Case Study: The Orangery’s Rise — How European Transmedia Studios Attract US Agencies

Hook: Why European creators should care about The Orangery’s playbook

Creators outside Hollywood face the same stubborn problems: how to turn a great idea into a deal, how to package IP so a US agency or streamer can buy and scale it, and how to protect future revenue streams. If you’re an independent author, illustrator, or a small studio in Europe, you need a replicable, agency-ready system — not a one-off pitch. That’s the gap The Orangery closed in 2025–26. This case study shows how a Turin-based transmedia studio transformed graphic-novel hits into global IP and secured representation with WME, and it gives a step-by-step blueprint you can use today.

The moment: agencies are actively hunting non-Hollywood IP in 2026

In January 2026 Variety reported that WME signed The Orangery — a clear signal that major US agencies are aggressively courting European transmedia studios. Why now? Streaming platforms and studios need pre-packaged IP that is visual, serial, and ready to scale across formats. European creators who can present comprehensive, transmedia-ready packages are suddenly in the sweet spot.

What this means for you

• US agencies want IP that reduces development risk: strong visuals, clear tone, and franchise potential.
• Transmedia packaging — not just a single book or comic — is the differentiator.
• Data and demonstrable audience traction (even niche) materially improve your negotiating leverage.

Quick profile: Who is The Orangery and what did they do?

The Orangery is a Turin-based transmedia studio founded by Italy’s Davide G.G. Caci. The company built a roster of graphic novels and comics — most notably the sci-fi series Traveling to Mars and the romance/erotic series Sweet Paprika — then packaged them as transmedia-ready IP. Their offer combined art-first proof-of-concept, audience metrics, a rights-clearance approach, and a clear road map for screen adaptations. In January 2026 they formalized their route to the US market by signing with WME.

"Transmedia IP Studio the Orangery, Behind Hit Graphic Novel Series ‘Traveling to Mars’ and ‘Sweet Paprika,’ Signs With WME (EXCLUSIVE)." — Variety, Jan 16, 2026

Core elements of The Orangery’s blueprint (and how to copy them)

The Orangery didn’t luck into WME representation. They engineered a product agencies want. Replicate these elements.

1. Start with a high-clarity IP concept

Your IP needs three immediate attributes: a defining hook, a scalable premise, and a tonal map. Examples: a near-future heist on Mars (high concept + genre), or an adult romance expressed through serialized visuals (tone + demographic focus). If you can state the hook in one sentence, you’re on the right track.

2. Build a transmedia bible, not just a manuscript

Agencies and streamers evaluate potential across formats. Produce a concise transmedia bible with these sections:

• Core premise: One-paragraph logline and three-paragraph synopsis.
• Key characters: bios, arcs across seasons/volumes.
• World rules: tone, aesthetics, and key locations.
• Format map: How this IP becomes a limited series, ongoing series, motion comic, podcast, and merchandise line.
• Monetization map: Licensing, format fees, merchandising, and international rights strategy.

3. Produce visual proof and short-form reels

For graphic novels and comics, art speaks louder than words. The Orangery paired high-quality panels, motion-comic sizzles, and stylized key art with short animated reels. Even a 60–90 second mood reel sells tone and cinematic potential. Don’t wait for a full adaptation — produce a trailer using panels, voiceover, and temp music.

4. Demonstrate audience signals

Agencies love data: sales, social engagement, newsletter growth, Patreon/subscriber stats, and webcomic readership. The Orangery used strong metrics from European and niche global readers to show market fit. If you don’t have hard numbers, show growth curves (week-over-week or month-over-month) and highlight organic virality moments.

5. Stack rights and clear legal ownership

One common deal-breaker is murky rights. Stack your rights deliberately: have clear documentation for publishing rights, translation rights, merchandising, audio adaptations, and TV/cinema options. Offer an orderly rights table in your data room so an agency can run due diligence quickly.

Packaging your pitch: the pitch deck template agencies want

Use a crisp, 12–18 slide deck. Here’s a tested slide list — use it as your template.

1. Cover: Title, genre, one-line hook.
2. Logline + elevator pitch.
3. Why now: market opportunity & comparable titles.
4. Visual proof: hero art + mood reel stills.
5. Main characters and arcs.
6. Season/Volume map: what a 6-episode S1 looks like.
7. Transmedia map: adaptations & extensions.
8. Audience proof: sales, socials, press, community.
9. Commercial plan: estimated budget ranges & revenue streams.
10. Rights & legal status: what you own & what’s available.
11. Team & attachments: creator credits, notable collaborators.
12. Ask: representation, development, or specific partnerships.

