Brown Bag Films Opens Flagship Studio

DUBLIN: Brown Bag Films has opened its new 30,000-square-foot animation studio in Smithfield, Dublin, as it plans to expand its team to 255 creative and production staff by 2018.

A subsidiary of 9 Story Media Group, Brown Bag Films currently employs 184 staff members in its headquarters in Dublin, a studio in Manchester and an office in Los Angeles. The outfit is known for producing such hit animated children’s series as Octonauts, Doc McStuffins, Bing and Henry Hugglemonster. Brown Bag is currently producing the CG adaptation of Richard Adams’ Watership Down for Netflix and BBC.

Ireland’s Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, commented: “I am delighted to be here in Smithfield at the opening of Brown Bag Films’ new flagship studio. It is hugely encouraging to see this company move into an expanded space with plans for future job growth. Brown Bag is a great Irish success story since its foundation 22 years ago and is a fine example of what an innovative Irish company can achieve in the global market. This exciting company is successfully competing in the dynamic and very competitive world of creative animation. It is clear to me that this announcement is a further illustration of the range of Irish talent available for dynamic companies across diverse sectors. I wish Brown Bag Films’ and their team every success for the future.”

Cathal Gaffney, managing director of Brown Bag Films and COO of 9 Story Media Group, said: “With an eight-year history in Smithfield, we were keen to maintain our roots here. Our new studio sets an incredibly high standard and is the perfect home for our outstanding creative and technical talent. This is a very exciting time to be working in the kids content business and we are currently recruiting for talent to work with us on exciting shows like Watership Down and Doc McStuffins.”

Neil Court, executive chairman of 9 Story Media Group, added: “I am so proud to be part of the exciting expansion of Brown Bag Films. The Smithfield site is one of the most creatively driven and technically advanced studios in the world. The investment in the new space demonstrates our unwavering commitment to growing our production capabilities in Ireland.”

Martin Shanahan, CEO of IDA Ireland, said: “Brown Bag Films continues to draw international attention to the vibrant animation sector in Ireland through its award-winning productions. Ireland’s combination of creative and technical talent, and our love of storytelling and the visual arts makes it the perfect location from which to grow and develop global content. IDA Ireland warmly support this investment, and the opportunity to create high quality jobs for talented people in this exciting growth area.”