Series like 'I'm alive' or 'Sabuesos' and the Playz platform, protagonists of the second day of the RTVE ShowCase

Three very different fictions have been analyzed in the second, and last, day of the Showcase organized by RTVE: 'I'm alive', revelation of the last season; 'Hounds', an upcoming family comedy; and the docufiction 'Medical Center'.

Second and last day of the showcase that RTVE has organized in Madrid to show and debate with radio and television companies and pay TV platforms from Europe, America and Asia its main developments in production, distribution and consumption. This Tuesday was dedicated to analyzing three very different series from the public channel: Medical center, Bloodhounds, y I'm alive. And also to debate and analyze new modes of consumption and the success of the Playz platform.

The day started with the analysis of medical center. Fernando López Puig, director of Film and Fiction, has explained why TVE chose this project: "We were attracted by the novelty and that we are a public service. It is a very commercial format due to its duration and its informative part. We thought it would give it one more twist." A format, as explained by Luis Arranz, executive producer, that came “closer to fiction” to achieve “an emotional pinch.” The actors María Pedroviejo, José Navar and Jesús Cabrero have also attended.

Next, turn to hounds, which will soon premiere on La 1. María Roy, executive producer, has stressed that TVE was missing a "family comedy" on the schedule: "We were missing it and, furthermore, it is a detective story, very complete. And with the difference that the dog talks. The series is based on the love of animals and affection for pets. It is open to all types of audiences, and it is an added value. That the whole family gets together to watch the series."

The actor Salva Reina has explained what his character is like and working with the dog Ramses, Max in fiction: "It is said that it is more difficult to make people laugh than to cry. But with the scripts and everyone's work it makes everything much easier. Max and I are like the strange couple. He learns family values and I learn to let go a little. Max is a secret agent and discovers that when he completes his mission 'they give him a break'. And he escapes, crosses my path and I I welcome.”

Producer Emilio Pina has spoken about the originality of the series and the difficulty of filming with animals: "After TVE's courage to bet on something so difficult to imagine, we had to create a character around Max. Make sure that, from the second sequence on, the viewer forgets that he was a dog. It is a complicated process, which has been achieved with the help of the trainer, with the reference voice in the filming, with the actor Fernando Cabrera who dubs him later, digital effects...".

And from a new series to the success of the last season, I'm alive. López Puig has stressed the importance of RTVE taking risks when choosing its productions: "We have to have that risk, that new way of communicating, in RTVE as a public service. We have to set a precedent." "I saw a lot of things in this series. The starting point was to make a police detective, but you have to try to surprise, so that the viewer says: "I haven't seen this before."

In that sense, Daniel Écija, creator of the series, continued: "It is tremendously different. You have to take risks and it is the way of being on TV: the truth, having personality and trying to do something different." And he said about the new episodes: “Something unforeseeable happens that will mark the entire season.” The success? Jesús Mesas describes it like this: "The most interesting thing is the mix of genres: science fiction, supernatural, a family drama... and we have managed to make everything fit together. The success of the series comes from emotion. If there is no truth in the characters you don't believe anything."

One of the series' protagonists has also participated, Alejo Sauras, who has said about his character that he is, "one of those that all actors dream of. He's a hottie." "I found out on the Internet that this series was being prepared and I decided to move heaven and earth to convince them that I had to work on it. Science fiction is usually apocalyptic or too fantastic, and this one has the longing for something earthly: second chances."

RTVE Playz

The RTVE showcase has also delved into the new RTVE Playz content platform, in a debate about how it has become a meeting place for Generation Z and where series such as Cupid, o Limbo, with an imminent release (on June 25; and on the 24th, a preview in Spanish Version, from La 2).

Alberto Fernández, deputy director of Content and Transmedia at RTVE Digital; María José Bultó (TVE), Frank Ariza (Executive Producer); Pedro Hernández (Executive Producer), and the actors María Hinojosa, Manuel Vega, Lucía Guerrero, and Ingrid García have participated.

Fernández explained the creation of Playz: "RTVE had to be present in the field of digital series. It was necessary to take a leap in quality and encourage RTVE to think about an audience that has been moving away from linear TV. A user who wants to see things where they want and when they want." "We realized - he explained - that there was an audience that no longer reacted and we needed to offer content that interested them. We went from detecting a problem to discovering that there was a pool of new authors who adapt to these new consumptions."

María José Bultó has expressed herself in this sense, saying that Cupid It is aimed at “the Playz target, 15 to 24 years old”: “It is a fantastic story, with a mythological universe and spectacular creativity, which is what we believe Playz should host.” Furthermore, he has spoken about synergies, by sharing Cupid y The Continental creative team.

Ariza, for his part, has been grateful for the “opportunity to create”: “That you give us the opportunity is incredible. Cupid It is a different bet, where we have come together to make something with a marked and original aesthetic. Not because it is in digital format does it have less quality." Also the actors María Hinojosa, Manuel Vega, and Lucía Guerrero have been delighted to work on this project: "It has made us grow, the important thing is that it reaches the viewer and that it is of quality," they have agreed.

Of Cupid a Limbo, soon to be released on Playz: a digital mystery and horror series that takes place on a computer screen, and the first Spain-Argentina co-production web series.

Pedro Hernández, executive producer of the series, stated: "We liked the project and Playz loved it from the beginning. They are very clear about what they want and we are looking forward to releasing it." Alberto Fernández has explained the "fascination" they felt for the story: "We also thought that horror is one of the main trends in web series. And it is a very intelligent terror that raises the quality of our catalog."

Ingrid García was also struck by the format: "As a viewer, I found it very interesting to see the shot against shot and follow the reactions of both characters. It is a film divided into 8 chapters: it is very well structured, it is very intelligent, it does not fall into clichés and it offers something attractive to the genre. What we want is to tell good stories wherever they are."

To end the day, a panel discussion of New TV consumption habits, moderated by Ignacio Gómez, director of analysis and new projects at TVE, in which Juan Carlos Tous (Filmin), Roberto Suárez (UER/EBU), Eduard Nafría (Kantar Media) participated; Alberto Fernández (RTVE) and Álvaro Yusti (Movistar).