CIARA O’BRIEN

Animation studio Brown Bag Films is expanding, growing to 255 people by 2018.

The firm, which currently employs 184 creative and production staff between its Dublin headquarters, a studio in Manchester and an office in Los Angeles, opened its new 30,000 sq ft animation studio in Smithfield, Dublin today.

The expansion comes several months after it was announced that Brown Bag had been acquired by Toronto-based 9 Story Media Group for an undisclosed sum. When the deal was done, the company said it would add an extra 50 jobs to its then 160 full-time positions.

"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," said Cathal Gaffney, cofounder and managing director of Brown Bag Films, said. "This is a very exciting time to be working in the kids content business."

Founded in 1994, Brown Bag Films specialises in 3D animation and content. Among its animated series' are Octonauts, Bing, Doc McStuffins and Henry Hugglemonster, and it is currently producing the CG adaptation of Richard Adams' Watership Down for Netflix and BBC. Two of the company's shows, Give Up Yer Aul Sins and Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty, were nominated for Oscars. The studio has six Emmy awards for Peter Rabbit and a Peabody award for Doc McStuffins.

“It is hugely encouraging to see this company move into an expanded space with plans for future job growth,” Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Mary Mitchell O’Connor said. “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.”

Recruitment for the positions is ongoing.