Marcos Santana, president of Telemundo Global Studios, expressed that he expects them to be able to soon sit down with technicians and actors to reach agreements that can recover the Argentine audiovisual industry.
Santana gave these remarks to an Argentine news media through a video call from Miami.
“Unions must understand that we have to come together with more flexible policies to take the audiovisual Argentine industry forward so that it doesn’t disappear because that is the risk for it. Inasmuch as there are obstacles, not only from unions, but taxes, schedule, day restrictions, difficulties in location permits, our industry is being slowed down, and it is a source of work for many people,” he said.
The interview concentrated on the first anniversary of the acquisition of Sebastián Ortega´s Underground and the purpose of making it grow in Argentina and generate productions for the international market.
“We came to Argentina to stay in Argentina, work in Argentina, and make the Argentine industry grow. I have read some colleagues´ notes who have stated that it is impossible to make international productions in Argentina. I completely disagree, I think it is a feasible project. In fact, we are doing it: we are a North American company, NBCUniversal, that is buying an Argentine production company to produce in Argentina, to produce Argentine and international products, but in Argentina”.
Before the pandemic, production was already declining, hence the wish to reach agreements with the unions and the government to reactivate the industry.