Madrid Audiovisual Cluster to Create a Madrid Audiovisual Observatory

As a seasoned cinephile who has spent decades traversing the globe to immerse myself in the rich tapestry of international cinema, I must say that the establishment of the Madrid Audiovisual Cluster and its Madrid Audiovisual Observatory is nothing short of exhilarating news. The potential for this city, already a hub of commerce and culture, to become a powerhouse in the audiovisual industry is truly tantalizing.


Starting from March 2023, the Madrid Audiovisual Cluster is setting up a Madrid Audiovisual Analysis Hub. This hub’s purpose will be to examine the current condition of our city’s audiovisual industry and propose strategic policies within the public sector, aimed at propelling it to greater heights.

The news from the Observatory was announced during the inaugural event of the Cluster, which took place on the first day of the Iberseries & Platino Industria conference in Madrid a week ago.

At the gathering, attendees welcomed not just Secouya Group’s president Raul Berdones, who holds the role of Cluster president as well, but also José Luis Martínez Almeida, the mayor of Madrid, and Mariano de Paco, the head of Culture, Tourism, and Sport for the Community of Madrid region (with a population of 6.8 million). This assembly underscored the collective political might and promise within the public sector, as Madrid is recognized as one of the major commercial hubs in Southern Europe.

As per Berdones’ statement, the Observatory aims to scrutinize the significance of the audiovisual industry, encompassing the effects of filming locations, novel business strategies, and so forth. This will be discussed at the Iberseries presentation. Furthermore, it plans to examine audience viewing habits, trends, and preferences in content, as noted by Berdones.

The Cluster is developing a strategic blueprint to outline its key focus areas, as explained by Berdones. This includes participating in networking events both domestically and internationally, establishing partnerships with external collaborators and organizations, digitizing businesses to enhance competitiveness, and promoting sustainability within these endeavors.

At the Iberseries presentation, Berdones emphasized that the primary aim of the Cluster is to foster partnerships between the public and private sectors, aligning with one of its main objectives.

Certainly, it can look to have Madrid municipal and regional support. “The Cluster now boasts 76 members, a 40% uptick on the number with which it launched,” said Berdones. “When I was preparing this speech with the Cluster’s magnificent managing director Teresa [Azcona], whom we appointed four months ago, we said we had to leave clear that this is not a cluster, it’s the cluster, made up of all the companies in whatever facet of the audiovisual,” he said.

The Cluster, as reported in a press release, now encompasses 13 professional organizations; major streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon, Disney, and Movistar from Spain; leading production companies such as Tornasol, Izen, Globomedia (from The Mediapro Studio), Mediacrest, and Secuoya Studios; tech giants Telefónica, Paramotion, and the Pixel animation/VFX cluster based in Madrid; film educational institutions ECAM, UTAD, and The Core; rights management entities EGEDA, SGAE, and Dama; universities, financial institutions, and legal firms including The Film Agency, Mrs Greenfilm, OMMA.

During the Iberseries gathering, both Martínez Almeida and De Paco promised their backing from the Town Hall and local administration towards the Cluster’s endeavors.

In the heart of Madrid, we extend our assistance, involvement, and teamwork to bolster one of the region’s key cultural and economic foundations. We believe in fostering a partnership between the public and private sectors. It’s crucial that the government and private companies work side by side, much like how the Cluster serves as a bridge,” expressed De Paco.

Martínez Almeida promised “full institutional and economic support without any interference.” 

It’s yet uncertain how things will turn out: Whether it’s only about providing financial assistance or extending to collaborating on policy-making within the public sector.

One thing seems certain: Madrid now has a new film-TV player. 

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2024-10-07 22:16