Brown Bag Films
Irish animation studio producing 2D and 3D television series, short films, commercials, and related animation content.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Brown Bag Films is an Irish animation studio founded in Dublin in 1994 by Cathal Gaffney and Darragh O'Connell. The company developed from a small independent production and commercial studio into an internationally oriented producer of animated television series, short films, and digital content. Its work has included both original projects and productions based on established children's books and entertainment properties. The studio is particularly associated with computer-animated preschool and children's programming, while also maintaining experience in traditional and 2D animation, commercials, illustration, and short-form film. The company's early work was closely connected to Irish broadcasting. Its first series, Peig, was produced for RTÉ using hand-painted acetate animation photographed on 35mm film. During the mid-1990s, Brown Bag Films operated from premises in Dublin and expanded into commercials and illustration. It created or worked on projects such as Wolves, Witches and Giants, Barstool, Taxi, and Why?, with Why? later selling to broadcasters in more than 100 countries. The studio also contributed to feature-film animation, including European coordination work on Warner Bros.' The King & I, supported by early digital production infrastructure. Short films became an important part of Brown Bag Films' creative profile. The Last Elk won international recognition, while Give Up Yer Aul Sins received an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Short Film at the 73rd Academy Awards. Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty, directed by Nicky Phelan, later earned a second Academy Award nomination in the same category. These achievements helped establish Brown Bag Films as a significant Irish animation company and demonstrated its ability to combine local storytelling with internationally competitive production. The studio expanded substantially during the late 2000s and early 2010s. It moved to a larger Dublin facility in Smithfield Square in 2007, installed digital and high-definition production capabilities, and began producing series for international broadcasters and children's networks. Its television credits during this period included Olivia, Noddy in Toyland, Doc McStuffins, The Octonauts, Henry Hugglemonster, and Peter Rabbit. The company also opened a Los Angeles office in 2010 with the stated purpose of developing animated feature films, and later established a 2D studio in Manchester. By 2009, it was reported to have delivered 20 hours of animation to international broadcasters and employed more than 160 people. Brown Bag's partnerships extended beyond Ireland. In 2011 it entered a development and production arrangement with Australia's Sticky Pictures and Kyla May Production for Dream Factory. Its productions achieved substantial recognition: The Octonauts received BAFTA attention and later won an Irish Film and Television Award for Best Children's Programme; Peter Rabbit earned multiple Daytime Emmy Awards; and Bing received an Emmy and writing recognition. Doc McStuffins became a major international preschool property, with its United States premiere in 2012 reported as a record-setting preschool debut and the series receiving a Peabody Award and an NAACP Image Award. The company was acquired by Canadian media company 9 Story Media Group on 18 August 2015. The transaction brought Brown Bag's computer-animation capabilities into 9 Story's portfolio and was described by 9 Story as a way to reintroduce CGI animation after an earlier unsuccessful implementation. Following the acquisition, Brown Bag continued to develop and produce major children's series, including Vampirina, which entered production in 2016 and premiered in 2017, and continued work on properties such as Bing, Peter Rabbit, The Octonauts, and other international productions. In October 2017, Brown Bag Films became one of 9 Story Media Group's two principal divisions, alongside 9 Story Distribution International, and assumed a coordinating…
History
Brown Bag Films was established in Dublin in 1994 by Cathal Gaffney and Darragh O'Connell. Its first series, Peig, was made for RTÉ using hand-painted acetate cell animation photographed on 35mm film. The studio initially worked from a Georgian house near Gardiner Street and supplemented television production with commercials and illustration. In 1996 it created Wolves, Witches and Giants for ITV Studios, and in 1997 moved to Dublin city-centre premises where it established Ireland's first digital ink-and-paint workstation. That period also included work on Warner Bros.' The King & I, with Brown Bag coordinating European animation with the Los Angeles production operation through an early modem-based digital workflow. The company continued developing Irish television and short-form work. Barstool and Taxi were produced for RTÉ, while Why? achieved international distribution to more than 100 countries. The 1999 short The Last Elk received awards internationally. In 2002, Give Up Yer Aul Sins earned Brown Bag Films its first Academy Award nomination, in the Best Animated Short Film category. The company subsequently expanded its staff and production infrastructure. A major growth phase began in the second half of the 2000s. Brown Bag moved to a new Smithfield Square studio in Dublin in 2007 and began production on Olivia for Nickelodeon, while also developing Noddy in Toyland. In 2008 it worked on Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty, which received another Academy Award nomination. By 2009, the company had delivered 20 hours of animation to international broadcasters, employed more than 160 people, and operated high-definition picture and multichannel audio post-production facilities. In 2010 it opened a Los Angeles office intended to support animated feature-film development. The early 2010s brought a series of high-profile television commissions. Brown Bag worked on Doc McStuffins, The Octonauts, Henry Hugglemonster, and Peter Rabbit, among other projects. The studio also produced Darragh O'Connell's short 23 Degrees, 5 Minutes, collaborated with Sticky Pictures and Kyla May Production on the proposed tween series Dream Factory, and developed the short film ANYA to support the charity To Russia With Love. It expanded its facilities, recruited additional staff, opened a 2D operation in Manchester, and launched Brown Bag Labs as an online behind-the-scenes and tutorial platform. Brown Bag's programs achieved significant critical and industry recognition. The Octonauts received BAFTA attention and won an IFTA for Best Children's Programme. Peter Rabbit received multiple Daytime Emmy Awards, while Bing received an Emmy and writing recognition. Doc McStuffins received a Peabody Award and an NAACP Image Award. The company's shorts also continued to appear in festivals and award programs, including An Ode To Love, which was named Best Irish Animation at the Foyle Film Festival. On 18 August 2015, 9 Story Media Group acquired Brown Bag Films. The Canadian media company used the acquisition to strengthen its CGI animation capacity. Brown Bag then continued producing and developing children's properties within the 9 Story group, including Vampirina, which entered production in 2016 and premiered in 2017. In October 2017, Brown Bag became one of 9 Story's two principal divisions and took responsibility for 2D and 3D animation activity across 9 Story facilities in Dublin, Manchester, and Toronto. Related operations in Bali and Toronto were also renamed under the Brown Bag Films identity. The studio consequently evolved from an independent Dublin producer into the animation arm of a Canadian-owned international media group.
