Paisley Smith is a filmmaker and virtual reality creator from the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of the Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh, and Squamish First Nations, known as Vancouver, British Columbia.

Paisley received an MFA from the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts in Television and Film Production, and was awarded the Fred Rogers Memorial Scholarship from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Foundation, the Tomlinson Holman Scholarship in Cinematic Arts from USC Lambda LGBT Association, and a Fulbright Scholarship. She is a Senior Civic Media Fellow at the USC Annenberg Innovation Lab.

Paisley began their career in innovation, worldbuilding, and virtual reality with Alex McDowell and Nonny de la Peña, pioneers of immersion and world design, respectively. Paisley is director of Unceded Territories with artist and activist Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun, and Homestay, produced by the National Film Board of Canada. Homestay is the recipient of 'Best XR' for Change at the Games for Change Festival 2019.

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Paisley trained as a digital well-being coach to inform their work in immersive technologies and create responsible digital experiences.

From 2020 to 2024 Paisley led the Unity for Humanity Program and community at Unity Technologies, focused on uplifting and supporting impact-driven creators.

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