Bringing the design team together again
Imaginary Labs was formed from within the industry, in service of the people behind large-scale, globally recognized productions.
Our work is informed and inspired by decades of real-world experience using visualization to solve complex design challenges.
This perspective shapes the tools we build, designed to streamline workflows and support true collaboration.
Our Story.
Imaginary Labs was founded by David S. Perkins, a lighting designer and visualization specialist whose career spans over 25 years in theater, touring, broadcast, and large-scale live events. Like many designers working at the intersection of creativity and technology, David experienced firsthand the limitations of traditional visualization tools—static drawings, slow iteration cycles, and workflows that resisted collaboration
As real-time rendering matured, that frustration became an opportunity. Drawing on years of hands-on production experience, Imaginary Labs began developing a workflow built on Unreal Engine that could deliver the visual fidelity designers expect, without the complexity of game development. The result was Carbon: a platform designed to let teams design together in real time, see changes instantly, and make confident decisions earlier in the process.
Today, Imaginary Labs continues to build tools in close collaboration with designers, producers, and technical teams—grounded in real-world production demands and driven by a long-term dedication to improving how this work gets done.
Progress through care, attention, and steady refinement.
These principles guide how we build Carbon and how we measure progress. They reflect a long-term commitment to serving professionals who rely on this tool—not just today, but over time.
Continuous Improvement
We approach product development the way science approaches discovery—by asking better questions as new information becomes available. Each release reflects what we’ve learned from real-world use, testing assumptions against reality as understanding evolves.
Progress, for us, is not about grand rewrites or chasing trends. It’s about steady, measurable improvement over time—removing friction, refining workflows, and getting closer to the right answer with each step forward.
Accessibility First
Carbon is designed to be accessible at first contact. We prioritize clarity, calm interfaces, and approachable workflows before introducing advanced options. As users go deeper, additional controls and customization are intuitive and contextual.
Accessibility, for us, means more than physical accommodation. It includes cognitive load, visual clarity, and supporting different ways of thinking, so more people can engage confidently with the same tool.
Obsessed with Detail
The assets we represent, the systems they connect to, and the environments they exist in must be accurate enough to trust. Visual appeal matters—but never at the expense of correctness. Carbon exists to support real decisions, and that only works if the digital twin is faithful down to the details that professionals rely on.
The name Carbon is intentional: a carbon copy. What you design here should reflect reality closely enough that confidence carries through to the real world.
A transparent roadmap, shaped by your work.
We believe the people who rely on Carbon deserve visibility into how it evolves. Our roadmap reflects a clear long-term direction- refined by hands-on use, direct feedback, and the responsibility that comes with supporting professional workflows.
It’s not a list of promises or features to race toward. It’s a working view of how Carbon grows over time—guided by care, attention, and steady refinement as the platform, the community, and the work itself continue to evolve.
