1	CLOSE UP Telemundo Studios Miami President Patricio Wills takes you inside the real-life telenovela that is Hispanic TV. read more...
2	ASK JULIE Financial columnist Julie Stav examines the pros and cons of 50-year mortgages. read more...

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DRAMA KING

Patricio Wills, newly appointed president of Telemundo Studios Miami, has his sights set on the Spanish-speaking U.S. market.

With the acquisition of RTI Productions this past November, Telemundo seeks to further solidify its position as a major provider of Spanish-language
entertainment in the U.S. Heading the newly named Telemundo Studios Miami is Patricio Wills, who previously spearheaded the joint venture between Telemundo and RTI. In his new position he continues to oversee Telemundo’s production in the U.S., Mexico and Colombia, as well as development of new projects. Hispanic Magazine spoke to Wills about his new role, the future of the English-language soap opera and the secret of his success. HISPANIC MAGAZINE: You had an unconventional way into the television business. Why did you choose this career path?
PATRICIO WILLS: I’ve never met anyone in television who didn’t arrive there by coincidence, and I am no exception. I am an architect by trade, and in some ways continue to be, as they say: ‘An architect is a way of being.’ I had a friend who founded RTI almost 50 years ago. We met because we shared a musical affinity; we were both on the board of the Colombian Philharmonic. He once approached me and asked, ‘Do you know anything about television?’ ‘Nothing,’ I replied. ‘Perfect!’ he said. ‘You are exactly what I’m looking for: Someone who knows nothing, but has the criteria. You’ll be the new production manager for RTI.’ I was crazy enough to accept. That was 30 years ago. Fifteen years ago my friend passed away, and I assumed the presidency of the company.

HM: How does your role change with Telemundo’s purchase of RTI?
PW: For many years we were a broadcaster in Colombia, which had a business model similar to that of British television, where the channels are state owned and they give concessions to broadcasters. When they privatized TV in Colombia—almost 10 years ago—the costs of launching a channel were well beyond the means of our company, so we shifted our focus and became a production company. We began exploring new models exporting formats and came to the conclusion that we were going to be producing content and selling it to third parties. That started the relationship with Telemundo, which gradually grew up to this point.
On a personal level the opportunity for me to head a company of this size and scope is unique, particularly with what is currently happening in the Hispanic market. On a corporate level, RTI is a more solid company now, being part of Telemundo.

HM: And as far as content goes, are there any changes coming up?
PW: I don’t think so. I think what we’ve been doing over the past seven years, perhaps more timidly at the beginning and now on a larger scale, is producing international television. We are producing for the U.S. Hispanic market, that is our focus. Following that model we have been doing a more universal, and slightly different type of novela, within the parameters of the traditional model, because anyone who tries to reinvent the genre will fall flat on his face. So our model is creating more audacious stories with ambitious production values. Following that model we have, in two years, become the second largest exporters of telenovelas, after Televisa and over Globo. And these are companies that have been doing it for many years.

HM: Do you think the successful Ugly Betty is a one-hit wonder, or will the adaptation of traditional telenovelas for American television be a lasting phenomenon?
PW: I think that’s something that was a while in the making and is here to stay. I believe American television is looking for new options. They had the reality shows, and now they are looking for the next big format. ... They are, so far, only taking fresh ideas and storylines from Latin soaps, but I have to predict that soon they will also adopt the format, which is a Monday to Friday broadcast.

HM: So if these new adapted formats are only taking the stories, but not the Monday to Friday format, what makes them soap operas and not sitcoms or traditional dramas?
PW: I wouldn’t call them soap operas. There are two characteristics that it borrows, and that makes them different from other traditional American formats. First, the continuity of the story. In a traditional American format, you can see any episode in any order [and still follow the episode] since they have self-contained stories, which is not the case here. The second thing is that it borrows narrative structure, subplots and characters [more traditional of Latin soap operas].
And it’s worth pointing out that on days when they show Ugly Betty, they are a strong competitor with us for the
Hispanic audience.

HM: So you think the growth of
English-language soap operas will take a segment of the audience from Spanish-language ones?
PW: Well, I don’t know if it will, because the market is forever-changing. I think that the core audience, which is the first- generation immigrant will continue to watch soaps [in Spanish].

HM: What’s the new company’s strategy as far as Mexico and Colombia?
PW: Mexico and Colombia are both very important production hubs for Telemundo. For us Mexico is key because the majority of the Hispanic audience in the U.S. comes from there. We want to follow a model that incorporates that Mexican
element, but differently than what Televisa is doing there. They make soap operas in Mexico for Mexicans who live there. We want to make soap operas in Mexico for the Mexicans that live in the U.S. and that is very different. Colombia is different and has two advantages. First is the scenery, which you won’t find here or in Mexico. Second is another important component: costs. A production like El Zorro, which is a new type of epic soap, cannot be done any other way. So between the three production centers (Miami, Mexico and Colombia) we have a perfect recipe.

HM: What does 2007 bring for the
company?
PW: Well, we’re playing an important card with El Zorro, which is perhaps the largest and most ambitious soap opera ever made. It’s in high-definition and features in its cast five actors who had all previously starred in their own soaps. Another project is the first soap written by Julio Jiménez in five years. Julio is perhaps the most important soap opera writer in the world. And we have a third project that is filled with secrets and magic. Overall, we are bringing a new proposal of soaps. The viewer who wants something fresh and different will be watching Telemundo.

HM: And for you?
PW: Well, perhaps the biggest challenge of my life. Consolidate the company and give it consistency. We have grown at a very rapid pace and unless we can keep up a solid structure and consolidate the processes, we risk deflating just as quickly. More than creating a great soap, this year the challenge will be consolidating the business. The other goal is to teach my son to walk, but they go hand in hand.

IN BRIEF

A book you’ve read more than once: There is a short book by Juan Rulfo called El Gallo de Oro. It’s 30 pages and I’ve adapted it for TV as miniseries and as a soap opera. I often read it and think I should do it again for a third time.
Music for work: Classical
Favorite place in the world: My home
Place to relax: Home
Secret to success: Work hard. Success is 90 percent effort and 10 percent luck. I’ve just been extra lucky.