Houston software company opens Univah Pro pre-release for filmmakers

The Stephanie Michaels Software Company has opened pre-release purchases for Univah Pro, a real-time film engine aimed at filmmakers, animators and VFX artists. The launch gives users access now at a 65% discount while development continues on the platform’s rendering, physics and cinematic tools.

Why it matters: - Univah Pro is being positioned as a new category of production software for real-time filmmaking and animation. - The pre-release lets filmmakers and creators use the platform before final development is complete. - The company says the discount lowers the entry cost during development, with all website prices 65% off until the introductory period ends.

What happened: - The Stephanie Michaels Software Company announced pre-release availability of Univah Pro. - Univah Pro is described as the world’s first native Film Engine built from scratch for real-time filmmaking, real-time animation and real-time rendering. - The software is powered by the company’s proprietary motion graphics system, rReligionVFX™. - Univah Pro is available now through the company’s website as a monthly subscription or a one-time perpetual license. - The company said the pre-release model lets filmmakers, animators, VFX artists and creators use the Film Engine while new capabilities are still being developed.

The details: - Univah is designed to bring near-final visual quality into the real-time viewport. - The platform is built to show lighting, atmosphere, effects, shadows, environments and simulations as users work. - The company says Univah reduces reliance on traditional offline rendering, generative AI or render farms for visual feedback. - Since its first announcement in 2021, Univah has expanded with systems for real-time animation, rendering, physics and cinematic environments. - Univah capabilities include Double Precision Planetary Rendering System for environments that move from ground level to space. - Univah includes a Black Hole System for cinematic black-hole environments and space phenomena. - Univah supports Animated FBX Scene Import for real-time filmmaking and visualization. - Univah includes Advanced Physics for real-time physical simulation in cinematic scenes. - Univah includes Water Physics for interactive water environments and physical water simulations. - Univah includes Soft Cloth Simulation for cloth and other soft-body materials. - Univah includes Atmosphere and Volumetric Systems for skies, clouds, planetary atmospheres and environmental effects. - Univah includes Real-Time Lighting and Shadows for previewing cinematic lighting in the viewport. - Video demonstrations of Univah’s animation, planetary rendering, physics, water, cloth and atmospheric tools are available on the company’s YouTube channel. - The company’s ecosystem also includes Univah Lite™, the Univah Film Engine SDK™ and rReligionVFX™. - Univah Lite is described as a lightweight entry point for students, educators, creators and filmmakers. - The Univah Film Engine SDK is intended for programmers building custom filmmaking, graphics and visual-effects applications. - rReligionVFX is described as a procedural visual-effects and distribution system for cinematic motion graphics.

Between the lines: - The release signals a go-to-market strategy that favors early user adoption over waiting for a completed version. - By framing Univah as a film engine rather than a game engine adaptation, the company is trying to define a distinct workflow for cinematic production. - The company’s emphasis on offline operation and non-AI infrastructure is meant to differentiate Univah from cloud-dependent creative tools. - Founder and CEO Stephanie Iketuonye Michaels said the goal is software that anyone can learn in one day without prior animation experience, and that users can now work with Univah Pro while development continues.

What's next: - Univah Pro will continue adding capabilities during the pre-release period. - The introductory 65% discount ends once development is complete. - The company is directing users to its website and YouTube channel for purchases and demonstrations. - The company’s product line also includes the make me™ character creator, which remains part of its broader software portfolio.

The bottom line: - The Stephanie Michaels Software Company is betting that filmmakers will buy into Univah Pro before it is finished, in exchange for early access and a steep discount.