The Orangery’s Playbook: How Small European Transmedia Studios Build IP That Attracts Big Agencies

Stop shouting into the void: how small European transmedia studios can get agencies to pick up their IP

Independent transmedia studios face the same chronic problem: great ideas and lean teams, but limited access to the gatekeepers—agencies, streamers, and international distributors—that turn IP into global franchises. If you run a boutique studio, you need a fast, practical template to make your intellectual property visible, package-ready and attractive to agency representation. The Orangery’s recent signing with WME is a timely model. Here’s a data-driven playbook you can use in 2026 to make agency doors open for you.

Why The Orangery matters now

On Jan. 16, 2026 Variety reported that The William Morris Endeavor Agency (WME) signed The Orangery, a newly formed European transmedia IP studio that holds rights to graphic novel series such as Traveling to Mars and Sweet Paprika. That move is not an isolated PR win—it's a signal. In a market shaped by streaming consolidation, global competition for fresh IP and expanded agency investment in cross-platform properties, agencies are hunting for packaged, rights-clear intellectual property they can monetize across film, TV, games, podcasts and merchandising.

“The William Morris Endeavor Agency has signed recently formed European transmedia outfit The Orangery,” Variety, Jan 16, 2026.

The Orangery proves a simple truth: agencies will sign indie studios when they can see a clear line from creator to marketplace—rights clarity, audience signals, adaptable IP and an international mindset. Below I break down The Orangery’s strategy as a replicable template.

Who built The Orangery—and why the founder background matters

Founder: Davide G.G. Caci. The Orangery was founded and is led by Italy’s Davide G.G. Caci, CEO of the Turin-based outfit. That origin matters because the company’s leadership blends regional cultural fluency with international ambition—an increasingly valuable profile in 2026 as global buyers look for authentic IP with export potential.

What to learn from the founder profile:

• Local credibility—roots in a regional creative scene (Turin/Italy) help secure domestic creators, funding and incentives.
• International orientation—the leadership frames IP for cross-border adaptation from day one.
• Curator mentality—founder acts as a filter and brand: The Orangery is positioned not just as a production company but as an IP curator with a taste and track record.

Core element 1 — IP curation as a defensive moat

The Orangery’s early catalogue—graphic novels like Traveling to Mars and the romance-driven Sweet Paprika—is not random. It reflects a curated approach: select high-concept, emotionally resonant stories that are naturally adaptable across formats. That curation reduces friction for agencies and buyers: they don’t need to filter thousands of titles; they’re offered a small, high-quality slate.

How to practice IP curation today

• Define a 12–24 month editorial slate: 6–12 IP properties max, prioritized for cross-format adaptability.
• Score each property on 6 axes: adaptability (film/TV/game/podcast), audience resonance, visual uniqueness, IP longevity, rights clarity, and market fit.
• Invest in 1–2 lead projects—use the rest as taste-makers or companion IP.

Data tip: By 2026 agencies are watching audience signals earlier in the funnel—webcomic reads, Kickstarter backing, social engagement. Keep measurable KPIs for each property: monthly unique readers, Patreon/subscriber growth, pre-orders, crowd-funding metrics and social video completes. These numbers are your currency in agency conversations.

Core element 2 — Rights-first packaging

The Orangery’s attractiveness to WME hinged on clear rights packaging: ownership of primary IP plus a defined carve-out strategy for adaptations (TV, film, games, merch). For agencies, ambiguity is the silent deal-killer. You must arrive at the meeting with a clean rights map and a legal playbook for licensing.

Practical checklist: clean rights packaging

• Compile a rights ledger for each title: author agreements, illustrator contracts, co-creator assignments, and any prior option deals.
• Secure or re-negotiate language explicitly covering adaptation formats and international sales.
• Create a standardized master agreement template for new creator sign-ups that favors clear assignment and reversion triggers.
• Budget for IP insurance or escrow for high-value pre-sales where possible.

