Stubios: Empowering the Next Generation of Filmmakers
Flagship Case Study Large-scale, 18-month mobile product build (UX/UI • Motion • Design Systems • Strategy • Gen Z Engagement)
Role
Lead Product Designer
Focus
UX/UI • Design Systems • Brand • Strategy
Timeline
October 2022 – March 2024
Collaborators
Issa Rae’s ColorCreative • FOX Marketing • FOX Engineering • Tubi Originals • Hedgehog
Overview
I served as the Lead Designer on Stubios from October 2022 to March 2024, leading UX/UI, motion, brand identity, and design systems. From 0→1 concept to launch, I shaped the platform’s creative vision and execution for mobile and oversaw the design handoff to Tubi following its public release.
The Opportunity
Gen Z consumes media differently and the gap between social and streaming is growing:
📱 89% spend at least 1 hour/day on social media
⏰ 47% spend more than 3 hours/day scrolling
📺 Only 51% spend over an hour/day streaming content
User research revealed Gen Z treats platforms like YouTube the way older generations treated network TV as passive, ambient background. But unlike TV, social offers participation, community, and influence.
Meanwhile, platforms like YouTube thrive on $0 user-generated content, while traditional streamers spend over $40 billion a year on production and marketing.
Stubios bridges the gap merging the interactivity of social media with the polish of streaming and delivers value to three core groups:
Fans: who want to engage and influence content
Creatives: who need visibility and funding
Tubi: which seeks high-impact content and deeper user engagement
Fans
Stubios transforms passive watching into active participation. Fans vote, comment, and directly influence which creators get greenlit giving them a real role in shaping what hits the screen.
Creatives
Stubios gives Content Creators (Creatives) more than exposure it gives them a shot at real funding, a built-in audience, and a chance to premiere on Tubi. By sharing their vision directly with fans, creators can rally support and turn passion projects into greenlit productions.
Tubi
Stubios offers a smarter path to content investment using real time fan data to de risk decisions. It boosted mobile engagement, positioned Tubi as an innovator, and bridged the gap between social and streaming.
Design, Test, Repeat
User insights drove every decision. I led dozens of moderated testing sessions and leveraged tools like UserZoom to validate designs at every stage. Our findings consistently showed that Gen Z audiences crave content that feels interactive, personal, and immediate so we designed Stubios to match.
Accesibility
I used tools like SimDaltonism to test against a wide range of color vision deficiencies deuteranopia, protanopia, tritanopia, and forms of monochromacy. Early designs didn’t meet accessibility standards, so we adjusted the UI and color palette to improve contrast and usability. The result is a more inclusive experience that’s clear, legible, and Gen Z-friendly.
Design Evolution
Stubios evolved through constant iteration guided by user feedback, accessibility best practices, and Gen Z behavior patterns. From early wireframes to high-fidelity designs, every decision aimed to make the experience feel easy, familiar, and inclusive. The result is a product that’s intuitive, accessible, and meets users where they are.
Key UX Features
Seamless Onboarding: A 4-step animated flow introduced new users to Stubios, making the experience clear, intuitive, and frictionless within the main Tubi app.
Vertical Feed: TikTok-style content discovery.
Engagement-Based Voting to determine which projects get greenlit.
Creator Hubs: Spaces for updates, videos, and fan interaction.
Live Dashboards: Real-time voting and engagement metrics.
In-App Webview: Embedded seamlessly in the Tubi app.
Chat & Comments: Fans talk directly with creators.
Contest Leaderboard: A real-time leaderboard let fans track which creators were rising to the top adding urgency, transparency, and excitement to the competition experience.
Onboarding
The onboarding flow educates new users in four animatr steps showing how to discover projects, vote, leave feedback, and follow creators to the finals. It’s fast, clear, and Gen Z-friendly.
Motion
I designed key animations and transitions to make Stubios feel fun, fast, and intuitive from the first tap. Motion was used thoughtfully to guide users, reinforce interactions, and set a playful tone that resonated with Gen Z. The goal wasn’t just delight it was clarity, energy, and a sense of momentum.
Chat
Stubios isn’t just for posting it’s for talking. Each project has its own chat thread where creators and fans connect, brainstorm, and share behind-the-scenes moments. This turned every project into its own creative community.
The Contest
Each month, Stubios launches a new contest where creators pitch projects and fans vote. In the first round (May 2024), over 750 filmmakers apply. The winning project with over 15,000 fan interactions gets greenlit by Tubi. It’s part talent show, part social feed, and fully powered by the crowd.
Impact
Stubios launched in March 2024 and immediately made waves. Over 750 filmmakers applied in the first month, with the winning project earning 15,000+ fan interactions and getting greenlit by Tubi proof the concept worked.
📈 59% year-over-year increase in Tubi mobile watch time
❤️ 1.5M+ engagements in just three months
💼 Partnerships with Starry (PepsiCo), Issa Rae, Lady London, and TikTok creators
📰 Featured in Variety, Forbes, TechCrunch, Deadline, and The Verge
💰 Secured multi-million dollar investment, credited in part to standout UX
Forbes called Stubios “a game changer for democratizing content creation.”
A Tubi exec praised it as “one of the cleanest launches we’ve ever had,” pointing to the seamless onboarding and intuitive mobile UX as key engagement drivers.
Role and Reflection
I led Stubios’ product design from concept to launch overseeing UX and UI while partnering closely with engineering, marketing, and executive leadership, including Melody Hildebrandt (CTO, Fox) and Simone Magurno (VP of Design, Tubi). The result is a platform that balances visionary ideas with polished execution.
"If the design wasn’t exceptional, stakeholders at Tubi would never have invested millions into Stubios. I’m proud to say I led that design." Mark Banzhoff
Stubios in the press
Stubios captured media attention across the entertainment and tech worlds highlighting its innovative format, Gen Z appeal, and Issa Rae’s involvement.
Forbes – Stubios and the Future of Fan-Greenlit Content
How Stubios is rewriting the rules of content creation and audience participation.Variety – Issa Rae Launches Stubios with Tubi
A closer look at how Stubios brings emerging creators to the forefront.Deadline – Tubi Launches Fan-Voting Platform With Issa Rae
Why FOX and Tubi are betting on fan-led greenlighting and social storytelling.The Verge – Stubios is TikTok Meets HBO
A platform where the scroll is addictive and the stakes are real.Adweek – Stubios Breaks the Streaming Mold
Merging content discovery and creator economy in one mobile-first experience.Fast Company – What Streaming Can Learn from Stubios
Why participatory design and UX are now essential for Gen Z engagement.