Bristol has long been a sanctuary for the avant-garde and the independent, but the city’s creative landscape is expanding its horizons with the launch of Doublecat Productions. The new venture is not a traditional animation house; instead, it arrives as a hybrid production and consultancy studio designed to bridge the gap between character-driven storytelling and a fragmented global market.
Founded by American producer Allissoon Lockhart and industry veteran Seb Burnett, Doublecat is positioning itself as a connective tissue for the industry. Rather than maintaining a static internal roster, the studio operates as an agile hub, assembling bespoke teams of creatives to shepherd projects through development, whether those projects are animated series, interactive narratives, music videos, or live-action films.
The partnership was forged during the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, where Lockhart and Burnett identified a recurring friction in the industry: the difficulty creators face in getting high-concept ideas in front of the right decision-makers. By combining Lockhart’s global production footprint with Burnett’s experience in commercial animation and game development, Doublecat aims to streamline the path from initial concept to greenlight.
A Borderless Approach to Production
The studio’s operational model is intentionally fluid, maintaining a dual presence in Bristol, and Tokyo. This geographical split allows Doublecat to tap into two of the world’s most distinct animation cultures simultaneously. Lockhart, who has spent the last four years moving across three different countries to follow the evolution of the medium, brings a level of international agility that is increasingly necessary in a post-pandemic production environment.
Lockhart’s recent portfolio includes work on the 2D pilot episodes of Knights of Guinevere and Gameoverse for Glitch Productions—a studio that has seen a meteoric rise in the indie animation space. Her current involvement with a feature film from the legendary Toei Animation further cements Doublecat’s pipeline into the heart of the Japanese anime industry.
For Burnett, the move represents a continuation of his work in diversifying narrative formats. Having previously co-founded Rumpus Animation Studios and developed the Bertram Fiddle games, Burnett is focused on the intersection of gaming and traditional storytelling. “We all want new stories, new shows, new games, new fresh ideas,” Burnett said. “We are here to make them happen.”
The Initial Slate: From AAA Games to Indie Series
Doublecat is launching not with a pitch deck, but with an active slate of high-profile collaborations. The studio’s first official project is a traditionally animated trailer for a major U.S. Game studio, produced in partnership with Tokyo-based anime houses Transdyne and RhinoKino. While the specific IP remains under wraps, the project signals Doublecat’s ability to coordinate complex, multi-continental workflows.
Beyond the U.S. Market, the studio is collaborating with Blue Bandicoot and Krome Studios to develop an animated series based on a prominent Australian video game IP. This move highlights the studio’s strategy of leveraging established gaming audiences to launch new narrative content.
| Project | Collaborators | Format | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unnamed US Game Trailer | Transdyne, RhinoKino | Traditional Animation | In Production |
| Australian Game IP Series | Krome Studios, Blue Bandicoot | Animated Series | Development |
| Virtual Realiteens | Studio NX, Adam Jeffcoat | Independent Series | Pre-production |
Perhaps the most ambitious project currently in the works is Virtual Realiteens. Produced by Studio NX, the series sees Lockhart serving as executive producer alongside Adam Jeffcoat, known for the interactive comic app Niko and the Sword of Light. The series has already attracted a powerhouse cast of voice talent, including internet personalities Arin Hanson and Sean McLoughlin (Jacksepticeye), as well as Elsie Lovelock.
Navigating a Volatile Industry
The launch of Doublecat comes at a precarious time for the entertainment industry. Between shifting streaming budgets and the volatility of the traditional studio system, many creators are finding the path to production blocked by corporate consolidation. Doublecat is betting that a “return to creative roots” is the only way forward.
“It’s tricky in the industry right now,” Lockhart noted, suggesting that the current instability is actually driving a hunger for more immersive, authentic worlds. “We want to take our global network and use it to empower creators to get greenlit in any medium.”
By focusing on consultancy and IP development rather than the overhead of a massive physical studio, Doublecat is attempting to insulate itself from the risks of traditional production while providing a scalable service for creators who have the vision but lack the infrastructure to execute on a global scale.
For more information on their current projects and consultancy services, official updates are available at doublecatproductions.com.
The studio’s immediate next milestone will be the launch of a Kickstarter campaign to fund the early development of Virtual Realiteens, marking their first direct engagement with a community-funded model.
Do you think the “agile studio” model is the future of animation, or is the traditional studio system still king? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