Core element 3 — Proof-of-concept packaging: beyond a PDF

In 2026 agencies want more than scripts and synopses. They want proof that an IP can live across screens and platforms. The Orangery’s model involved creating tangible, multi-format packaging—graphic novel volumes, motion comics, pitch trailers and author-led podcasts that demonstrate tone, audience and cross-platform hooks.

Assets to build before pitching agencies

• High-end one-sheet and 8–12 page creative packet (visual-first)
• Short adaptation treatment (10 pages) showing episodic structure and game/merch ideas
• 2–3 minute sizzle reel or motion-comic proof-of-concept
• Audience dossier: web traffic, e-mail list size, social metrics, and any direct revenue streams

Core element 4 — International partnerships as growth accelerants

European studios cannot build franchises in isolation. The Orangery played the partnership game: co-publishing agreements, European festivals and targeted co-development deals that expanded reach and created market signals for WME to act. In 2026, agencies prize studios that already have meaningful distribution or co-production interests in different territories.

Five partnership plays to scale fast

1. Co-publish graphic novels with regional houses to secure translation and local marketing muscle.
2. Attach sales agents early to explore pre-sale possibilities in markets like France, Germany, UK and Spain.
3. Use festivals (comic cons, SXSW, Berlinale markets) to create buyer buzz and measurable attention spikes.
4. Partner with small game studios for interactive pilots—games are cheap proofs of concept for world-building.
5. Form strategic alliances with niche podcasters and music producers for audio-first adaptations and soundtrack IP.

How to approach agencies in 2026: the outreach blueprint

Agency representation like WME doesn’t happen via cold e-mails. It’s a sequence of curated signals that prove your IP’s potential. The Orangery’s signing is the endpoint of a funnel: curated product -> measurable audience -> international signals -> packaged rights -> targeted introductions. Here’s the step-by-step outreach blueprint you can replicate.

Agency outreach sequence

1. Warm introductions only: leverage festival encounters, co-pro partners and sales agents for intros to agency development execs.
2. Send a compact package (one-sheet + sizzle + rights ledger + audience dossier) tailored to the executive’s past deals.
3. Propose a short pilot commitment: a script option or a motion-comic budgeted under €50–€100k to demonstrate traction.
4. Offer exclusivity terms that scale: short-term option followed by milestone-based exclusivity if audience KPIs are met.
5. Be transparent about where agency representation adds value—sales, packaging, talent attachment—and what you retain.

Monetization architecture: diversify before you sell

To attract agency interest, studios should demonstrate diversified revenue streams. The Orangery’s graphic novels, viral art, and transmedia products make the IP less risky and more bankable. In a post-2024 landscape of tighter streamer budgets and new-age licensing deals, multiple revenue lines show resilience.

Revenue channels to establish

• Direct sales (print and digital editions)
• Merchandise (apparel, limited edition art prints)
• Audio rights (podcast adaptations or audiobooks)
• Interactive pilots (mobile mini-games or visual novels)
• International licensing and pre-sales

Legal and compliance: don’t let a contract sink your deal

In 2026, cross-border deals are standard. That increases legal complexity—moral rights, reversion triggers, tax incentives, and AI-generated content clauses are all now negotiation points. The Orangery’s attractiveness likely came from a clean legal setup and prepared counsel. Small studios should build legal hygiene into their operating model.

Legal hygiene checklist

• Standardized creator agreements that assign necessary exploitation rights.
• Clear chain-of-title documentation for all assets.
• Contracts that address AI—who owns machine-assisted derivations?
• Clarity on reversion upon non-exploitation within specific timeframes.
• Tax-credit and incentive filing procedures for key jurisdictions (France, Italy, UK, Germany).

Audience-first metrics that agencies care about

Quantitative signals matter more than ever. WME and peers are no longer content to take press releases at face value—data drives conversations. Your KPI dashboard should be simple, credible and verifiable.

