“We founded Shuttlecraft because we wanted to start something provocative, smart and fresh, where we could inspire and enable talent to create, innovate and break the rules,” said Koff. “We believe great ideas deserve great design, and this approach is infused in everything we do – no matter the medium or budget.”
Koff and Dickenson originally met through Imaginary Forces, where Koff spent 10 years creating experiential design, interactive, feature and commercial work for clients such as IBM, Tropicana, Oral-B and Yoplait, as well as designing the main titles for all three Transformers features.
Through the Imaginary Forces relationship, the two quickly bonded and, eventually, began discussing a venture that would combine Dickenson’s ability to find and nurture talent, and Koff’s directorial and creative expertise.
“We want to remain tight-knit and nimble enough to do work that challenges us, as well as the audience,” said Dickenson. “In today’s market, the better ideas usually come with little money attached, and our model allows us to take those creative risks. Having multiple directors and a large staff requires a bigger office and bigger budgets, which can obscure the big picture, creatively and strategically.”
Dickenson and Koff vetted the Shuttlecraft roster to include directors whose approach is equally driven by design and storytelling. “Overlap between directors is so common on many rosters that it’s hard to see a distinction of talent,” said Koff. “We assembled our roster so that each director could add something unique and tangible for the greater whole of the collective.”