While Sylvain started off as a fishmonger, he then trained as a physicist at the leading French engineering school Ecole Polytechnique. After his one year military training and a six-month internship as a prison guard, he did some research at Harvard University and at the University of Cambridge. He then worked as a management consultant for CAC40 companies for two years before deciding life was too short to waste it doing what you hate. He explored the TV and movie industry, trying various positions from first assistant to set photographer in the US, while honing his skills as a writer, his true passion. He studied screenwriting for series at La Femis, and has now written on multiple French TV shows such as Balthazar (season 3 and 4), La chance de ta vie (RTS). In his writing, Sylvain aims at delivering a highly entertaining content while exploring deeper human questions, ranging from social, political issues to more intimate matters such as familial dynamics. For instance’ Pharma’, an 8x1h thriller / drama series he’s currently developing, explores the question of corruption inside a powerful family at the head of one of the biggest French pharmaceutical companies. Entertainment and meaning are key to Sylvain’s work. His favorite genres are the drama and the thriller (‘Pharma’, ‘Lost River’ , ‘Haunted’, ‘Gone for good’) – but he also loves to explore other genres (cop shows, horror, action, comedy,…). He is currently co-creating with Franck Gastambide and leading the writing of ‘The Cage’ , a drama/competition series 6×45′ for a platform, co-creating with Eugénie Dard and Elsa Vasseur the 6×52′ thriller series ‘Lost river’ for TF1, and adapting Camilla Lackberg’s novels into a series for a leading French broadcaster and a platform.
Greenlit
THE CAGE (Netflix)
6×45′
Drama / sport series
Head writer
Co-creator with Franck Gastambide (director/creator of ‘Validé’, most-viewed all-time Canal+ series)
To be shot early 2023
Production: Mandarin
CAMILLA LACKBERG’S ADAPTATION (for leading French broadcaster)
6x1h
Cop / drama series – adaptation of Camilla Lackberg’s novels into series (30 million books sold)
Creator & Head writer
To be shot mid-2023
Production: JLA and Wild Sheep Content
THE TOWER (Netflix)
6×45′
Thriller/Heist
Co-creator with Ran Telem (Homeland, The good Wife, …), Cauê Lauretta, Stéphane Carrié (HPI, …), Sophie Kovess-Brun
Production: Mediapro/Quad Drama
ANAON (Disney+)
8x1h
Fantasy drama / teen series
Co-creator with Bastien D’Artois and Elsa Vasseur
Production: Tetra media
LOST RIVER (TF1)
6x1h
Thriller / drama limited series
Co-creator with Elsa Vasseur and Eugénie Dard
To be shot early 2023
Production: Terence films
Under development
BURNING
6×45′
Thriller / drama series
Co-creator with Pierre Niney
HAUNTED
6x1h
Fantasy thriller limited series
Production: Tetra media
PHARMA
8x1h
Thriller / drama series
Production: Untold Stories
BALTHAZAR (most-viewed French series upon release)
season 3 and 4 (TF1)
8x1h cop / drama series
Arch writer and Episode writer (5 episodes)
Production: Beaubourg stories
LA CHANCE DE TA VIE (RTS)
8x1h drama / comedy series
Arch writer
Series created by Poymiro and Elkaïm (who adapted ‘Betipul’ in France)
GONE FOR GOOD (Netflix)
5x1h thriller / drama series adapted from Harlan Coben’s novel by Poymiro and Elkaïm
Arch consultant
Production: Calt
MOTOR NATION (Blackpills)
10×10′ American drama series
Writer and creator
THE MAESTRO
American independent drama feature film shot in LA, directed by Adam Cushman.
2nd unit director
French, native
English, fluent (2 years+ in UK/US for work / studies)
La femis
Writing and creating series
Masterclass
Hagai Levi
John Yorke
Nicola Lusuardi
Jack Walter’s acting class
Marc Herpoux
University of Cambridge
MPhil in advanced chemical engineering
Harvard University
Research internship on hyper hydrophobic surfaces
Ecole Polytechnique
Master and engineer degree
One year military training
Script doctoring
Teacher at La Femis, series writing
The Boston consulting Group
Management consultant 2011-2013 for CAC40 companies
Bois D’Arcy prison
6 months internship as a prison guard, part of military training (ended up doing 20 days in military days myself)
Guitar and ukulele player, singing
Crossfit
Comfort food cooking