Core KPIs to present

• Monthly unique readers / viewers / listeners
• E-mail list size and month-over-month growth
• Revenue per user (for paid products)
• Pre-order or crowdfunding conversion rates
• Regional engagement breakdowns (top 5 markets by traction)

2026 industry context: why now is an inflection point

Two late-2025 and early-2026 developments matter for indie transmedia studios:

• Agency expansion into Europe: As major talent and packaging agencies expand their European rosters, they look for boutique IP partners with ready-made slates and international rights.
• Streamers tightening budgets: After consolidation, streamers are more selective, preferring IP that reduces development risk—hence packaged transmedia properties are more valuable.

Additionally, generative AI has accelerated concept testing (storyboarding, mock scripts) but has introduced legal ambiguity. Agencies value studios that can demonstrate ethical AI policy and clear provenance for creator contributions.

Actionable playbook: 12-month timeline to agency readiness

Here’s a practical 12-month roadmap modeled on how The Orangery likely built its position. This sequence is designed for teams of 3–12 people with limited capital but strong creative assets.

Months 0–3: Audit and curate

• Audit all IP and assemble rights ledgers
• Prioritize 3–6 properties using the scoring matrix (adaptability, audience, longevity)
• Recruit a legal counsel experienced in transmedia rights

Months 3–6: Proof-of-concept and metrics

• Produce a motion-comic or sizzle reel for your lead property
• Launch a targeted digital campaign to drive measurable engagement
• Begin co-publishing or translation partnerships in 1–2 European markets

Months 6–9: Packaging and attachments

• Create adaptation treatments and a compact pitch deck
• Attach a director, showrunner or notable creator where feasible
• Secure at least one small pre-sale or licensing deal

Months 9–12: Targeted agency outreach

• Use festival/sales agent introductions for warm meetings
• Share your KPI dossier and offer a short-term, low-cost pilot to de-risk development
• Negotiate agency representation focused on sales and packaging, not full IP assignment

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

Learning from The Orangery doesn’t mean copying headline moves—avoid these mistakes:

• Over-diversifying early: Too many properties dilute focus. Curate tightly.
• Vague rights: Ambiguity kills deals. Invest in clear, verifiable ownership documentation.
• DIY legal shortcuts: Save on production, not on legal clarity.
• Pitching without metrics: Never pitch a major agency without verified KPIs.

Three evidence-based moves to accelerate representation

Based on observed industry behavior in early 2026, here are three high-leverage tactics:

1. Embed an international co-pro clause: Prove you can do cross-border deals quickly; agencies value plug-and-play IP.
2. Develop an audio-first pilot: Low-cost, high-discovery medium—audience and tone are easy to test; agencies can map it to TV/film.
3. Leverage micro-financing milestones: Show revenue milestones (crowdfunding, pre-sales) to prove market appetite and reduce perceived risk.

Why The Orangery’s model scales for other European studios

The Orangery’s blueprint is repeatable because it combines four repeatable elements: curated IP, rights clarity, measurable audience signals and international partnership-building. For European studios, the added benefits are proximity to rich storytelling traditions, public funding and tax incentives—advantages that, when combined with The Orangery-style curation, can attract top-tier agency interest.

Final takeaways

Agencies like WME are not just buying stories in 2026—they’re buying predictable production paths and cross-platform revenue potential. Small studios can win by behaving like miniature IP houses: be selective, clean up your rights, show real audience metrics, build low-cost proofs-of-concept and pursue strategic international partnerships. The Orangery’s deal with WME is not a one-off celebrity story; it’s a practical case study. Use its playbook.

Call to action

If you run an indie transmedia studio, start today: audit your rights ledger, assemble a 6-property slate, and build one motion-comic proof-of-concept. Want a ready-made checklist and pitch packet template based on The Orangery playbook? Subscribe to our weekly editorial brief for templates, festival timing guides, and a downloadable agency-ready pitch packet tailored to European studios. Turn your IP into an agency-ready franchise—fast.

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