Troublemakers

Troublemakers is a Paris-based animation studio and creative production company founded in 2008 by filmmaker and producer James Hagger. Its work spans commercials, brand content, brand entertainment and hybrid productions, combining animation craft with live-action filmmaking. The company develops projects for advertising agencies, brands and public advocacy organisations across luxury, consumer goods, automotive and other markets.

Animation and production

The studio works across 2D animation, 3D character animation, CGI, stop motion, claymation and puppet animation. Mixed-media production brings these approaches together with live-action shoots, while its scenographic work extends moving-image production into spatial experiences. These capabilities support projects ranging from animated advertising spots to live-action commercial films and large-scale visual installations.

Troublemakers provides production services from initial concept through post-production. Its offering includes creative strategy, scriptwriting, character development, animation design, film direction and production. Editing, compositing, visual effects, sound integration and colour grading form part of its finishing capabilities. Directors, animators, writers and craftspeople contribute to projects through a combination of its permanent team and project-based collaborators.

Commercial work

The company's portfolio includes campaigns for Van Cleef & Arpels, Orange, Pilot Pen, Renault, Peugeot and DS Automobiles, alongside advocacy work for Amnesty International and WWF. Its animation credits include Riot Games' “The Light Within,” created for League of Legends' Elementalist Lux, and CCTV's “Ink.” The Van Cleef & Arpels “Alhambra” work encompasses a series of 3D campaigns and scenography for the Opéra Garnier.

Its commercial output also includes branded documentary films and director-led automotive campaigns, illustrating the breadth of its production work beyond animation alone. Across these formats, the studio brings together film direction, visual development and production craft within its Paris operation.

The company's history includes the integration of the live-action label Jackflash. Its earlier documentary label, Eliotness, transitioned into the separate sister company Troublemakers Originals in 2026, creating a distinct operation for original animated and documentary projects.