Latin TV Topics Move Crowds in Florida.

Two back-to-back events in South Florida late last year focused on the growing importance of the Latin American television market. On November 5, Fort Lauderdale hosted the first Latin American TV Distribution conference as part of its 14th Annual Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival. The next week, on November 8-9, and a few miles south at Bal Harbor (Miami), PROMAX hosted its second annual PROMAX & BDA Latin America conference at the Sheraton Hotel. This was the first event unspooled under the guidance of PROMAX's new president Glynn Brailsford, even though the agenda was determined before Brailsford relocated to the Los Angeles-based promotion and marketing organization.

In comparison to its previous events, this most recent PROMAX Latina boasted a stronger attendance but weaker conference content. This was even though several high profile panelists took turns at the podium. Self promotion -- rather than enlightenment -- was indeed the leitmotif of this event which disappointed many who came expecting innovation and creativity.

Seventeen sessions were featured along with two keynote addresses involving a total of 55 panelists from six Latin American countries. The attendance tallied some 450 people from 13 countries, together with 20 exhibitors. From the organization side, the event ran smoothly as the PROMAX staff usually is masterful at organizing.

On a more positive note, the Fort Lauderdale's Latin America distribution seminar was considered content-rich and received an endorsement from the local film commission for next year's session. The seminar highlighted the eminent role various film and television companies from Latin America are playing in the international media arena.

Participants on the panel included Antonio Paez (see sidebar), executive vp of Coral Entertainment Group; Cesar Diaz, general manager of Telefe International; and Francisco Smith, corporate vp of HBO Latin America Group. The panel moderator was Video Age's Dom Serafini.

Other seminars -- sponsored by Kodak -- included "Digital Video and New Technologies," hosted by Steve Montal of the American Film Institute, "Internet and Film Screening Online" and "Film Financing."

The Festival opened with the film Grey Owl, directed by Richard Attenborough, who also was the recipient of the Festival's Lifetime Achievement Award.

                    Price paid by major Latin American
                    broadcast TV stations for movies to
                 be aired in a primetime slot (first-run)
                    for an A (not blockbuster) movie. A
                 movie might bring in $100,000 in revenues
                       from its initial three runs.
Argentina    $8,000
Bolivia        $750
Brazil       $8,000
Chile        $7,000
Colombia     $8,000
Costa Rica   $1,000
Ecuador      $1,000
El Salvador    $500
Guatemala      $500
Honduras       $400
Mexico      $10,000
Nicaragua      $500
Panama         $900
Paraguay       $400
Peru         $1,300
Puerto Rico  $2,500
Uruguay        $500
Venezuela    $5,000
Total:      $56,250
2nd run: 1/2 that of above prices
3rd run: 1/3 that of above prices
Source: Antonio Paez

Presentation by Coral Picture's Antonio Paez

This year [1999] has been a particularly difficult year given the fact that many Latin American countries have experienced economic downturns. Most of the countries should be able to recuperate in 2000.

Movies that are "Hollywood hits" are usually blockbusters on TV after their theatrical releases in Latin America. Known actors and producers in the U.S. are equally recognized in Latin markets. Latin audiences are educated movie watchers and have been exposed to local productions and a wide selection of worldwide films.

Countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Venezuela and Colombia are home to more demanding viewers because of the high quality of their local productions. The most popular movies are action/thriller movies, followed by children's fare. Love stories are favorites and very much a tradition with the telenovelas that Latins love. Horror and documentaries are less popular.

It is difficult to place movies on primetime during the week because of the strength of the telenovelas. They play mostly on weekends or as primetime lead ins. Movies with strong sexual content are aired after hours.

As for distribution windows in Latin America, movies are first picked up by broadcast television and later by the pay channels. This practice is slowly morphing as movie channels expand their reach and buying power, particularly in Argentina, Mexico and Brazil, where cable penetration is strong.

The home video release usually takes place after the movies are broadcast on free TV and pay cable. Internet distribution is still in its infancy.

Piracy is rampant in most countries and it is not unusual to find subpar, pirated VHS copies of films even before their theatrical release in Latin America. Many Latin countries have undertaken serious efforts to combat pirating, but it continues to be low on their list of priorities. DVD is still rather limited. Profits on video releases are small; however, that revenue stream is escalating with the expansion of large rental chains such as Blockbuster and the antipiracy campaigns.