brown bag films
Brown Bag Films is a Dublin-founded, Scholastic-owned animation studio producing award-winning children's television series, specials, and feature projects for global broadcasters and streaming platforms, operating 1,000+ staff across studios in Dublin, Toronto, and Bali.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersDublin, Ireland
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What brown bag films does
Brown Bag Films is a privately held animation production studio founded in Dublin in 1994 by Cathal Gaffney and Darragh O'Connell, now operating as a wholly owned subsidiary within Scholastic Entertainment following the 2024 acquisition of parent 9 Story Media Group. The studio produces animated television series, specials, and short films primarily for preschool and children's audiences, with a portfolio spanning iconic franchises including Octonauts, Doc McStuffins, Peter Rabbit, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Wild Kratts, Vampirina, and Karma's World. It operates three production hubs — Dublin (headquarters with full 2D, 3D, and hybrid pipelines plus in-house post-production), Toronto (2D specialty), and Bali (3D asset creation and compositing, acquired in 2019) — employing 1,000+ animators, producers, and technologists globally. In June 2026, the studio launched Bad Pencil Animation, a dedicated service-work label expanding into prime-time content for older audiences in comedy, horror, drama, and action genres.
The studio's revenue model combines fee-based animation production services for global broadcasters and streaming platforms (PBS KIDS, Disney, Netflix, Apple TV+, BBC, Nickelodeon) with licensing royalties from original IP and book-to-screen adaptations developed with IP holders such as Scholastic, Dr. Seuss Enterprises, and the Frank McCourt Estate. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; production economics are supported by up to 40% tax incentives available through Irish and Canadian studio locations, which materially improve cost competitiveness against US-based peers. Distribution spans 180+ countries through major platforms and international broadcasters.
Brown Bag Films' technology stack includes hybrid 2D/3D animation pipelines, Unreal Engine, Autodesk Maya, ShotGrid, and proprietary in-house tools, with full in-house animation, picture, and audio post-production capabilities. The studio's competitive position rests on three decades of award-recognized creative output (two Academy Award nominations for animated shorts, multiple Emmy and Annie wins, multiple #1 Kidscreen Hot50 rankings), long-tenured platform relationships, and the integration benefits of operating within the Scholastic and 9 Story Media Group family. Leadership remains anchored by the founding co-founders in CIO and Group Creative Director roles, with operational leadership distributed across regional SVPs of production in Dublin, Toronto, and Bali.
brown bag films firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- brown bag films
- Legal name
- Brown Bag Films
- Website
- https://brownbagfilms.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Brown Bag Films is a Dublin-founded, Scholastic-owned animation studio producing award-winning children's television series, specials, and feature projects for global broadcasters and streaming platforms, operating 1,000+ staff across studios in Dublin, Toronto, and Bali.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where brown bag films is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dublin
- HQ country
- Ireland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
brown bag films business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Animation Production Services: The studio provides animation production services for global clients, studios, and creators, producing both preschool and older-skewing content. Bad Pencil Animation label focuses exclusively on service work for prime-time content.
- Original IP Development: Development and co-production of original animated series and short films, including Henry Hugglemonster, Octonauts, Doc McStuffins, Vampirina, and Karma's World, with revenue from licensing and distribution.
- Feature Film Projects: Expansion into feature-length animation projects including Dr. Seuss's Horton! and The Sneetches, Magic School Bus feature, and Goosebumps projects for Scholastic.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels6 records
brown bag films product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Brown Bag Films is a global animation studio providing end-to-end 2D, 3D, and hybrid animation production services for global broadcasters, streaming platforms, and IP owners, producing preschool and children's animated series, specials, feature projects, and Oscar-nominated animated shorts. Operating from studios in Dublin, Toronto, and Bali, the studio delivers full in-house capabilities from concept through animation, picture, and audio post-production, serving clients such as Netflix, Disney, PBS KIDS, BBC, Apple TV+, and Nickelodeon.
Product overview
Brown Bag Films is a creative-led, global animation studio with locations in Dublin, Toronto, and Bali that produces award-winning animated content for television, digital platforms, and theatrical release. The studio operates as part of the Scholastic family and 9 Story Media Group, offering comprehensive animation production services spanning 2D, 3D, and hybrid formats including live-action. The company's content portfolio includes preschool series (Octonauts, Doc McStuffins, Peter Rabbit, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Wild Kratts, Bing, Vampirina), Netflix and Disney+ original series (RoboGobo, Karma's World, Ada Twist Scientist, The Sneetches, Sago Mini Friends, Eva the Owlet), PBS KIDS programming (Super Why's Comic Book Adventures, Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum, Nature Cat), and feature content. The studio also produces Oscar-nominated animated shorts (Give Up Yer Aul Sins, Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty, 23 Degrees 5 Minutes) and book trailers. In 2026, the company expanded into older-skewing content through Bad Pencil Animation, a service-work label for darker, stranger, more mature storytelling in comedy, horror, drama, and action genres.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Animation Production Services
- Bad Pencil Animation
Quantifiable outcome
- Two Academy Award nominations for animated shorts
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use brown bag films
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
brown bag films technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
brown bag films partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and historical.
- ScholasticcoreScholastic acquired Brown Bag Films in 2024, bringing the studio into the Scholastic family. Brown Bag Films now operates as part of Scholastic Entertainment, producing content for Scholastic legacy brands including Goosebumps, 39 Clues, Animorphs, and Magic School Bus feature.
- 9 Story Media GroupcoreBrown Bag Films joined the 9 Story Media Group family in August 2015. 9 Story's Toronto studio was rebranded to Brown Bag Films Toronto, and together they ranked #1 in production on Kidscreen Hot50 multiple times.
