Minimalist, social, intimate: Samuel, a French success story

“I came across the first episode, which Émilie made on her own, with simpler layouts and no final edit. (…) But everything was already there in terms of art direction and tone. And the first narrative lines of the series.”

Damien Megherbi

This first meeting, via social media during one of the COVID lockdowns, marked the beginning of a unique creative adventure.

Samuel 's very genesis reflects the essence of a creation born in a relaxed atmosphere , where the author could work without constraints, for pleasure, after completing an animated short film adapted from a Verlaine poem. It took a few days, but above all a few lines drawn on a graphics tablet, for the talented creator to bring to life this young boy with minimalist features, in love with the great Julie.

Authenticity as a hallmark

If Samuel has managed to win over his audience, it is above all thanks to his disarming sincerity. This 21-episode animated series, available in two formats (one for the Arte , the other for TikTok ), is entirely directed, written and dubbed by Émilie Tronche, a multidisciplinary talent who handles writing, drawing, singing and dancing with equal ease.

“What works on social media is authenticity,” the producer asserts. In supporting the project, he sought to achieve the perfect balance between the form and content of the work. A gamble that paid off.

A central element of the series, the music also illustrates this approach. With one or two well-known tracks per episode, the soundtrack represents a significant portion of the series' budget (€250,000 out of a total budget of €1.3 million). This investment was essential to include standards like ABBA 's The Winner Takes It All ." In this respect, Émilie Tronche was given considerable freedom, as her creative process is intimately linked to music: "The interplay between sound, image, and editing is at the heart of her creative process ," the producer told us.

@artefr

Samuel hates Fridays. Except when Julie laughs. #WhatAreWeWatching #anime #AnimationTok #2000s #nostalgia #Samuel

♬ Good joke, Samuel – ARTE

A French ecosystem conducive to the emergence of talent

During our conversation, Jérôme Allard , Head of the Digital Department at Pictanovo, emphasized the importance of the French ecosystem in the emergence of such projects. With its two support funds, one dedicated to broadcasting on Arte and the other to social media, Pictanovo played a central role in the project's development. "There was no resistance from the committee, because Émilie easily convinced them," recalls Jérôme Allard. An atypical creation in today's audiovisual landscape, Samuel would likely never have seen the light of day without this public support, which demonstrates once again the effectiveness of French support mechanisms for creative projects.

The partnership with Arte also proved crucial. The Franco-German channel deployed an innovative digital strategy, adapting the content and distribution to each platform . On arte.tv, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat, episodes are presented in 16:9 format and last between three and five minutes. On TikTok, the storytelling is simplified, episodes are no longer than one minute, and they are independent of each other.

The evolution of creative models in the digital age

Samuel also illustrates the changes taking place in the animation industry. Our guests observe that a growing number of tools now allow creators to express themselves without having to spend long periods writing. This democratization of production methods fosters the emergence of unique voices, such as that of Émilie Tronche. Since Samuel , other web talents, many with multidisciplinary profiles, have attracted the attention of an audience seeking that "rightness" that is difficult to find elsewhere.

As for the choice to bring the work to social media, it quickly became obvious, as Damien Megherbi explains, although offering such different content on TikTok was not necessarily a given at the time.

The figures attest to the success of this approach. After only one month of broadcasting, Samuel had already accumulated 18 million views in France, across all platforms: 8 million on Instagram, 7 million on TikTok, 3 million on arte.tv and YouTube, and 300,000 on other social networks.

 

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A post shared by Emilie Tronche (@emilietronche)

The challenge of expansion without dilution

Samuel 's growing success now raises the question of expanding his universe. Merchandise illustrates this creative tension. Our guests acknowledge that a very low-budget series like this one requires the invention of new business models. Aware of this challenge, the team emphasizes the need to preserve the authenticity of the work while maintaining high standards of quality. The approach adopted? Each piece of merchandise is intended to extend the experience, guided by a logic of continuous creation and fidelity to the series' universe.

This ambition has materialized in several initiatives: a graphic novel adaptation published by Casterman , aimed at reaching a new audience, and a second graphic novel currently being written, focusing on one of the secondary characters, also written by Émilie. Les Valseurs have also opened an online shop and a pop-up store in the Marais district offering posters, mugs, t-shirts, magnets, caps, and puzzles, along with an exhibition of original drawings by Émilie Tronche. And, good news for those wondering, a second season of Samuel is in the works!

A successful international expansion

Samuel represent a small revolution in the French audiovisual landscape? Damien Megherbi remains cautious: "The sector is somewhat in crisis; a model needs to be found to ensure the long-term viability of a studio, but the desire will always be there." The crisis the industry is going through could paradoxically favor initiatives like Émilie Tronche's, where, in the animation sector, it's possible to hold multiple positions and produce with limited budgets.

Far from being an obstacle to its internationalization, its uniqueness is, on the contrary, the series' main strength. This ability to touch on the universal perhaps represents the future of a French audiovisual sector that shines throughout the world, not by imitating international standards, but by asserting a singular identity.

In this respect, Spain perfectly illustrates this successful internationalization . "The country responded very well to Samuel ," explains Damien Megherbi, "even offering co-financing to develop Spanish and Catalan versions." These adaptations, in which Émilie Tronche herself participated, have inspired other regions.

The project was presented at the Cartoon Forum and caught the attention of representatives from two channels: RTVE – Radiotelevisión Española , and 3Cat, the main channel in Catalonia . Samuel is already being broadcast on these channels, adapted to local references.

Indeed, discussions are underway with the United Kingdom, the United States and Asia, proof that an intimate creation born almost by accident can find an echo far beyond France!

The PIX festival brings together the cultural and creative industries ecosystem

Damien Megherbi was invited in April 2025 as part of the PIX festival organized by Plaine Images. PIX was created with the aim of showcasing the key players in the cultural and creative industries of the Hauts-de-France region.

PIX is both a time for meetings between players in the creative industries sector and a showcase of inspiration for professionals "from elsewhere" who want to take advantage of the good ideas, methods, creativity and innovations produced within the CCIs.

Find more information on the festival website.

And below, the full replay of the conference:

And to find more conferences, visit our YouTube channel .