Marta Ezpeleta
The Mediapro Studio's international distribution strategy features a vast array of productions and partnerships worldwide. With new shows launching at Mipcom, the company will try to expand its global footprint. Marta Ezpeleta, GM of Distribution, Coproductions, Acquisitions, and International Offices at The Mediapro Studio, talked with Señal News about these plans.
What defines The Mediapro Studio's international content distribution strategy?
"The main criteria is the content itself, quality content. We always seek a wide variety of content in which all genres and targets are represented to respond to our client's needs worldwide. Our job is to constantly converse with all of them and stay updated on what they are looking for. For The Mediapro Studio Distribution, achieving optimal exploitation of all our content in each market and territory is essential, based on the best agreement and sales strategy. Therefore, it is equally vital that the content reaches the client that makes more sense. We like to attend to them in their success, go hand in hand and be a partner that follows up with all our support, from marketing and press, in the launches for their linear channels and platforms. We seek to consolidate long-term relationships. Content internationalization is in our DNA. An excellent example of expressing our strategy can be summed up with 'The Head,' a series whose first season has been sold in more than 90 countries. The second season will begin its journey to the international market at Mipcom."
What value does The Mediapro Studio assign to its original productions' global expansion?
"For The Mediapro Studio, all productions are equally important and have very high-quality standards. Our goal is to achieve excellence in every one of them, whatever the genre, for all types of audiences and clients. That footprint is inherent in all the phases of our work. It begins with creation, development, and production and finishes with its distribution. That said, our main challenge is self-demand. It allows us to reach those quality standards and offer the best possible content. Another fundamental challenge involves the ability to adapt to an environment that we face daily and that changes at breakneck speed."
What feedback do you have from the market about Mediapro's original slate?
"It is very positive. We are constantly analyzing and reflecting on how we do things and how we can improve them. Clients continue to trust us and see us as a creator and provider of quality content. Proof of this is that the series that we released perform everywhere. A recent example is the premiere of "Iosi, el Espía Arrepentido" on Amazon. It has been a massive success, led by the Mediapro team in Argentina. Another example is the recent premiere of "Hunting Ava Bravo," a film starring Kate del Castillo, produced by our office in the United States, and Wild Sheep Content, Erik Barmack's company. It was released on Roku in the United States and Amazon in Latin America."
How do you evaluate Mediapor's strategic alliances?
"As part of the internationalization of the content we produce, strategic alliances are part of our essence. In fact, three of the most relevant announcements of 2021-2022 have come from these alliances. One is the agreement with TelevisaUnivision to produce content for VIX, from which the series "Las Pelotaris 1926" and "Cenizas de la Gloria" emerged. Other partnerships have been signed with the Turkish production company Medyapim for creating content in Spanish and with Penélope Cruz to launch the production company Moonlyon. That spirit of internationalizing everything we do is the same that has led the group to incorporate El Terrat production company and, recently, Erik Barmack's production company based in Los Angeles. Both have the mission of producing content for the whole world. We want to partner with the best talent."
How do the new initiatives with TikTok and Snapchat work?
"In line with what I mentioned about the vertiginous change that our industry is experiencing, platforms like TikTok and Snapchats are valuable because it is where people share content. It is a space that The Mediapro Studio not only takes into consideration and gives relevance. We also have a training and talent recruitment program called The Mediapro Studio Labs. It is an initiative aimed at new creators to get to know them and give them the space to create that content. This year, we have already closed its second edition, receiving more than 1,300 projects in the analysis, review, and selection phase. That is the importance we give to these platforms, to the point of wanting to attract those that voices, listen to them, and if it makes sense, develop their projects within the studio."
What were the new launches of Mediapro for Mipcom?
"Our catalog is extensive and varied, but 'Las Pelotaris 1926' will be one of the year's series. I would also highlight 'UPA Next,' a series produced by Globomedia for Atresplayer that will be available internationally, and the second season of 'The Head,' co-produced with Hulu Japan. Of course, it's not the only thing we'll have because we're back with the second season of 'Express,' a production we did for Starz in Spain and Latin America, starring Maggie Civantos. We also have 'The Paradise 2,' a co-production with Reelmedia, and new titles such as 'Las Bravas FC,' starring Mauricio Ochmann. We will give all these productions the place they deserve."
By Aldo Bianchi