WELCOME TO THE UNBOUND LABS
‘The Animazombs’ is a mystery/adventure series created by Ashley Yeates which follows youngsters Sophie & Max in their quest to find their missing Grandfather, the amazing Professor Unbound!
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Set in a world where animals are extinct, the Professor was one of the chosen few trying to bring them back to life. Edging closer to success he seemingly rubbed up the wrong people, and when the kids investigate, they encounter the fruits of his labour in the secretive Unbound Labs - his lovable, dopey, animal-zombies: the 'Animazombs' - and together they team up to unravel a mystery of existential consequence!
UMM... ANIMAL ZOMBIES ?!
Initially launched as a soft-toy on Kickstarter, the Animazombs were conceived after a friend whimsically noted during a game of 'Dead Island' that in all zombie pandemics the animals always escaped unaffected - and seeing a zombie giraffe wandering about would be pretty comical... and thus an obsession was born!
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Putting pen to paper, I designed ideas for a soft-toy range before enlisting the help of a London design agency. It was here I first met illustrator Jon, who proved to be on a similar wavelength, however, with costs running high I was forced to abandon this avenue. This led to working directly with factories, and after many (many, many) revisions, creating the first batch of Animazombs which funded on Kickstarter in 2013.
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Selling the products at Comic Cons and other events, the characters proved to be much loved; the majority of products sold out and with little stock left I started working on Series 2, recommissioning the talents of Jon. Given the nature of manufacturing MOQs, the investment needed for Series 2 was unfeasible, and I couldn't gain traction on Kickstarter due to some bad choices, which led to a complete refocus for 2017.
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Throughout a trying 4 year period, I had experienced much, but it was the crowd-funding failure which prompted real efforts to developing the series. I could only afford to manage it part-time and slowly worked on development. Inviting Jon to join me once again, we worked tirelessly to create a new pitch bible, and I somehow managed to get it on the right desk, at the right time.
SO, WHAT'S THE STORY?
In this epic show, we follow the adventures of Max & Sophie Unbound (and their awesome new neighbour Bartley!) along with the crazy ensemble of lovable Animazombs!
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The disappearance of their grandfather, Professor Unbound, thrusts them into a world of wonder as the kids find themselves tied to the curiosities of his Laboratory, but with corrupt forces in pursuit, they're challenged with more than just his rescue as they unravel new and greater mysteries afoot.
With an intriguing cast of characters, environments, and world lore, the Animazombs not only promises an exciting adventure, but seamlessly integrates and highlights real environmental threats facing the animal kingdom, alongside more complex themes such as the singularity and the impact of A.I. in modern society.
WHAT'S NEXT?
- Max's To-Do List -
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DON'T PANIC
Locate Grandpa
Finish latest drone design
Find better power source (the hamster?!?)
Stop Wilson the Giraffe wrecking lab
- Sophie's To-Do List -
Stay cool (panic inside)
Rescue Grandpa
Fight off evil threat / hockey practice
Help Grandpa get animals back
- Bartley's To-Do List -
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PANIC!!!!
Get long-nosed horses back
Get angry-fluffy-hat horses back
Get bitey-swimmy horses back
Learn animal names from history class
- Ash's To-Do List -
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Find my greenlight (it's out there somewhere!)
Stay positive, driven, and focu...
Relaunch a product for the 10th Year Anniversary, 2023!!
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