Protopica by Manuel Sainsily & Will Selviz
x
p r o t o p i c a

PROTOPICA

Driving positive change 
through emerging technologies 
and cultural insights.

OpenAI Collaboration

Sora Short Film

Manuel Sainsily & Will Selviz co-directed their first short film, "Protopica" using Sora, OpenAI's generative video model during its early private alpha. Released in the summer of 2024, the film garnered over half a million views online ahead of Sora’s public release in December. It was later selected from over 300 films worldwide for "Sora Selects" and screened in NYC, celebrating their work as filmmakers, educators, and multidisciplinary artists.
Protopica explores future possibilities and forgotten pasts, fostering belonging and empathy by asking, “What if our lives result from choices made long before our existence?”

Watch Film



Start With Why

Ethos

Protopica is a community committed to driving positive change through emerging technologies and cultural insights.
Our mission is guided by intentionality—innovative yet practical, futuristic yet grounded. We resonate with those seeking thoughtful, purpose-driven solutions by seamlessly blending digital expertise with cultural awareness. Through this unique fusion, we bring transformative experiences to life and create lasting value by deeply understanding how these elements intersect.
At our core, we are global citizens dedicated to improving our shared world. Protopica harnesses cutting-edge capabilities to advance progress and leave behind a brighter, more equitable legacy.

Directors

Faces Behind Protopica

Manuel Sainsily

Manuel Sainsily is a TED Speaker, Instructor at McGill University and UMass Boston, and part of the first-ever GenAI course on MasterClass. Originally from Guadeloupe and now based in Montreal, he brings 15 years of experience in product design, XR, and AI, with expertise in cutting-edge technologies like haptics and EEG (using Brain-Computer Interfaces). Manuel has worked across industries ranging from gaming to aerospatial, collaborating with leading companies such as Meta, NVIDIA, OpenAI, and Adobe. A Mozilla Rise25 Award recipient, he uses his platform to connect innovation with culture through interactive experiences and global talks, with a strong focus on ethics.



Will Selviz

Venezuelan-born Will Selviz is a trailblazer in immersive media and experiential design. His diverse upbringing across Latin America, the Middle East, and Canada fuels his innovative approach to digital storytelling. A Clio Award winner and SXSW XR director, Will seamlessly blends traditional and cutting-edge technologies. Will’s expertise brings tech adoption for industry giants like Nike, Meta, NBA, Microsoft, and OpenAI. Passionate about neuroscience and Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technology, he aims to fuse creativity with scientific rigor. Drawing on his computer science and design background, Selviz crafts inclusive experiences that foster a sense of belonging.



Highlights

Awards, Press Coverage & Exhibitions

Everything that has unfolded since our talk at OCAD University in February 2024, including the release of our short film in June while participating in the OpenAI Sora private alpha.



  • 1.

    Press Coverage

    07.2024

    Protopica was mentioned in articles from ArtNet, Business Insider, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, and CMF, as well as radio & TV interviews with CBC.

  • 2.

    This interactive experience presented at VIFFest leveraged real-time AI visuals driven by a EEG headset, which monitored participants brain waves and emotions.

  • 3.

    Runway Meetup

    10.2024

    Sponsored by Runway, Mux and Kiswe in San Francisco. We gave a talk about Protopica and how we are using AI tools like Gen-3 Alpha to amplify cultural storytelling.

  • 4.

    Protopica was screened during an exhibition showcased in Riot Games Studios in LA for Latin Heritage Month 2024.

  • 5.

    Following the reception of the RISE25 award for his work in AI ethics, Manuel showcased Protopica during an interview with Mozilla.

  • The work of Manuel Sainsily (with a highlight on Protopica) was showcased in an interview in partnership with Skillshare.

  • 7.

    Protopica was exhibited at a conference in Winnipeg involving AI & XR with local attendees from high schools, the film and gaming industries.

  • 8.

    We pitched Protopica to various Meta teams during their inaugural AI Bootcamp in their HQ in Silicon Valley.

  • 9.

    Sora Selects

    01.2025

    OpenAI chose Protopica amongst 300+ short films to be screened at Metrograph in NYC for Sora Selects, celebrating their work as filmmakers, educators, and multidisciplinary artists.

  • 10.

    SXSW 2025

    03.2025

    Telefilm Canada and its partners selected Protopica to be showcased alongside 12 companies at the XR Experience Exhibition, which houses break-through XR and AI experiences from around the world.

Testimonials

From Our Community

1.

00 k

Views across platforms
(and counting)

2.

00

Video clips generated with
Sora from text prompts

3.

00 k

Brain waves captured
using EEG devices