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


2345—45/42 UBU