The sixth iteration of Iberseries & Platino Industria took place in Madrid, Spain's vibrant capital, uniting industry professionals from across the globe for a week filled with discussions, presentations, and ample networking opportunities. This acclaimed international business event focuses on professionals involved in the Spanish and Portuguese-language audiovisual sectors.
One of the notable themes this year was the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) and the rising popularity of microdramas. Attendees at the event, hosted at Madrid’s Matadero, a transformed cultural venue, were buzzing with insights and observations.
Throughout the week, a pronounced enthusiasm for microdramas permeated the event. Marcela Kartaszewicz, the communications lead at DramaBox, recognized the enthusiasm from Hollywood for vertical content, remarking during the panel "Vertical & Viral: The Rise of Microdrama" that as studios dive into vertical formats, it benefits the entire industry. She reiterated the timeless principle of the entertainment world: “Content is king,” stressing its lasting significance.
Current trends have made microdramas increasingly popular, particularly stories that explore LGBTQ+ themes and diverse love narratives among young adults. Kartaszewicz predicted a growing market for thrillers, noting the influx of thriller elements into scripts and the positive audience responses.
Budget discussions for microdramas reflect variability based on storytelling and production location. Sasha Tkachenko from My Drama by Holywater Tech indicated Eastern European productions can range from $80,000 to $120,000, depending on talent, while U.S. productions could load up to $250,000, especially in high-cost regions like Los Angeles.
Pedro Lopes, the head of content at SPi in Portugal, noted that viewer behavior for microdramas often involves bingeing the first handful of episodes before moving on to new series. Yet, the overall sentiment among microdrama representatives was one of optimism regarding the genre's potential growth.
The theme of Spain as a strategic link between Europe and Latin America emerged prominently during a session with experts Gloria Saló and Lucía Gómez from the consulting firm GECA. They suggested that while Spain has significant co-production capabilities, development continues to be limited. Their analysis showed 134 co-productions among European nations for 2023-2026, largely involving French-Belgian collaborations, while Spain only participated in 18 co-productions with Latin American countries.
They highlighted Spain-Portugal co-productions as a promising area for future exploration, which echoed in a panel I moderated focused on the co-production landscape. Industry leaders expressed a desire to collaborate more with Spanish broadcasters and emphasized the need for a unified European voice amid larger market players.
Data insights were key features of the conference, with Ingke Purrmann from JustWatch Media illustrating how demographics alone can misrepresent audience preferences, using the contrasting examples of King Charles III and Ozzy Osbourne, both of whom fit identical demographic profiles but likely enjoy vastly different entertainment. Jaime Otero from Parrot Analytics elaborated on the dramatic increase in demand for Spanish- and Portuguese-language content fueled by a 243 percent surge in interest from South Korea.
Amid discussions of industry consolidation, the recent approval of the Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery merger underscored the importance of scale in the current market landscape, according to Mediawan Group's Elisabeth d’Arvieu. At Banijay's session, creative head Steve Matthews assured that the firm's merger with All3Media would not disrupt creative processes, opining that business consolidation generally proves beneficial to creativity.
AI’s profound impact was another hot topic throughout Iberseries, with Erik Barmack from Wild Sheep Content highlighting its disruptive potential, even more so than previous industry shifts like the rise of cable TV. While he acknowledged initial misconceptions about the financial viability of AI-generated content, he emphasized the irreplaceable human aspect of storytelling that AI cannot replicate. Sasha Tkachenko echoed this sentiment, suggesting that AI will enhance but not replace the creative workforce.
Finally, the upcoming filming of Woody Allen’s latest project in Madrid was spotlighted, as Raúl Torquemada from the Madrid Film Office discussed the role of the city in Allen's cinematic vision. The session titled “The Madrid Effect” noted that while many films opt for local stories, a notable shift could occur with Madrid assuming a more integral role in narratives, especially with renowned filmmakers like Allen at the helm.
