José Alberto Castro of LatinUs Beauty: “We Will Continue Working On Micro-Dramedies”

The micro-dramedy Lu Salon Stories, created by José Alberto “El Güero” Castro and Entrelíneas, which premieres this Thursday the 16th on YouTube, has left the producer with several takeaways.

“The first is that the micro-dramedy format has a more dynamic consumption, and second, you have to work much faster. You have to solve things quickly under more limited budget conditions and within the narrative demands of the story. In this case, for Lu Salon Stories, what we emphasized a lot with the production company, Entrelíneas, was taking care of both the vertical and horizontal versions,” Castro told PRODU.

He explained that although dramedy often lives in vertical format, this particular production will primarily live in horizontal format on YouTube “so that we can later expand to other platforms,” Castro noted.

Lu Salon Stories will have two seasons of eight episodes

He pointed out that, from script to production, they planned for some cameras to shoot vertically and others horizontally. “We always worked with three cameras: two with standard framing and one vertical,” he said.

“In the script, we always tried to position the characters’ narrative within a specific framing so we could maintain that in the vertical format,” he added.

Castro mentioned that for Entrelíneas, this was the first time developing a micro-dramedy story. “It was a new experience for everyone, but there’s always one constant: regardless of the format, what matters in a story is that what you’re telling has substance, hooks, or cliffhangers—and that doesn’t change in any format,” he noted.

LU SALON STORIES OPENS THE DOOR TO SHOWCASE THE BRAND

As a reminder, in December 2020 Castro launched the digital telenovela Lu: The Power of Us as a marketing vehicle to promote the LatinUs Beauty haircare line, targeting Latinas, starring Victoria Ruffo as Sol and Sofía Castro as Lu.

The producer explained that Lu Salon Stories, which will have two seasons of eight episodes each, was launched to give exposure to both the brand and the content “and to let audiences get to know what we’re building with this connection between a consumer product and an entertainment product.” He noted that once LatinUS Beauty reaches “a significant retail footprint in the U.S., say over 3,500 to 4,000 stores, that’s when we’ll move forward with the full production of *Lu: The Power of Us*, because that’s when there will be enough critical mass to fully support the telenovela.”

SECOND COLLABORATION BETWEEN SOFÍA CASTRO AND HER FATHER

For actress Sofía Castro, who has worked with her father on several projects, *Lu Salon Stories* was a great experience, especially since it also includes a cameo by her two sisters.

Sofía Castro and Victoria Ruffo, stars of Lu Salon Stories

“It was a lot of fun because it’s obviously a different format and something different from what I’m used to. Being able to tell a story and develop characters in such an instant way really depends on the actor’s work, as well as the script and direction. In a dramedy you need drama but also comedy, and everything feels much more immediate and in-the-moment. I think the script for the 16 episodes we made is great. The cast is fantastic, and the direction was also excellent. The challenge was staying fully present in each scene and on set to keep that comedic rhythm, with things constantly happening in every episode. I think audiences will really enjoy it. When they told me the story and the concept, it felt very true—because for all of us who go to beauty salons, it’s like our therapy,” she said.

EXPLORING MICRO-DRAMEDIES FURTHER

Castro said they will continue exploring the micro-dramedy format. “We will keep working and exploring this new way of communication because, beyond how it’s currently being experienced on platforms like ReelShort, I believe what will open up with other platforms will be much bigger,” he emphasized.

BRANDS

When asked about the future of organic branded content, Castro said it is essential.

He recalled that LatinUs Beauty was created eight years ago as both a consumer goods company and a content production company. “It was designed with this kind of development in mind. Now that there’s a boom, we’re already trained and ready to continue building on it. Today, it’s very important how this type of content permeates brand and marketing strategies. It will have a different approach, especially for consumers, who are looking for experiences and emotions—not just traditional advertising. I think this is a very opportune moment; for us, it’s a magical time, both for LatinUS Beauty and for Entrelíneas. It’s a time when we’ll have to develop many more things, and it will be far more entertaining for brands, and above all, it will create great new opportunities for the industry,” Castro concluded.

Set of Lu Salon Stories