ISHAN SHAPIRO
aka @poietik
I’m a
creative director, world builder, and
artist.
I work across media, product design, game design, social technologies, foresight and facilitation, from the board room to the playground.
Here is a selection of some of the projects I’ve contributed.
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BABKA & NUSHI
creative direction
An AI enhanced, transmedia grandmother and her robotic cat, who roamed Tiktok, Reddit, X, the streets of San Francisco and Los Angeles during Spring 2023.
Read case study
Transmedia
2022-2023
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OBJET.ART
creative direction
Branding and creative for Objet.art, a web publishing platform poised to disrupt the fine art market.
Explore platform
Web Platform
2022-2023
SWAN SONG
world building
Feature film directed by Ben Cleary, produced by Anonymous Content. Responsible for world logic, systems and research that informed production design and narrative.
Watch on Apple TV+
Film
2021
FUTURE SCOUTS
creative direction
Founded a next-gen scouting organization helping youth develop 21st century survival skills via creative camps and workshops, serving thousands. Branding, Marketing, Product Design. Pressured to shut down by the Boy & Girl Scouts.
Read the HNDBK
Venture
2016-2022
CRYPTO COMMONS CAMP
concept, creative direction
Concept, vision and whitepaper for a decentralized organization that acquires, stewards and manages Scouting ranches currently being privatized around the USA.
Read more in Shareable
Venture Fiction
2021
V.N.F.K.
art direction
Early oevre of algorithmic and anti-algorithmic art, quickly
banned on social media.
JPGs, GIFs, AI,
canvas, and spraypaint.
Patacodex
Patamoji
Art
2021
MARBLE TOWN
creative direction
Developed concept, design and noir-paper for an Open Metaverse Cemetary (and the accompanying musical) on the blockchain.
R.I.P.
Venture Fiction
2020
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
world building, creative facilitation
Served as a creative lead, facilitator, and world builder in the studio of Alex McDowell.
Client projects included Ford,
20th Century Fox, Cook Inlet Tribal Council, University of Alaska, and the Mississippi Choctaw.
Visit Experimental Design
Agency
2017-2019
POLYPOLY
creative direction, game design
An update to an old classic - Monopoly. Polypoly is a board game for exploring alternative economics. Limited production run for use by the University of Technology, Sydney, for their Bachelor’s in Transdisciplinary Innovation
View on the Wayback Machine
Game
2019
STAR WARS IX
world building
Worked with production designer Alex McDowell and the Lucasfilm team to develop the world design and logic for a never-made version of Star Wars IX, helmed by Colin Trevorrow.
Learn more at AV Club
Film
2016-2017
METAMAPS.CC
creative direction, product design
Led the development and design of an open source web platform for real-time concept mapping. An early example of collaborative sensemaking and networked thinking software. Online 11 years strong and used by a small community of interdisciplinary researchers.
Star on Github
Platform
2012-2016
NOTTHISBODY
creative direction, creative production
A boutique studio making shortform viral media, art installations and transmedia content with such personas as Jonathan Haidt, Jason Silva, Lawrence Lessig and Aubrey Marcus.
View archive
Agency
2007-2012
EICAR INTERNATIONAL FILM SCHOOL
film direction, B.F.A.
Part of the last generation of filmmakers to learn filmmaking, shooting on film. Various 16mm & 35mm shorts.
Watch reel
Education
2004-2007