Creative Development.
Original IP, world-building, character design, and narrative development for multi-platform storytelling. We treat development as the cheapest place to make a great show — and the most expensive place to skip.
Development is where the show is actually decided.
Most production failures are development failures wearing a more expensive jacket. UNI runs a senior development practice — show creators, story editors, and visual directors — that operates the way the best writers' rooms do: small, opinionated, and ruthless about the bible.
We develop original IP from concept, adapt licensed properties for new platforms, and take partner pitches from a one-line idea to a production-ready bible. The work shapes story, world, characters, format, and tone before a single frame goes into the pipeline.
And because we are also the studio that will produce it, the bible is built to be produced — not just admired. Every choice gets stress-tested against schedule, budget, and the hybrid pipeline it will run through.
From a hunch to a production-ready bible.
Original IP
Concept-to-bible development of original animated and live-action properties — for theatrical, episodic, and vertical formats.
World-Building
Story-world design — geography, history, factions, rules, technology — engineered for serial storytelling rather than a single feature.
Character Bibles
Character creation, design sheets, voice references, relationship maps, and arc planning across a multi-season run.
Story & Format Design
Episode structure, hook design, retention curves, season arcs — tuned to platform economics and audience behaviour.
Pitch & Pilot
Pitch decks, lookbooks, sizzles, and pilot episodes — produced fast through the hybrid pipeline to derisk commissioning decisions.
Adaptation & Re-development
Adaptation of licensed novels, games, comics, and films into series and vertical formats — honouring the source while serving the new platform.
Who this is for.
- Studios and creators with a concept that needs senior creative development before commissioning.
- IP holders with games, novels, manga, or properties they want adapted to series or vertical format.
- Broadcasters and streamers wanting development partners who will also produce the show.
- Brands and agencies launching narrative-driven content programmes that need bibled IP behind them.
- Independent creators with a strong voice who need a senior studio collaborator to take the work to commissioning.
Small team, clear gates.
- 01
Premise & Audience
We pressure-test the central idea — who is it for, why now, what's the contract with the audience — before any visual development begins.
- 02
World & Characters
Parallel development of story-world rules and the core character ensemble. This is where most IP either gains or loses traction.
- 03
Format & Arc
Episode design, season arc, and tone bible. The format must fit the platform, the audience, and the budget envelope it will live in.
- 04
Visual Direction
Look development, palette, art direction, and key art — produced fast through the hybrid pipeline so the bible has real images, not adjectives.
- 05
Pitch Package
Bible, lookbook, sizzle / pilot, and the production-ready plan — packaged for commissioning conversations with broadcasters, streamers, or financiers.
Development with a production studio behind it.
- Senior creative leads from animation, episodic, and feature backgrounds — opinionated, but accountable to the work.
- Every bible is stress-tested against the schedule and budget of the studio that will actually produce it.
- Hybrid pipeline behind development means a pilot or sizzle is days of work, not months — and the bible carries real images.
- Multilingual development across Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, English — fit for the multi-market reality of modern IP.
- Honest about what should be greenlit and what should go back to the writers' room.
Frequently asked.
Yes, in some cases — when the project fits the studio's creative remit and we trust the production partner. Most of the time, the work we develop, we also produce.
Yes. Adaptation is a significant part of the practice — turning novels, comics, games, and films into series, features, and vertical formats. Rights work has to be in order first.
A typical bible-and-pilot package runs eight to sixteen weeks, depending on scope. The hybrid pipeline shortens the visual stages dramatically; the writing stages still take the time they need.
Ownership is contracted upfront. Original IP developed inside UNI is typically co-owned or licensed; client IP brought to UNI stays with the client. Credits follow the actual creative contribution.
Yes — NDA is the default position. Sensitive properties are run through clean-room workflows and locked review channels.
