Alejandro "Marley" Wiebe
Last month, Paramount+ held its first Paramount+ Forum for Latin America in Buenos Aires, Argentina. During this exclusive event, new titles such as "El Primero de Nosotros," "Medusa," "Los Enviados," "Bosé," "At Midnight," "Graduados," "Amor es Amor," "The Offer," "Super Pumped," and the long-awaited "Halo" were officially presented in the region.
The renowned presenter Alejandro "Marley" Wiebe, star of the Paramount+ original “Marley & Mirko,” hosted the event. "We are celebrating the first year of Paramount+ and everything that is coming thanks to our global and also local content. We have the passion of creators from Latin America and especially from Argentina," JC Acosta, President of International Studios & Networks Southern Europe, Latin America, Middle East & Africa, said during the meeting.
"When we launched Paramount+, we set out to revolutionize the industry, marking such a big change that it involved putting all forces of our content to make this platform a true mountain of entertainment. Since then, it has not stopped growing. We have more than 8.000 hours of content, hundreds of blockbuster movies, and more than 10.000 episodes of series. For this mountain to be really attractive, we have to have the best talent and content, intimately linked to an emotional bond," Darío Turovelzky, General Director of ViacomCBS for the Southern Cone and Senior Vice President of Global Content, added.
One of the most recognized figures who participated in the Paramount+ Forum was the renowned director, screenwriter, and Oscar winner Juan José Campanella, who is in charge of the production of "Los Enviados," a Paramount+ original series that is premiering its second season this year. Mostly known for his film work, Campenella spoke with Señal News and explained why he currently finds it more attractive to work for streaming platforms.
"For fiction, I prefer platforms to broadcast TV because you gain creative freedom depth, and you do not have to be permanently aware of the ratings. In narrative terms, making a series for streaming is also much better. First of all, streaming does not have any advertising cut. Oddly enough, building a moment of suspense five times per chapter adds tension and does not allow the script to perform smoothly because it requires forcing moments. Secondly, streaming does not require a specific duration, which means that you do not have to add or cut parts just to meet an exact duration time," Campanella analyzed.
The Argentine director admits that standing out is more difficult with more content and platforms everywhere. "However, the good thing is that there is time for word of mouth to work, something that television did not offer before because the broadcast of a program ended, and it was never seen again. With the platforms, that also changed because the work remains," Campanella added.
Another of Paramount+'s outstanding productions is "El Gerente," the first original Paramount+ film shot in Argentina, which Ariel Winograd will direct. "Making a film to be shown in movie theaters or through a platform does not create conflicts for me; the important thing is to continue making films. It is clear that making a film for a platform is still strange, but I really appreciate when these types of possibilities arise," Winograd told Señal News.
"'The Manager' is my first film for a platform, and the truth is that I am working in the same way as if it were for cinemas. It is great that the platforms bet on continuing to make movies and series. Moreover, it is awesome that I'll be the director of the first Paramount+ film," Winograd added.
During the event, actress Soledad Villamil and director Jazmín Stuart presented “Medusa,” a police film that is being produced in Argentina. Moreover, Benjamín Vicuña, Paola Krum, Luciano Castro, Jorgelina Aruzzi, Damián de Santo and Mercedes Funes described “El Primero de Nosotros,” the first fiction produced by VIS for the Latin American South hub. The series already available on Paramount+ and premiered locally in Argentina on Telefe.
Regarding non-Spanish language originals, JC Acosta and Turovelzky also introduced “Halo,” a series based on the iconic Xbox franchise, shows such as “Super Pumped,” “The Offer,” and kids’ programming, with the next season of “Kamp Koral,” and “Paw Patrol: The Movie.” The event ended with a few words from Turovelzky, who offered a trailer that allowed him to reveal some of the premium content available or soon to be released on the platform. The slate includes docurealities, movies, documentaries, series of all genres, and shows for all audiences.
By Aldo Bianchi and Federico Marzullo