» Latin America

Telenovelas Summit in Puerto Rico and opening up to co-produce series and movies

TVMAS — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:10:22 +0000

Demetrio Fernandez, director of the Film Corporation and Alberto Bacó, Secretary of Economic Development, summarized the efforts made to attractinvestment to the sector.

Demetrio Fernandez, director of the Film Corporation

In this article by María Ivette Vega Calles for the newspaper El Nuevo Dia (digital and printed version), all readers can find out about the opportunities for producers worldwide that la Isla del Encanto (The Island of Enchantment) offers.

Still do not know the titles of the productions and the names of the artists who will star, but according to Alberto Bacó, secretary of the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (Departamento de Desarrollo Economico y Comercio - DEC) and Demetrio Fernandez, executive director of the Film Corporation of Puerto Rico (Corporacion de Cine de Puerto Rico - CCPR), the filmmakers are targeting the country as a filming location.

The productions listed above are the result of the attendance of Fernandez, two weeks ago, to the International Film Festival in Cannes, where he was promoting the island as a film destination.

“We are in talks with a European production house to bring a movie. They hope to raise all the funds and to film here in 2014. There are also twoAmerican films, the two would represent Puerto Rico for Puerto Rico. We are trying to project the island for Puerto Rico in a positive way to not only knowour cinema, but also as a tourist destination,” said Fernandez with Bacó yesterday summarizing the priorities of their agencies in the short and long term.

From that trip also emerged the interest of a French video game production house to create a laboratory here to benefit from the incentives.

The officials said they are being very selective when choosing events where they will promote the island as a film destination and promote local productions. To that end, Fernandez attend the Cannes Lions Festival, which focuses on commercials, industry they wish to bail through tax incentives.”This will be the first time in many years we are going to go to that festival. Jaime Rosado, who is a well known publicist in the country, will be a memberof the jury, so it’s a great situation to promote ourselves as a market,” said Bacó.

Among other projects, and in order to extend the offer to international producers, is the creation of two film studios. One of them would be a mediumstudy. The other is a large studio with all the technological advances of the market. One of its drivers is Marc Anthony and would be located in the area of Dorado. ”It’s a rather ambitious project, is almost a city. We will meet with them in July. They have the funding, a group of New York continues to investmoney and I’m meeting with them. The investment firm wants to meet. The other is about local investors who have the money and land and are in the process,” said Bacó.

Alberto Bacó, Secretary of Economic Development

Provided that work and continuous promotion can be procured on the island, the interest of the CCPR is to get big companies like HBO, Showtime, Disney, Fox and NBC, among others, decide to record their series here. To this end they are promoting the country in these major networks.

In fact, from June 11 to the 20th, several scenes of the third season of Homeland will be filmed in different places, such as Hato Rey.

Telenovelas also are other of his goals, so that in November the Eleventh Summit will be held in this country for large production houses of the genre.

Among the places and geographic diversity that the country has to offer as a film destination are found the facilities of the base Roosevelt Road, in Ceiba.Although productions as The Rum Diary, and Men Who Stare at Goats filmed there, Bacó said that when it was turned over to the hands of the government now the CCPR can now grant permission to shoot there, which facilitates the process.

About Senate Bill 365 which seeks to amend the 304 law, eliminating the 20% grants of a production tax credit for hiring technical staff (known as below the line) not residing in Puerto Rico, Fernandez said that “I initially thought that it was not sympathetic”. But we think it should not be repealed as it is, butadd some elements that allow the CCPR to negotiate with the producer what positions are needed in such production or negotiate an additional percentagetax incentives if they opt for a room to hire a foreigner, or if Puerto Rico is presented as Puerto Rico. Such repeal would send a message of instability tothe international industry,” he said.

HD IN TOTAL GROWTH

TVMAS — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:18:06 +0000

Business Bureau predicts 15.5 Million HD Subscribers in 2017

Horacio Gennari

For 4th consecutive year presents its BUSINESS BUREAU HDTV Report in Latin America, which analyzes the supply of HD Signals by Operator, Programmer, complete listings of local HD channels signals on a local level, opened by Gender, Packages and prices and projections to 2017 in 17 Latin American countries.

The Report analyzes the evolution of HDTV in Latin America from the beginning: the first HD broadcasts from the year 2005, at which time only one Mexican carrier offered HD in TV. Currently, Business Bureau identifies 90 operators have been incorporated into the transmission of contents in this format and a market of almost 200 signals, including so-called “Premium”. The consultant notes that in 2012, HD Signals Market in Latin America ended with 4.7 million subscribers.

