Ignacy Ziarkiewicz

Narrative designer, writer, filmmaker

Focused on rich, nuanced stories! :)I have a bachelor degree in film studies and I've worked already on many narrative projects - movies, scripts and games.
Right know I am taking game design course at FUTURE GAMES in Warsaw which is cooperating with CD PROJEKT RED. I completed courses about directing, game design, video editing, screenwriting and more.
Personally, the most important thing to me is to stay sensitive to the beauty of the world!! And to see more about me, click here.


GAME Projects:


The Troubling Memories

Elsewhere Activison internship/mentoring

Currently I am working on a quest in an internship/mentoring programme at Elsewhere Entertainment, Activision.It is set in postapocalyptic Poland, where Anna, retired merc, must find her son in a city divided by war. On her way, she stumbles upon two men in conflict. Anna will have to help one of them, to get to another side of the bay, to follow her son...


The Rental FPP is short horror-puzzle game, set in the 1986 in cassette rental. You play as a worker in this place, who comes to the night shift just to do his job. But it won't be a normal work day. Your boss bought a new machine, which let you go into the movies worlds, and he wants you to test it. This starts your trip between realities. You never know, what next cassette will bring and where it will take you. Will you survive confrontation with the machine, which starts to interfere with your brain?

Enigne: Unreal Engine 5Team: 9 game developersDevelopment time: 4 weeksRoles:
1. Narrative design:
- script and the structure of the entire story
- overlooking environmental storytelling
- dialogues in game
- cutscenes - directing, script, videoediting of all videos in the game
2. Gameplay design
- overlooking ideas for the mechanics since the beginning of the project
- prototyping the enemy following player in the maze
3. Level design
- blockout for the maze level


Cookies and Screams is a 3D action puzzle-platformer video game. You run around a bakery as a little gingerbread man, Brad Ginger. Having accidentally turned the baker into a cookie-craving monster, who wants to eat you and your fellow cookie neighbors, you must reach the gingerbread elder, so he can help you find a cure for your baker friend.

Enigne: Unreal Engine 5Team: 13 game developersDevelopment time: 8 weeksRoles:
1. Narrative design:
- script and the structure of the entire story
- dialogues in game
- cutscenes - directing, script, videoediting
2. Gameplay design
- overlooking ideas for the mechanics since the beginning of the project
- looking after GDD, updating it regularly according to changes made in the project
3. Puzzle design
- ideas for the puzzles


The
Neighbourhood
Accident

The Neighbourhood Accident is a 3D puzzle-escape room type of game that unfolds within the confines of your ex-husband's house. Immerse yourself in this game and its well crafted environment, with the objective of locating and cracking a safe. Throughout this journey, you'll need to solve various puzzles to uncover the truth behind the place you are in.

Enigne: UnityTeam: 10 game developersDevelopment time: 3 weeksRoles:
1. Narrative design
- script and the structure of the entire story
- dialogues in game
- text for plot items in the game
2.General
- PO of the project
- overlooking ideas for the mechanics since the beginning of the project
- looking after GDD, updating it regularly according to changes made in the project
- creation of the trailer for the game
3. Puzzle design
- ideas for the puzzles and sequence of their finishing


Mirage Rush

Mirage Rush, an extreme sports third-person mobile game that thrusts players into the thrilling world of sandboarding. Set in diverse, post-apocalyptic desert landscapes, players race against each other and the clock, pushing the limits of speed and skill.

Enigne: UnityTeam: 17 game developersDevelopment time: 6 weeksRoles:
1. Narrative design
- script and the structure of the entire story
2. Level design
- taking care of the part of the level - decorating and planning the obstacles
3. Gameplay design
- taking part in creating ideas for the mechanics


Who am I?My name is Ignacy Ziarkiewicz, and I worked and studied to become game designer, film director and screenwriter.The most important thing to me in art is to see/show life and its problems from as many perspecitves as you can. I really believe that showing nuances makes people more sensitive to the world.Right know I am studying game design at FUTURE GAMES in Warsaw which is a course in cooperation with CD PROJEKT RED. In the 2 years of studying I will make 4 full working games in Unity and Unreal Engine 5.I have a bachelor degree in film studies. I completed courses about directing, game design, video editing, screenwriting and more.I directed 6 short films and I took part in many other audiovisual projects. One of the projects I co-directed was displayed at the ending gala of important international film festival in Kraków - MasterCard OFF Camera 2021.Currently I'm taking part in 'Skok w dok' which is a development program for documentarie movies for young audiences.

writing Projects

I wrote many scripts for movies, mostly short and in Polish language. Here are few examples of them.Some of my movie scripts were turn into movies (see the film section).I also was a part of the news team in Gry-OnLine.pl, where I wrote articles for one of the biggest game-related site in Poland - examples below!


Miraż

(eng. Mirage)

Short film screenplay in polish - 30 min

Chłopak poruszający się o kulach, chce uciec z domu swojego ojca na postapokaliptycznej pustyni.

ENG: Daniel, a teenager with a paralytic leg, is locked by his father in the house in the middle of a post-apocalyptic wasteland and he starts his rebellion for freedom after meeting an unexpected guest.


Bracia w wierze

(eng. Brothers in faith)

Short film screenplay in polish - 30 min

Trzech księży, mieszkających w kościele na małej kamiennej wyspie, staje w obliczu moralnych dylematów, gdy do drzwi pukają niespodziewani goście.

ENG: In the church situated on a small, rocky island on the sea, theree priests are challenged with unexpected guests and moral dilemmas.


raj

(eng. Paradise)

Short film screenplay in Polish - 30 min

Dziewczyna wyrusza w podróż w poszukiwaniu swojego ojca, który nagle zaginął i zostawił po sobie tylko tajemniczy list...

ENG: Magda needs to find her father, when he suddenly disappears, leaving after himself only a mysterious letter...


Journalism examples

Cinematic Projects

I have a bachelor degree in film studies and I have made 6 short movies.I made 2 short documentaries, 4 short fiction films (some of them below) and wrote more than 10 scripts (see writing section).Right now I'm part of the Skok w dok 2024 programe, in which I will develop a documentary movie for young audiences.I am really often at different movie sets, caring mostly about good coperation with other filmmakers.


Interno

short horror

I was responsible for: directing, editing, photogrpahy, screenplay, special effects


OFF CAmera - advert for potential volunteers, 2021

Shown at the official ending gala

I was responsible for: directing, screenplay


List, 2020

Shrot experimental film

I was responsible for: directing, editing, photogrpahy, screenplay


Grzebać i śpiewać, 2023

Shrot documentary made in Sicilly, Italy

I was responsible for: directing, editing, photogrpahy

Process

1. Narrative design

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