How The Orangery attracted WME: a timeline of actions

Based on public reporting and industry best practices, the broad sequence looked like this:

1. Consolidate IP under a studio entity (clear rights and governance).
2. Create multi-format bibles and visual reels for each property.
3. Showcase at European markets (comics, TV, film festivals) and targeted US co-pro markets.
4. Engage in direct outreach to agency scouts using data rooms and curated teasers.
5. Secure early creative attachments or endorsements (directors, showrunners) to boost credibility.
6. Negotiate representation that preserves ancillary rights while granting development leverage to the agency.

Deal structures you should expect — and negotiate

When discussing agency interest or studio options, these are the common structures and negotiation levers.

• Option agreement: Agency or studio pays a fee for an exclusive window to develop. Negotiate option length, extension fees, and reversion terms.
• First-look/development deal: Agency has first right to present; important to cap the exclusivity period and retain rights to pursue other offers if development stalls.
• Co-production/financing: For larger budgets, consider European co-pros and streamers’ local spend requirements. Retain merchandising and format adaptation rights where possible.
• Licensing and IP sale: Full sales are rare outside Hollywood exits — prefer options or revenue-sharing structures unless the price justifies a full transfer.

Revenue paths: how a transmedia studio monetizes global IP

One thing The Orangery did right was map revenue channels early. Typical revenue streams:

• Publishing sales (print + digital + translations).
• Format licensing for TV, film, and streaming.
• Merchandising and brand licensing.
• Interactive extensions: mobile, webtoons, motion comics, VR experiences.
• Sponsorships, branded content, and integrations (particularly on serialized podcasts or web series).
• Ancillary: collectibles, NFTs (if aligned with strategy), and limited editions.

Advanced tactics for European creators in 2026

Use these practical, 2026-forward tactics to replicate The Orangery’s competitive edge.

1. Leverage AI for fast localization and script prototyping

AI tools in 2026 dramatically cut translation and script first-draft time. Use AI to produce localized pitch materials and first-draft teleplays, then have human experts refine them. Show agencies you can deliver speed-to-market for multiple territories.

2. Build a secure, shareable data room

Centralize bibles, art assets, legal docs, audience analytics, and a short mood reel in a secure data room. Agents and buyers move faster when due diligence is effortless.

3. Use festivals and markets strategically

Don’t spray-and-pray. Target festivals and markets where buyers actively source IP: MIPCOM, Berlinale (for European co-pros), Angoulême (comics), and specialized transmedia forums. Schedule private reel screenings for agents.

4. Attach cross-border talent early

A European writer with a recognized US showrunner attached instantly becomes more attractive. Use short-term consultancy deals to secure attachments that elevate the project for an agency pitch.

5. Offer flexible financial models

Buyers like complexity simplified. Propose clear, tiered options: basic option + premium co-development + full buyout. Show projected returns per scenario.

Short micro-case lessons from Traveling to Mars and Sweet Paprika

Two quick lessons gleaned from The Orangery’s headline properties:

• Traveling to Mars — Genre clarity and cinematic visuals made it easier to imagine a limited series; science-fiction was already hot with global platforms seeking IP with exportable ambition.
• Sweet Paprika — An adult, tonal property that thrived in niche communities proved that non-family-friendly comics can have strong licensing potential in streaming and adult animation space.

Practical checklist: 90-day action plan to go from creator to agency-ready

Follow this timeline to move from an idea to a pitch-ready package fast.

1. Days 1–14: Nail the one-sentence hook and write a two-page synopsis.
2. Days 15–30: Produce 6–10 hero panels and a 60s mood reel (motion-comic style).
3. Days 31–45: Build the transmedia bible and a 12-slide pitch deck.
4. Days 46–60: Compile audience proof and create a secure data room.
5. Days 61–75: Identify and reach out to 10 targeted agencies/agents and 5 co-pro market contacts with personalized teasers.
6. Days 76–90: Run meetings, gather feedback, refine materials, and secure at least one creative attachment or LOI.

Predictions: What the next 24 months mean for transmedia studios (2026–2028)

• US agencies (like WME) will continue signing international transmedia studios as they look to de-risk content pipelines.
• Streaming platforms will favor IP that can be rolled into multiple formats quickly — creators who present a format map will have leverage.
• AI-enabled localization and prototype screenwriting will halve time-to-draft and become a baseline expectation for fast-moving buyers.
• Data-driven audience signals (engagement metrics, subscriptions) will increasingly matter more than single-format sales figures.

Final takeaways — your blueprint in three sentences

The Orangery’s rise is repeatable because it combines creative clarity, transmedia packaging, measurable audience proof, and a clean rights stack. European creators can replicate this by thinking like a studio: consolidate IP, produce visual proof, attach talent, and make due diligence painless. With the right package, agencies such as WME are actively hunting for exactly this type of global IP.

Call to action

Ready to package your IP the studio way? Start with our free 12-slide pitch deck template and 90-day action checklist — implement the blueprint used by The Orangery and book a 30-minute review with our transmedia strategist to get personalized next steps. Turn your next graphic novel into global IP that agencies want.

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