Diego Ramírez of Dynamo: “With La Banda For ViX, We’re Betting On The Mexican Heist Comedy Genre”

ViX original series La Banda, produced by Dynamo, premieres this Friday the 24th with eight episodes, introducing a genre rarely explored in Mexican television fiction: the heist comedy. For the producers and showrunners, the challenge was to adapt a genre with international roots into a distinctly Mexican universe, set in the country’s northeast and built on the authenticity of its characters and locations.

The series is executive produced by Juliana Flórez Luna and Diego Ramírez Schrempp, with Gerardo Motta serving as producer. It was developed by showrunners Gabriel Nuncio and Alexandro Aldrete, directed by Federico Veiroj and Salvador Espinosa, and stars Miguel Rodarte, Paulina Gaitán, Tessa Ia, and Aldo Escalante.

A GENRE RARELY EXPLORED IN MEXICO

The original idea was conceived several years ago by Diego Ramírez, Dynamo executive producer and partner, who wanted to develop a story in which ordinary people are forced into extraordinary circumstances.

“I’m a fan of the heist genre and of heist comedies. I’ve always been interested in placing ordinary people in extraordinary situations. The idea of someone with no criminal experience putting together a team to commit a crime struck me as full of hilarious contradictions. That’s why dark comedy became a fundamental element of La Banda.”

Ramírez explained that the project was initially envisioned for Colombia, but Mexico ultimately proved to be the ideal setting.

“We quickly realized that Mexico offered far more possibilities. The north of the country gave us a spectacular universe in which to develop this story.”

THE IDENTITY OF NORTHEASTERN MEXICO SHAPED THE SERIES

For showrunner Alexandro Aldrete, the project represented an opportunity to work in a genre that is uncommon in the Mexican audiovisual industry.

“The heist comedy is a very popular genre, but it isn’t something that’s typically made in Mexico. When I read the scripts, I realized this was the opportunity to be part of something I had always wanted to do.”

Originally from Monterrey, Aldrete and Gabriel Nuncio incorporated everyday elements of northeastern Mexico to avoid stereotypes.

“We moved from the most general ideas to the most specific ones. There were details that could easily have become clichés, so we grounded them in reality. For example, people no longer wear cowboy hats—they wear Dallas Cowboys caps. Those small details end up building an entire world.”

EIGHT WEEKS TO FILM EIGHT EPISODES

Producer Gerardo Motta said preparation for the series began long before filming, and that one of the biggest challenges was maintaining the pace required by comedy.

“When Alex and Gabriel joined the project, they took the scripts to another level. We then had eight weeks of shooting to film the eight episodes. It was a tremendous challenge because comedy needs time for every scene and every joke to work on set.”

Production spent seven weeks filming in and around Mexico City, where the factory central to the story was recreated, followed by an additional week in San Luis Potosí to shoot the desert exteriors.

“Those exterior locations helped elevate the production value and better immerse viewers in the world where the story unfolds.”

COMEDY CHANGED THE DYNAMICS ON SET

Motta acknowledged that working on a comedy for the first time was a different experience for the entire team.

“I had never worked on a comedy before, and we had a great time. Comedy creates a different kind of energy on set, and that was reflected throughout the entire production.”

He also praised directors Federico Veiroj and Salvador Espinosa for successfully translating the rhythm of the scripts to the screen.

La Banda follows Rafael, a factory employee who, together with his wife Marcela and a group of coworkers, forms an improvised criminal organization to prevent the company they work for from collapsing after the death of its owner. What begins as an attempt to save their jobs gradually spirals into a series of robberies, botched kidnappings, and increasingly dangerous decisions.