Russell Quinn is an artist, designer, and programmer. He works independently as False Vacuum.

He was previously employed as McSweeney’s Digital Media Director where he developed and implemented their e-book strategy, and relaunched their popular humor website and store. Before that, he cofounded multinational digital agency Spoiled Milk, and made tools for games consoles at Sony.

In 2009, he invented the first subscription-based iPhone app in the publishing industry. In 2012, he cocreated The Silent History, a Webby Award-winning digital novel for iOS. In 2015, he cocreated The Pickle Index, a story told via a fictional recipe-sharing app. His work has been recognized by the Los Angeles Times, Apple, Sundance, SXSW, Wired, Time, Core77, Creative Review, and the BBC.

Russell left the UK in 2005 and has lived in Denmark, Switzerland, and rural California. He is currently based in Los Angeles and working on Linda & Joan, a narrative video game about the worst year of his life.

~ SELECTED WORKS ~

Video games
- Linda & Joan (in development)
— Linda & Joan Bonus Scene: “The Candle” (2021)
- Linda & Joan Prologue: “Four Months Earlier” (2020)

3D VFX
— Unsolved Histories 3D VFX for CBS Eye Animation (2021)

Installation art
- I’m the President, Baby by Miranda July with Oumarou Idrissa at the V&A, London (2018) and Fondazione Prada Osservatorio, Milan (2024)

Movie trailers
- Feels Good Man ‘93 (Bonkers) Rave Remix for Feels Good Man (2020)

Stories for iOS and print
- The Pickle Index with Eli Horowitz (2015)
- The New World with Chris Adrian, Eli Horowitz (2015)
- The Silent History with Eli Horowitz, Kevin Moffett, Matthew Derby (2012)
- Small Chair with McSweeney’s (2009)

Producer or consultant 
— Miranda July: New Society, Technical Director (2024)
- Feels Good Man, graphics (2020)
- Only One (video game) by Kanye West (2016) 
- Touch Sensitive by Chris Ware (2011, 2016) 
- Somebody (v2) by Miranda July (2014) 
- Stop, Breathe & Think (2014–2019) 
- System Space Time by Scott Snibbe (2011) 
- Hybrid Moment (for iOS) by Rafaël Rozendaal (2009)

iOS apps made for clients 
- Tim & Eric (2016)
- Foodprinter with ZeroFoodPrint (2016) 
- Village (2015)
- Cookable with Mark Andrew Gravel (2014)
- Typing Writer with The Rumpus (2014)
- Stop, Breathe & Think with One Long House (2013) 
- Kortlest with Gyldendal Norsk Forlag (2011) 
- Nieves Books (2010) 
- Creative Review Annual (2010) 
- The New Goodbye by Neil Ayres (2010) 
- ProPublica (2009)
- Wallpaper* City Guides (2008)

Podcasts
- Featured segment on the Virtual Worlds episode of TED original podcast Far Flung (2020)
- Guest character on Richard’s Famous Food Podcast, eps #15, #16, #19 (2020)
- LIARS?, an original podcast series with Jon Adams (2019)

Print design 
- About Faces with University of California, Berkeley (2014) 
- The Ultimate Fate of the Universe published in the Believer (2011) 
- Jeremy Warmsley record covers (2005–2006) 
- JC’s Revenge gig posters (2004)

Branding
- Smogtown F.C. crest (2023)
- BIOS Clinical Research (2021)
- Eyrie Originals logo and banner (2019)

Products 
- Linda & Joan Zine Club (2021-)
- “Four Months Earlier” gallery-print series (2020)
- Eyrie Originals patch (2019)
- Unofficial Breaking Bad® Emoji Mugs with Starlee Kine (2013)

Web bits
— Los Angeles Co-Ed Soccer Standings, Schedule, and Scores (2023–)
- Quarantine Collaboration with Corinne Goria (2021)
- Homecoming Cipher with Gimlet Media (2017) 
- Momofuku reservations (2014) 
- Lucky Peach web store (2014) 
- Isaac Fitzgerald (2014–) 
- From Then On Fire with Corinne Goria (2011)

Open source 
- Casein CMS toolkit (2007–)

Goofs 
- HEMPF microcast with Sam Riley (2015) 
- Christ Answers (2012–) 
- Rut & Slump with Walter Green (2013) 
- Zybercorp with Alf Lenni Erlandsen (2005)

