Carolina Leconte of Netflix: “With The Investment In Mexico, We Have The Assurance Of Continuity Along With The Option To Develop More Projects”

In an exclusive interview with PRODU, Carolina Leconte, VP of Content for Netflix in Mexico, delved into the scope of the US$1 billion investment announced by the platform earlier this year. These resources will allow for more development, the creation of strong, diverse, and deeply Mexican content, the training of human talent, and the peace of mind that this initiative will be sustained over time.

She stated this marks a qualitative leap from what Netflix had been doing in Mexico up to now.

ASSURANCE OF CONTINUITY

“This investment gives us the certainty to continue investing in Mexico. The idea is to keep up this fast-paced production rhythm, to create a slate that is solid enough, with variety, different types of voices, different narratives, different genres, and different contexts,” she emphasized.

Leconte explained that this funding confirms how important Mexico and Latin America are to the platform. The ability to develop deep stories, in turn, allows for more content production. Additionally, the Mexican content they have created has traveled well and proven to be a good bet, citing examples like Contraataque, El Secreto del Río, or Los Dos Hemisferios de Lucca.

“It’s not that this content is made to travel. It travels because it’s authentic content, with a voice and soul. It travels because people like that. These are hyper-Mexican stories, and that DNA of Mexican identity and authenticity makes people embrace them. It’s a delight to watch something that feels so real.”

BIG PRODUCTIONS COMING

Leconte declined to reveal the exact number of productions that will be made in a year, noting there are many variables involved in deciding which and how many will be produced. However, she did hint that they are working on some major productions, on the scale of Pedro Páramo or Cien Años de Soledad.

“There are some really powerful series, and I always say that being bold, strong, and solid isn’t just about budget. It’s about storytelling and the drive to tell different stories. Many of these series require high budgets, and we are considering that. The idea is to produce content that resonates and leaves something meaningful with the audience,” she explained, though she added that she couldn’t reveal any titles yet—but we’ll be hearing about these big-budget series soon.

THREE DEVELOPMENTS TO PRODUCE ONE SERIES

She noted that many developments don’t make it to the screen. It might take three separate development attempts to land one successful series. She also explained that they’ve diversified the voices involved, as Netflix now works with three times as many production companies as it did two or three years ago.

“We’re working with far more production companies than before,” she said, adding that this is due to the industry’s growth, the budget allowing for it, and their commitment to new talent.

“Often, these new production companies aren’t leading a production, but they’re supporting others throughout different processes. That’s how we help them grow. We’re being very rigorous and deliberate about giving voice and participation to new figures,” she added, explaining that the announced investment will also support training programs for emerging talent.

DIVERSITY FOR DIFFERENT AUDIENCES

“It’s like a positive snowball effect. The more content and the better the quality and variety, the more people know they’ll find something to fall in love with. And that’s my job,” Leconte said.

She recalled a time of booming demand when the situation demanded content. “People had to watch content, and everyone turned to content creation. We were fortunate that, at one point, it didn’t matter where the content came from—it was being consumed because the world was going through a complex reality. Today, people are back out on the streets, they have other ways to entertain themselves, and they’re much more selective about what they watch. Now, what we’re doing is creating content for different types of viewers.”

She added that Netflix isn’t a reactive company, so it doesn’t follow trends. “It’s a company that has a commitment to each of its viewers. That’s why we’re working to build a slate that’s increasingly solid and well-crafted, with a balance of different genres. That’s our commitment: that each person who comes to the platform can find something wonderful to watch.”