Feb 24, 2009

LOOKING FOR THE "INTERNATIONAL" TELENOVELA IN MIAMI


I haven't been able to write in my blog in many days. The reasons are mainly two: 
  1. The semester presses on with classes to be prepared, exams to be graded, etc.
  2. I went to Miami on a short, but fruitful research trip.


Miami is now a key destination in the telenovela world. This is where most Latin American production companies have their "international" branch. It's also the place where decision making occurs for the two largest Spanish-speaking networks in the U.S.:  Telemundo and  Univisión. I went to Miami in search for answers to the main question:

What are the requirements for a telenovela to be successful in the international market?

To explore this and other related questions, I chose key people who have worked successfully both inside and outside Venezuela. My gratitude goes to all of them for the time they spent with me. I want to thank particularly Mr.  Arquímedes Rivero and writers Perla Farías, Alberto Gómez, Vivel Nouel and Valentina Párraga for their generosity as they answered my many questions.

Now, it's time to analyze and deepen what I learned in Miami...and to prepare my next research trip to Caracas, where I'll go back to the set and locations of telenovela La Vida Entera.

2 comments:

Preta said...

Dear Ms./Mrs. Azuru, I don't know anything the 'international' standards for rating novelas, but in my case (State-side USA) it has to do with 'the main characters' and how they 'get along with each other' (i.e. chemistry).
I'm a 'BIG' fan of the Brasilian novelas because they seem more 'realistic' than any other, and the storylines are much better.
But, my 'favorites' are the ones with the 'interracial storylines', they have a deeper meaning behind them (i.e. 'Da Cor Do Pecado' with Tais Araujo and Reynaldo Gianecchini.).
I would be forever grateful, if I could get a video of even one or two episodes of 'Caramelo e Chocolae' with Brenda Hanst, but I've checked just about everywhere that I can think of with NO luck. I also can't manage to find out what the ratings were for this novela, TVES first 'independent' one.

Dr. Carolina Acosta-Alzuru said...

Hi Jeanne,
Like you, I love Brazilian telenovelas. I like the way they flesh out a particular sociocultural issue.

Regarding Caramelo e Chocolate, I haven't been able to find any videos. TVES has VERY low ratings and shares. On primetime, it averages less than a point of rating and 4% share. These were the numbers garnered by Caramelo E Chocolate.

Recently, a former president of TVES denounced that there were many irregularities in the contracts and production of the telenovela, which remains the only one produced by TVES, so far.

Thanks for your comment!