- 2017
Brown Bag becomes a principal 9 Story division
[1]The studio assumed responsibility for 2D and 3D animation across several 9 Story facilities.
- 2015
Acquisition by 9 Story Media Group
[1]9 Story Media Group purchased Brown Bag Films, bringing the studio into a Canadian-owned media group.
- 2010
Los Angeles office opened
[1]Brown Bag established a Los Angeles office to support animated feature-film production and development.
- 2008
Second Academy Award nomination
[1]Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty received an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Short Film.
- 2007
Move to Smithfield Square and expansion into series production
[1]The company moved into a larger Dublin studio and began production on Olivia for Nickelodeon.
- 2002
First Academy Award nomination
[1]Give Up Yer Aul Sins was nominated for Best Animated Short Film.
- 1997
Digital ink-and-paint capability established
[1]After moving to central Dublin premises, the studio established Ireland's first digital ink-and-paint workstation.
- 1994
Studio founded in Dublin
[1]Cathal Gaffney and Darragh O'Connell established Brown Bag Films in Ireland.
Products and positioning
An internationally focused Irish animation studio combining 2D and 3D production capabilities with children's television development, short-film production, and animation services for broadcasters, studios, and rights owners. Since 2015, it has operated within 9 Story Media Group as a major animation division.
Animated preschool television series · 2012
Doc McStuffins
A computer-animated preschool series produced for Disney Junior. Brown Bag Films worked on the program from its early production period. The series became one of the studio's best-known international credits, receiving strong audience attention at launch and later earning recognition including a Peabody Award and an NAACP Image Award.
Animated children's television series
The Octonauts
An internationally distributed children's animated series centered on an underwater exploration and rescue team. Brown Bag Films produced the series and continued through multiple seasons. The program received BAFTA attention and won an Irish Film and Television Award for Best Children's Programme.
Animated children's television series
Peter Rabbit
An animated television adaptation of the Peter Rabbit property. Brown Bag Films produced the series for international children's audiences, and the program received substantial Daytime Emmy recognition, including six Emmy Awards according to the referenced studio history.
Animated preschool television series · 2013
Henry Hugglemonster
A Disney Junior animated series based on a book by Niamh Sharkey. Brown Bag Films developed and produced the program as part of its expansion into recurring international preschool television production.
Animated preschool television series
Bing
An animated series adapted from Ted Dewan's Bing books. Brown Bag Films announced the television adaptation in 2014. The program later received an Emmy and recognition from the Writers' Guild of Great Britain for children's television writing.
Computer-animated children's television series · 2017
Vampirina
A Disney Junior computer-animated series based on the Vampirina Ballerina books by Anne Marie Pace and LeUyen Pham. Brown Bag Films began production in 2016, after joining 9 Story Media Group, and the series premiered in 2017.
Animated short film
Give Up Yer Aul Sins
An animated short associated with Brown Bag Films' early independent period. Its Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Short Film in 2002 helped bring international attention to the Dublin studio.
Animated short film · 2008
Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty
A short film directed by Nicky Phelan. The project received an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Short Film and became one of Brown Bag Films' most prominent short-form works.
Charity animated short film · 2013
ANYA
A short film produced to raise awareness and funds for To Russia With Love. Brown Bag Films released the work online as part of its charitable initiative.
Marketing campaigns
- 2014Brown Bag Labs
Online · International
The studio launched Brown Bag Labs as an online space featuring behind-the-scenes material and animation tutorials.
Outcome. The initiative extended the studio's public-facing educational and digital content activities.
- 2013ANYA charity release
International online audience
Brown Bag Films produced and released the animated short ANYA to support awareness and fundraising for the charity To Russia With Love.
Outcome. The film was made available online as a charitable awareness and fundraising project.
Brand decisions
2017
Centralize 9 Story animation under the Brown Bag identityStrategyBackground
After the acquisition, 9 Story reorganized its animation activities across multiple locations.
Action taken
Brown Bag Films became one of 9 Story's two principal divisions and took over 2D and 3D animation operations across Dublin, Manchester, and Toronto. Related facilities in Bali and Toronto were also renamed under the Brown Bag Films identity.
Aftermath
The Brown Bag name became the operating identity for a wider international animation network within 9 Story Media Group.
2015
Join 9 Story Media GroupM&ABackground
Brown Bag Films had developed substantial 2D and 3D animation capabilities and an international children's television portfolio. 9 Story Media Group sought to strengthen its CGI animation capacity.
Action taken
9 Story Media Group acquired Brown Bag Films on 18 August 2015.
Aftermath
Brown Bag continued operating as a production studio and later became a principal animation division within 9 Story's broader international structure.
Recent events
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