Business Bureau develops, as part of its Report; a projection of what will be the future number of subscribers adhered to HD service in 2017. “If today there 5 million households receiving HD, for the 2017 market it will triple, exceeding 15.5 million” says Horacio Gennari, president of the Company.

According to Business Bureau, is also necessary to recognize that, today, there is great difficulty by the Cable Operators at Latam level to increase markedly their HD offerings, mainly due to a delay in investment and a possible lack of HD ability although many networks have been digitalized. “LATAM Telecommunications regulations are somewhat anachronistic putting several barriers to entry for new players who want to distribute content,” concluded Genari.

“Our vision is Asia and to strengthen local product in Latin America”, Barry Koch

TVMAS — Mon, 13 May 2013 18:17:07 +0000

TVMAS was part of the 20 year festivities of Cartoon Network, where the director of the channel highlighted the beginning of a new stage

BaBarry Koch, president of Cartoon Network,
with Paul Zuccarino, VP and general manager of Cartoon Network Latin America

In this past April 28 in a well-known amusement park in Mexico City, the Pay TV channel Cartoon Network, celebrated its 20^th birthday with a large deployment of outfits with the iconic characters of the channel, as well as a musical performance by Esperanza Azteca Symphony Orchestra, which performed songs emblematic of the main channel animations.

“We are proud to celebrate 20 years of life. Since the birth of the channel, we always bet to bring our audience the best entertainment, and over the years we have managed to harvest a comprehensive list of successful and renowned shows that reinforce our leadership position in the market,” said Barry Koch, CEO of Cartoon Network.

Koch added that for the next decade they visualize a new stage and reach other markets such as Asia, as well as to bet on local products in Latin America as the series La CQ. Also, we hope to strengthen the family bond in activities such as Carrera Cartoon, which was born in Mexico and expanded worldwide.

For his part, Paul Zuccarino, VP and general manager of Cartoon Network Latin America, said: “Cartoon Network is not just a TV channel, is a multiplatform experience accompanying children in their day to day to interact with their favorite characters through television, computers, mobile tablets or mobiles”, concluded.

The channel’s history starts in December 1991, when Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. acquired the company Hanna-Barbera Entertainment Co., and launched a year later the first channel dedicated to cartoons in the United States. In 1993, Cartoon Network comes to Latin America in Spanish and Portuguese, becoming an icon of the animated series.

El jardín de Clarilú receives silver award

TVMAS — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:29:56 +0000

“This award represents all the effort of the production team to present originals”, Cecilia Mendonça

El jardín de Clarilú, the original production of Disney Junior Latin America, received a silver award in the category: Educational/Instructional Television Program. Also, in February, El jardín de Clarilú, was recognized in the first edition of the International Emmy® Kids Awards for best children’s program for preschoolers.

Cecilia Mendonça, VP and General Manager, Disney Channels Latin America

“This award represents another important recognition to the team behind this production and the warm public response to this regional production original proposal. Children know Clary, the girl who receives mysterious letters with slogans, and accompany their searches with her faithful pet, while interacting with the story and learn along the way letters and words from songs, rhymes, and educational games,” said Cecilia Mendonça, VP and general manager, Disney Channels Latin America

Worth noting that El jardin de Clarilu was honored with Violetta, the first co-production of Disney Channels Latin America and DisneyChannel EMEA, as finalists in the category Television – Regularly Schedule Entertainment Program: Childrens/Youth Program.

Artear presented programming for their Magazine channel

TVMAS — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 04:07:12 +0000

Also the signals Quiero Música en mi Idioma y Volver, disclosed their latest

Coco Fernández, Production Manager of El Trece, together with the talent of the signals Magazine,
Quiero Música en mi Idioma and Volver

In an event led by Gabriela Sobrado and Horacio Cabak, in Puerto Salguero in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Artear presented the programming development for their signals; Magazine, Quiero Música en mi Idioma and Volver.

The Magazine channel is one of the most viewed channels of the 80 that make up the grid of Pay TV. Coco Fernández, Production Manager of El Trece signal artistic director, remarked that ”during year round, the signal generates live programming with their own production and co-productions. Moreover, acquired successful film titles and outstanding national and international telenovelas”.

For its part, the Volver signal, having 19 years on the screen has increased its audience in the last 3 years, it has as a mission to recover the memory of the Argentine television and ”and for that we are constantly working in the recovery of historical material such as movies and telenovelas, with the intention that children and adults together can enjoy the best of the national production”, spotlighted Fernández.

Meanwhile, Quiero Música en mi Idioma is Artear’s youngest signal. “We started 5 years ago competing with major regional signals, the channel shows considerable growth, placing it as the absolute leader in the genre”, finalized the executive.