U.S. HISPANIC Versión en español
Spanish Incentives Make a Difference for Productions by Onza Entertainment, BTF Media, and Exile
Maribel Ramos-Weiner| 9 de febrero de 2025
Carlos Garde Macías of Onza Entertainment; Patricia Motilla from Andersen Global; Francisco Cordero of BTF Media; Fernando Vila of Exile Content Studio; Javier Yraola from Oficina Económica y Comercial de España en Miami and, Roko Izarra from PRODU
The attractive audiovisual production incentives in Spain were the focus of the panel “Extraordinary Spanish Incentives Are Luring Hollywood & Latam”, featuring Javier Yraola, Trade Commissioner at the Economic and Commercial Office of Spain in Miami; Carlos Garde Macías, General Manager of Onza Entertainment; Patricia Motilla, Partner at Andersen Global; Francisco Cordero, CEO of BTF Media; and Fernando Vila, Head of Studio at Exile Content Studio. The discussion was moderated by Roko Izarra, General Director of PRODU.
During the panel, which took place on the final day of Natpe Global 2025, Yraola explained that after the pandemic in 2020, the Spanish government launched a strategic plan for 2021-2025 worth €1.6 billion to boost production in the country, aiming for a 30% increase in both national and international productions. “By early 2025, we have exceeded our goals and attracted numerous international productions. This program has transformed the foundation and structure of our audiovisual industry. We have an excellent incentive system and top-level professional talent, which has doubled in the past five years. In recent years, we have attracted some of the largest international productions for companies like Netflix and Marvel films, particularly in the Canary Islands, which is a very attractive filming location,” he said.
Montilla from Andersen Global pointed out that while Spain is highly attractive from a tax perspective, it is also a complex territory. “Since we operate under the European framework, there are regulatory elements that must be considered to take advantage of the various tax incentives. The key issue is regulations,” she noted. Andersen Global advises producers on structuring their projects. “We analyze the requirements of the country where they decide to film. We assist many media companies,” she added.
FINANCIAL GAPS CAN BE COVERED WITH TAX CREDITS
Carlos Garde Macías from Onza Entertainment, one of the production companies benefiting from the Spanish incentive program, cited their 2024 project Papá Soltero for TelevisaUnivision. “They needed to fill a financial gap. The great thing about Spain’s tax incentives is that if you have a 40% shortfall and can’t produce the series, tax credits help cover that gap. It’s a Mexican series with Mexican talent, but we filmed in Bilbao due to the tax incentive. We received a few million euros in return,” he said.
Francisco Cordero from BTF Media mentioned that their first experience with Spanish incentives was in 2019 while filming Maradona, Sueño Bendito in Barcelona, with guidance from Andersen Global. “Since then, we have produced two series, six films, and three documentaries in Spain, sometimes with Mexican talent for the Mexican market. For Julia Pastrana, we used both Spanish and Mexican talent since it was made for multiple territories. It was easy for us as producers to access investors, legal structures, and visas. We continue producing and co-producing in Spain,” he said.
EXILE STUDIO CONSIDERING OPENING A BRANCH IN SPAIN
Fernando Vila from Exile stated that they have also produced in Spain and benefited from tax incentives. “For us, it’s impossible to operate outside the U.S. without soft money incentives,” he said.
Exile’s production in Barcelona featured Mexican directors and talent. “The experience was fantastic—not only did we get 25% of the budget back, but the entire process, locations, and production efficiency were outstanding,” he said, adding that the locations resembled Los Angeles in terms of topography and climate. He mentioned that the two series Exile produced in Spain were co-productions with local companies. “We are now exploring the possibility of opening a studio branch in Spain,” he concluded.
Etiquetas
