Frank Scheuermann, director of Unscripted Content at Endemol Shine Boomdog
As if it were a reality show, overcoming all the challenges is how Frank Scheuermann, director of Unscripted Content at Endemol Shine Boomdog, has been navigating 2024. “This year kicks off with a major undertaking – the January 23rd premiere of La Casa de los Famosos on Telemundo. I’m thrilled to collaborate with Telemundo on this ambitious project.”
The show faces a significant challenge: expanding from a two-hour format with 23 participants to a three-hour one. To accommodate this, they’ve significantly increased the set, adding an entirely new room. This involved converting the former multipurpose room and building a new one in another studio. They’ve also created an additional battlefield to enhance the production value. “This is one of our biggest undertakings this year, and with nearly 270 hours of work invested, the results are looking fantastic,” said Scheuermann, “Filling three hours of daily television with less than 24 hours of content is a tremendous undertaking. The production, content, and Telemundo teams have risen to the challenge and delivered fantastic results.”
MasterChef Celebrity 4 on TV Azteca is currently airing and achieving strong audience results. This season demanded innovation on the established format, which has already spanned 14 seasons. “To achieve this, TV Azteca assembled a fantastic cast in a remarkably short timeframe,” he said. “Filming typically begins in May or June, but this year we decided to move it up. Despite the tight deadline, they managed to hold a casting that I loved.”
In addition, MasterChef Celebrity 4 for TV Azteca, on air, with very good audience results, involved them innovating in the format that already has 14 seasons. “TV Azteca masterfully achieved a wonderful casting in a very short time, because normally the program was recorded in May-June, and this year we decided to do it earlier, so a casting was done that I love in a very short time. ” said.
Last year’s challenge was integrating a new judging panel and presenter. “We helped them grow and trained them extensively,” he said, “and they solidified their roles. This year, we were able to refine things further, and they’re excelling. Claudia Lizardi, in particular, has embraced her role, becoming more empathetic and supportive towards the contestants. The change is evident – she was learning last year, and this year she’s reaping the rewards.”
Production for the second season of La Casa de los Famosos Mexico is gearing up soon. The biggest challenge? Recapturing the lightning in a bottle of last year’s phenomenon. The show became a sensation not just with viewers but also across social media. One key element, according to the producers, is replicating the buzz generated by Wendy and the character she embodied. “The question we’re asking ourselves,” he said, “is how to recapture the magic of last season.”
The second season of Los 50 presents a thrilling challenge. “Last year, we embarked on a groundbreaking project, doubling production to transform the show from 50 one-hour episodes to a two-hour format. It was a significant undertaking, but the show’s success fueled a second season. This year, our focus is maintaining high-quality content. That means securing an exceptional cast and streamlining production processes, particularly logistics for such a large-scale project filmed outside of Mexico City. The core challenge this year is to surpass the achievements of the first season, and the team is diligently working towards that goal,” he explained.
