One day, after selling my studio, I got a call to work on various animated projects. A guy named Bertrand, who seemed to know everyone, introduced me to the famous artist Richard Orlinski. So, in 2020, I found myself in Richard’s Paris studio, where we hit it off immediately. There was just one condition I had for this collaboration: I needed to find an inspiring story angle based on Richard’s work.
And then it came to me: Urbanimalz! Imagine a group of clever (or not so clever) animals teaming up to rescue animals in dire straits and reintroduce them to suitable habitats. To accomplish this, they’d need to use the power of the Blue Tower, a modern-day Noah’s Ark towering amidst a sprawling metropolis. The result: a 52-episode series of 7-minute animated shorts, packed with action, fun, and a message of compassion for our furry and feathered friends.
To bring this vision to life, I needed a screenwriting partner who was as talented as they were passionate. Enter Anastasia Heinzl, the most gifted screenwriter I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. This multilingual dynamo has written for Disney, Netflix, France Televisions, and many others. Her generosity, intelligence, and brilliance are unmatched, and I’m truly grateful to have her on board.
Next up was the challenge of designing our quirky characters and the city they inhabit. That’s where Simon Hutt, a man of many talents, came in. With a resume spanning TV series, comics, illustrations, posters, and video games, Simon has worked for the likes of Disney and Nickelodeon. His recent projects include Mutafukaz 1886 and the video game Tinykin. I consider myself incredibly lucky to have him as part of our team.
Together, we created a captivating pilot and a show bible, complete with fascinating characters like a nerdy hippo obsessed with Dirty Dancing and Patrick Swayze’s moves. But despite our best efforts, we couldn’t secure a channel to take the project further, and the development came to an end last year.
Throughout the process, we had the pleasure of working with Laetitia, our producer, who always provided enthusiastic feedback. But now, Urbanimalz is waiting in the wings, eager for an opportunity to come to life. So, if you’re interested, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us! Together, we can make this fantastic animated series a reality.