French commercials studio Troublemakers unveils fledgling prodco’s first originals

Troublemakers Originals is coproducing the doc Louder Than Bombs

French broadcasters Canal+ and Arte are on board projects from the fledgling production company set up by Paris-based commercials studio Troublemakers.

Troublemakers Originals was co-founded by CEO James Hagger and Jean Méranger-Galtier to make animated specials, documentaries and drama series.

Troublemakers, set up by Hagger in 2008, has made commercials for brands such as Van Cleef & Arpels, Louis Vuitton and Riot Games, and two documentaries under its Eliotness label.

These were Responsible, about corporate responsibility in the face of the climate crisis, and Free Wheel, which followed a Bataclan survivor determined to climb Kilimanjaro in a wheelchair.

The company’s longform projects are now being developed under Troublemakers Originals, which has secured a pre-buy from Canal+ for Dark Woods (1×26′), an animated special about grief based on a webcomic by Estrela Lourenço.

Originally developed by João Carrilho, producer at Portuguese studio Fly Moustache, it was pitched at Cartoon Forum in 2024 and is set to air in early 2028 on RTP in Portugal and Mega in Greece, with support from the CNC’s Audiovisual Support Fund.

James Hagger (left) and Jean Meranger Galtier

Directed by Carrilho, the show is aimed at six- to eight-year-olds and follows a girl who moves to the countryside with her father after her mother’s death, where she befriends a small magical fox.

It is being written by Portuguese screenwriter Nuno Soler under the supervision of Jean Méranger-Galtier, who is both a producer and screenwriter. Greek studio Funny Tales is coproducing alongside Troublemakers Originals.

Troublemakers Originals is also developing two other animation projects: Nitwits! (20×11′), for 3-5s, and Léna & the Remarkables, (1×26′), for 6-8s and adapted from Clotilde Perrin’s picture album The Remarkables, published by École des Loisirs.

Troublemakers Originals is also coproducing the documentary Louder Than Bombs (1×30′) alongside Arte, 2332 in Ukraine, Grace Films, Lehmann Sisters in Switzerland and Gunilla Films in Sweden.

The doc is directed by Marc Wilkins, who has spent three years filming musicians in a community of contemporary jazz artists in Ukraine. It has been supported by the CNC’s Animation Techniques Grant and is set to air on Arte in early 2027, five years after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Troublemakers Originals recently produced the feature doc Medi & Moi (1×70′) by Vasken Toranian (Le Monde de Kaleb), a French director of Armenian descent, which follows a toxic friendship.

The film is now completed and about to begin its festival run, where it will be presented to theatrical distributors.