BA companies like Underground Contenidos are conquering foreign lands with their original series.

Brimming with besos y lagrimas, Latin American soap operas, or telenovelas, have long been produced to appeal to the tastes of home audiences in the home country. But globalization and the demand for international content from exotic regions à la Bollywood means more telenovelas are being packaged today for broader consumption. Seizing the opportunity, Argentine production companies are adapting their business model to meet the demand. “Original screenplays that appeal to a wide range of audiences and cultures are highly sought after,” writes Marcela Valente adding, “Some productions are made entirely in Argentina, specifically for markets abroad.” Argentina’s advantages for soap opera production include relatively low production costs, a deep local talent pool and the country’s natural beauty which makes for compelling backdrops for viewers in Russia and China. While some production companies are exporting licenses to produce a foreign version of an Argentine soap, others are increasingly exporting finished products, original Argentine series that are dubbed into the local language. As an example, Valente points to Lalola, “which took Argentine viewer ratings by storm and was exported to the United States and to 60 other countries in Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa. ” (Full article).