It’s All About the Tone

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6 PM is traditionally the time slot for popular soap operas on Globo, Latin America’s largest free-to-air broadcaster, known for its acclaimed family dramas like “The Thorn and the Rose” and “Pepper Chocolate.” The current series, “She’s the One,” aspires to follow in their footsteps and become another hit.

Prior to the debut of “She’s the One” at Content Americas – a Miami gathering focusing on Latin and Hispanic audiences, featuring telenovelas, series, documentaries, and formats – Alessandra Poggi, the showrunner, expresses great excitement about the positive response the story has been receiving from Brazilian viewers.

Speaking exclusively with EbMaster ahead of the launch of “She’s the One” at Content Americas — a Miami-based event aimed at the Latin and Hispanic markets, with telenovelas, series, documentaries and formats — showrunner Alessandra Poggi says she is thrilled with the audience reception of the story in Brazil so far.)

1958 serves as the backdrop for the story “She’s the One”, which centers around Beatriz (Duda Santos). As a child of four, she was left behind but eventually uncovers that her mother, portrayed by Carol Castro, suffered a severe accident and was deceived by an evil duo consisting of Lilia Cabral and Fábio Assunção, who played the roles of her mother and son.

In this rephrased version, I’ve attempted to maintain the original structure while using simpler, more conversational language that is easy for a wider audience to understand.

In this instance, Poggi is directing her third period drama, adding “Dark Days” and “A Trick of Fate” to her list. Instead of setting her stories in a general decade, she prefers to choose a specific year for a telenovela, like she did with “A Trick of Fate,” which was set in 1944, reflecting the time when Brazilian soldiers went off to fight in World War II. Drawing from Brazil’s rich history, she selected 1958 for her latest production, ‘She’s the One,’ as it is a significant year in Brazil’s cultural memory, representing a period of prosperity.

Following our historic victory in the World Cup, a momentous occasion indeed,” the author elaborates, “it was also the year Bossa Nova emerged, we were experiencing Cinema Novo, and the city of Brasilia was under construction. This led me to delve into the less than perfect aspects of 1958, as it seemed too utopian for everyone’s reality.

Moving beyond his own privileged background, Poggi sought out narratives of people living tougher lives during a period generally regarded as prosperous in Brazil. This allowed him to infuse the challenges faced by his characters with contemporary themes like racism and sexism, keeping these issues relevant.

In my professional pursuits, I’m drawn to exploring questions about well-being in society: who is content, prosperous, and struggling? Back in 1958, infidelity among men was rampant, and society was marred by sexism and racism. Divorced mothers’ children often faced hardships, while it was difficult for queer individuals to live openly. Regrettably, these issues remain pertinent today, and I felt compelled to address them in my discourse, as they demand attention.

In discussing the approach of telling serious stories during lighthearted times, Poggi expresses confidence that “every tale has its own appropriate setting” so long as writers employ the “right strategy.

She openly welcomes delving into any topic, but chooses to introduce these themes gently in her storytelling to ensure they’re acceptable for the prime-time audience. She prefers a subtle approach, such as when dealing with sensitive subjects like racism and classism, typical of period dramas. This tactic encourages viewers to reflect on these issues. Many families tune in together to watch ‘She’s the One.’ Even her own children watch it. It’s all about striking the right tone.

In her opinion, the most significant benefit of Brazilian telenovelas lies in their adaptability: “They’re flexible works, and they’re lengthy enough to allow for changes based on audience feedback. I firmly believe that this flexibility is undeniably the main success of our soap operas.

She also enjoys keeping up with the soap opera as it’s being broadcasted, she mentions. The immediacy of the format appeals to her, so she stays tuned on Twitter during airtime to see what others are saying. It gives her a thrill when her nail technician brings it up in conversation, or when she overhears people discussing it at the grocery store. People often write to her sharing their opinions about what they like and dislike.

Despite some losses in adaptability when shown internationally due to authors no longer having the ability to tailor the narrative, Poggi remains convinced that Brazilian telenovelas retain “extraordinary” global potential. “From their inception, Brazilian telenovelas have traversed the globe. I once visited Chile, and one of my series was airing. It plays as a self-contained piece, giving it a unique quality, but it’s still remarkable to witness the reaction to it.

Discovering our own or someone else’s work being appreciated overseas fills us with joy since it helps spread our cultural influence. It encourages people to explore our nation, appreciate our literature, enjoy our arts… Telenovelas serve as a global ambassador for Brazil.”

Or, if you prefer a more colloquial style:

“It’s awesome when our writing or art gets popular overseas! It means more people are interested in us, and might even visit our country. Plus, it helps share our culture with the world – like how telenovelas showcase Brazil to the rest of the globe.

Besides airing “She’s the One” this week, Globo will mark its 100th anniversary at Content Americas with an event called Globo 360: The Future Is Now, which will feature acclaimed actress Sophie Charlotte (“Rebirth” and “All The Flowers”) in attendance.

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2025-01-20 17:16