Seven years ago, I stepped away from directing after losing my creative partner. My partner in crime.

I rethought everything. Moved away from the idea of the individual, and closer to what creating really means to me: collaboration.

Around that time, almost as a joke, I built a simple system to make gnomes run through grass. Primitive, playful: like the shark fin in Jaws, where what you don’t see is where the magic lives.

That small experiment became The Mad Scientists.

It’s an ethos. A way of working. A collective of people who don’t stay in their lanes. People who mix disciplines and approach film with curiosity, instinct, and a touch of madness.

What started as a playground has grown into a production house with its own voice. The original Gnome test became a short film, which was really well received and is now in development with a Hollywood studio.

In the meantime, we’ve been building our own projects — often starting with physical, hands-on proofs of concept — leading to international collaborations and productions.

And somehow, that small experiment born out of loss and playfulness grew into something much bigger than I could ever have imagined.

Now, for the first time in years, I feel like we’re only just beginning.

Best wishes,

Richard Raaphorst