- Fred Rogers ProductionscoreCo-producer of Daniel Tiger's Neighbourhood, carrying forward the legacy of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood for PBS KIDS
- PBS KIDScoreMajor distribution partner for Wild Kratts, Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum, Super Why's Comic Book Adventures, and Nature Cat on PBS KIDS
- DisneycoreLong-standing partner for Doc McStuffins, Henry Hugglemonster, Vampirina (Disney Junior) and RoboGobo (Disney+)
- NetflixcoreDistribution partner for Angela's Christmas franchise, Eva the Owlet, Sago Mini Friends, Chico Bon Bon: Monkey with a Tool Belt, and The Magic School Bus: Rides Again
- Apple TV+coreDistribution partner for Eva the Owlet and Sago Mini Friends on Apple TV+
- NickelodeoncorePartner for Olivia, Peter Rabbit, and Nella the Princess Knight distributed via Nick Jr and Nickelodeon networks globally
- BBCcoreOctonauts premiered on CBeebies and became top-rated preschool show within three months
- ChorioncoreCo-development partner for Olivia and Octonauts based on Chorion's literary properties
- Dr. Seuss EnterprisesstrategicProduced Dr. Seuss's Horton! and The Sneetches animated specials for Netflix
- Frank McCourt EstatestrategicProduced Angela's Christmas and Angela's Christmas Wish based on Pulitzer Prize-winning author Frank McCourt's characters
- Kratt Brothers CompanycoreCo-producer with the Kratts (Martin and Chris) for Wild Kratts on PBS KIDS
- RTÉhistoricalEarly production partner; produced first series for RTÉ in 1994 and numerous shows including Why?, I'm an Animal, and Taxi
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
brown bag films competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Nelvana: Toronto-based kids' animation studio owned by Corus Entertainment, producing preschool and children's series for global broadcasters. Directly comparable in target segment (preschool/IP-based animation), client base (PBS, Nickelodeon, Netflix), and scale — Nelvana is Brown Bag's closest North American competitor.
- WildBrain: Canadian entertainment company with a major animation studio producing kids' content including original IP and service work for global platforms. Comparable in kids' animation focus, Canadian tax incentive access, and IP-driven/library-based business model; competes for similar preschool commissions.
- Guru Studio: Toronto-based animation studio producing original kids' series (Paw Patrol spinoffs, True and the Rainbow Kingdom) and service work. Comparable in kids' animation focus, Toronto location and tax incentive access, and hybrid 2D/3D pipeline capabilities.
- Atomic Cartoons: Vancouver/Ottawa animation studio producing kids' series for Netflix, Disney and others (including Marvel's Spidey and His Amazing Friends). Directly comparable service-studio business model, kids' content focus, and Canadian tax credit utilization.
- Bardel Entertainment: Vancouver-based animation studio providing 2D and 3D animation services for global platforms including Netflix (Invincible) and Disney. Comparable as a Canadian animation service provider leveraging tax incentives and serving similar premium clients.
- Xilam Animation: French animation studio producing original kids' series (Oggy and the Cockroaches, Zig & Sharko) and adult animation. Comparable as an independent European animation studio with similar IP ownership and service work mix; competes for similar European broadcaster commissions.
- Mondo TV: Italian animation group producing kids' series (Sylvanian Families, MeteoHeroes) and licensing globally. Comparable as an independent European animation studio focused on kids' IP and service work, with similar international distribution profile.
Broad incumbents
- Zodiak Kids (Banijay Kids & Family): Global kids' entertainment division of Banijay, producing and distributing animation including Totally Spies and other IP. Broader incumbent with significant scale and library assets; overlaps with Brown Bag in kids' animation production and global distribution.
- Studio 100: Belgian-based kids' entertainment company with major animation brands (Maya the Bee, Heidi). Comparable in kids' animation focus and European base; larger incumbent with extensive IP library and global licensing operations.
- 9 Story Media Group: Toronto-based parent company of Brown Bag Films since 2015 and now part of Scholastic. Direct parent and operating peer — produces/distributes kids' content (Daniel Tiger's Neighbourhood, Wild Kratts) and shares distribution, IP library and producer relationships with Brown Bag.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
brown bag films social profiles
Digital presencebrown bag films financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
brown bag films leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
brown bag films subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
brown bag films funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
brown bag films M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about brown bag films
What does brown bag films do?
Brown Bag Films is a global animation studio providing end-to-end 2D, 3D, and hybrid animation production services for global broadcasters, streaming platforms, and IP owners, producing preschool and children's animated series, specials, feature projects, and Oscar-nominated animated shorts. Operating from studios in Dublin, Toronto, and Bali, the studio delivers full in-house capabilities from concept through animation, picture, and audio post-production, serving clients such as Netflix, Disney, PBS KIDS, BBC, Apple TV+, and Nickelodeon.
Is brown bag films a public or private company?
brown bag films is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was brown bag films founded?
brown bag films was founded in 1994. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is brown bag films based?
brown bag films is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, in the Europe region.
How does brown bag films make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Animation Production Services are the primary driver. The others are original IP Development and feature Film Projects.
Who are brown bag films's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Nelvana, WildBrain, Guru Studio, Atomic Cartoons, Bardel Entertainment, Xilam Animation and Mondo TV. Broad incumbents are Zodiak Kids (Banijay Kids & Family), Studio 100 and 9 Story Media Group.
Does brown bag films have an API?
No public API is recorded for brown bag films.