Community and events 
- Being Abroad with Lucy Reynell (2005–2010) 
- Science Vs Art (2008, 2009)

Films
- Lucy is Now 33 (2017)
— Antibody Mediated Cellular Cytotoxicity in HIV Infection with Lucy Reynell (2009)
- Lucy is Now 22 (2006) 
- Jeremy Warmsley live visuals (2006) 
- A Routine of Habit with Casper Hübertz Jørgensen (2005)
- A Modern Downfall with Casper Hübertz Jørgensen (2004)
- Freak-1-c (2004) 
- I Believe In The Way You Move by Jeremy Warmsley (2004)

Music 
- A Lifetime of Cosmology (2008)
- #002 (2005)

Paintings
— Nectarine (2020)
— Measurable (2019)

Concepts 
- Flewswold (2019) 
- Dogsbody (2017)
- Herd (2017)
- PRWLR with Jon Adams (2017) 
- bcc with Eli Horowitz (2016)

~ OTHER ~

Awards
- Shortlisted for the New Media Writing Prize (2021)
- One of the Digital Dozen from Columbia University School of the Arts Digital Storytelling Lab (2016)
- Runner-up for Interaction in Core77 Design Awards (2016)
- Winner of Webby Award for Experimentation & Innovation (2013)
- Official selection of the Sundance New Frontier Lab (2013)
- Digital Americana Prize for Storytelling (2013)
- Finalist for SXSW Interactive Award (2013)
- Honored in Apple’s Best Apps of the Year (2013)
- Runner-up for Interaction in Core77 Design Awards (2013)

Residencies
- Leighton Artists Studios at the Banff Centre (2019) 
- New Frontier Lab at the Sundance Institute (2012)

Teaching 
- Interactive Storytelling at Tennessee Young Writers’ Workshop (2021)
- Who Makes The News? at 826LA with Kerry McLaughlin (2017, 2018) 
- Digital Narratives at the Banff Centre (2015, 2016)

Speaking & Panels
- Personal Storytelling with Video Games at Los Angeles Public Library (2020)
- Maine College of Art (2020)
- Los Angeles Review of Books Publishing Workshop (2017)
- The Banff Centre (2016)
- Bay Area Book Festival (2015)
- The Battery, San Francisco (2015)
- Future of StoryTelling (2015)
- Dig South (2014)
- StoryCode, San Francisco (2014)
- Yale University (2013)
- Pratt Institute (2013)
- O’Reilly Tools of Change for Publishing (2013)
- &NOW Festival of Innovative Writing (2011)

Selected Publications
- The Norton Anthology of American Literature (Ninth Edition) (Vol. E) (2017)
- Making Literature Now (Stanford University Press) by Amy Hungerford (2016)
- Designing Here/Now: A Global Selection of Objects, Concepts and Spaces For the Future (2014)
- “World’s Most Wired Storyteller: Russell Quinn” in Wired (2012)

Selected Writing
- “Russell Quinn in Conversation with Hopper Mills and Miranda July,” The Believer (2020)
- “Novelists Are Working Hard To Create Apps That Are Deliberately User-Unfriendly” by Russell Quinn and Miranda July, Gizmodo (2015)
- “The Pickle: A Conversation About Making Digital Books” by Robin Sloan, Craig Mod, Russell Quinn, and Eli Horowitz (2015)
— “Book Notes — The Pickle Index,” Largehearted Boy (2015)
- “Publishing Companies are Technology Companies” by Eli Horowitz and Russell Quinn, HuffPost (2013)
— “Review of the Love Song of R. Buckminster Fuller” by Russell Quinn, The Rumpus (2012)

Companies 
- Owner, False Vacuum (2014–) 
- Partner, Sudden Oak (2015–2024) 
- Partner, Ying Horowitz & Quinn (2012–2014) 
- Partner, CJQ Group ApS (2008–2012) 
- Technical Director, Spoiled Milk (2005–2009)

Jobs 
- Mobile Product Manager, Safari Books Online (2015) 
- Digital Media Director, McSweeney’s (2010–2011) 
- Software Engineer, Craftwork.dk (2006)
- Software Engineer, SN Systems / Sony Computer Entertainment (2000–2005)

Qualifications 
- Computer Science BSc (Hons), Cardiff University (1997–2000)