 Championship games for Valve on Steam, he created a high energy entertainment/sports experience combining professional gaming with digital television.
Rick was a founding member of the original management team and served as Vice President of Production at E! Entertainment Television Hollywood, where he played a pivotal role in building the network into a global entertainment powerhouse. As Head of Production, Rick led development, strategy, and production teams to deliver over 20 hours of studio programming daily. He also co-created and directed the iconic “Live from the Red Carpet”. Rick oversaw the construction of production studios, network operations, and content pipelines—laying the foundation for E!’s worldwide success in entertainment broadcasting.
Rick served as Vice President Production, Metan Development and The Hollywood Reporter Television where he was Executive Producer developing original Chinese episodic television programming. Rick built studios and production teams in LA and Beijing to produce multi platform shows with a seamless server/cloud technology to provide a coordinated production process between multiple studios and countries. Rick is Executive in Charge of hundreds of hours of television, digital, mobile programming in the LA and Beijing studios and Executive Producer of over 100 “Hello Hollywood” shows and digital branded entertainment airing in China to 400 million homes. “Hollywood Oscars”, Rick Executive Produced and Directed, was watched by over 10 million viewers across China. He also created branded programming for brands such as Coach, Tory Burch, LOreal, AVON, MAC, Coke, Ford
As Vice President Production for Reality 24-7, Rick designed innovative television production, programming integration and studio facilities and was Head of Production, Executive Producer The Real Deal, Reality Central News.
Rick is a live multi-camera director for music concerts which include Maroon5, Lady Gaga, Macklemore, Pitbull, Kelly Clarkson, U2, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston.
As Executive Vice President of television.com, Rick developed and launched television.com’s original digital and mobile entertainment service. He managed television, software development, code production, content creation and studio where he produced over 500 hours of Interactive Television (Judge Judy, Baywatch, Health E Styles) and short form shows. In addition, he created TV and digital portals and program guides for Paul Allen’s Digeo and Charter OTT.
Rick was Director of Production for Viacom creating local programming, cable network startups and managing cable production studios. As Director, he developed production and programming for Showtime and MTV Networks.
Rick Portin is a celebrated industry leader whose work has earned him numerous accolades, including 10 CableACE Awards, an Emmy Award, the Broadcast Design Association Silver Award, and the New York Film Festival Award. He was also commissioned by the American Film Institute as an “Interactive Television Pioneer,” recognizing his groundbreaking contributions to the evolution of digital and interactive media. Rick is an active member of both the Television Academy and the Producers Guild of America, underscoring his continued influence and commitment to excellence in entertainment production