Music: The Make or Break Factor of a Telenovela

Watching telenovelas all my life with my family, I never thought about all the people and time making a novela entails. As a viewer, you just want to know what will happen next with your favorite characters. The production side of a telenovela always gets put to the back of everyone’s minds. The viewer wants to experience the glamourous side of their favorite novelas, not the mishaps, long hours, or tensions between some of the members in the production team. I assumed that the telenovela was made much like a movie, in which the actors know where their character is going in the storyline and production wraps up as the telenovela is about to come on the air. This not the case. The writer and his team have to write scripts that consist of about 40-45 pages everyday which then are approved and begin filming. After that, the actors meet with the director on the floor and then the booth. Once the scene is taped it is decided whether it is kept or it has to be redone. This processes continues until the whole episode is filmed. The episode is then sent to post production where it is edited, music is added, and each negro is measured. The promotional is done and the process begins all over again. This seems really tedious and stressful to me. I understand that the network wants to have the best ratings possible and in order to do this it needs the input on the viewers to see where the storyline goes, but in my opinion the production like that of a movie would be much easier on everyone. 

  Another aspect of the production process that surprised me was the importance of music. It is used in all kinds of ways to bring about tension or romance to a specific scene that would otherwise not convey this emotion.The specific timing of the music in each scene is so important that it sometimes determines whether a scene is understood by the audience the way the writers intended or not. One of the most interesting aspects of music in the production of a telenovela is the song and scenes chosen to used at the beginning every night.It is almost like a small music video in my opinion. The entrada, as it is known, sets the tone to how the telenovela is going to be and in the end helps to grab the attention of the viewer. Strategically the music in the beginning of a telenovela every night brings in a viewers that might be watching the previous telenovela in that channel. Without the right musical choice or the right scenes being shown, the telenovela might be a complete flop. 

     An entrada can be told in many different perspectives. These perspectives may include the perspective of the protagonist, the antagonist, or the basic storyline of the novela. In the scenes chosen the characters are introduced and the basic storyline is showcased. In the case of Sin Tetas No Hay Paraiso, the entrada used showcases, the assembly of barbie dolls by a man, and all the extravagant things that can be bought by large quantities of money. He chooses what he feels makes them beautiful and sale able. While he is making the dolls, the song gives the perspective of many of the characters in the story that live in Catalina’s neighborhood or are of low economic status. The girl that sings the song describes how she wants to get out of the hole she is currently in while the man sings about how he wants to have money to be able to buy whatever he wants. This in turn sets the tone for the telenovela and grabs the viewer. It definitely worked for me. I was able to learn more about the incentives of the characters in a one minute song. This entrada was done so well that I knew all the words by the third time I watched it and I still associate this song and scenes with Sin Tetas No Hay Paraiso. 

Theme Song of Sin Tetas No Hay Paraiso :

A Labor of Love

I think what shocked me the most about telenovela production is the sheer amount of work that goes into each and every episode. From the writing and filming to the publicity events before broadcasting the first episode, I was blown away by how much time and dedication it takes to make a telenovela happen! The effort that the writers, directors, producers, cast, and crew all put in for a production that can be seen as a joke by some is actually anything but a joke. It also really surprises me how dedicated those involved in telenovela production are, considering the absolutely crazy hours that they work. Based on what they sacrifice for the telenovela, those involved in making the show a reality must not only be dedicated, but also in love with what they do. A lot of people can see telenovelas as cheesy and low quality, but after learning about this huge process, I've realized that telenovelas are actually really impressive.

Not only do I admire the drive of those involved in the production of telenovelas, but I also respect their ability to still have a life outside of work. My second cousin is actually on Santa Diabla right now (her name is Virna Flores and she plays Paula Delgado on the show), and after talking to her some, I've realized that what she does is amazing. Virna is married and has recently started a family, and somehow she still manages to have a life while filming for Santa Diabla. She's pretty great:

(The only videos I could find on YouTube of her actual acting on Santa Diabla involve her either slapping the protagonist or getting slapped, so I chose the former.)

Knowing that she, and everyone involved in the making of telenovelas, balance life and work just to produce a show that people will love is really awesome. Learning about production has just made me appreciate telenovelas even more.

Key Ingredient: The Music

The most fascinating aspect about the production of a telenovela, to me, is the music. Before our lecture in class about this topic, I had not really put too much thought into how much of a vital ingredient the music is for a telenovela to be successful. Of course the musical theme at the entrada has to be chosen carefully since it is played daily. Just as telenovelas become a part of people's daily routines, so does the song that plays at the beginning of each episode. The incidental music, on the other hand, may go a little unnoticed by most viewers. However, as we learned in class from some of Dr. A's behind the scenes videos, without the incidental music an otherwise passionate and sensual scene becomes plain awkward. The relationship between telenovelas and incidental music, then, is quite interesting. Alone, incidental music is pretty cheesy, and without music, scenes in novelas are completely awkward. Somehow, when the two come together, however, it works!

I know I've talked about the music in the entrada of Hasta Que La Plata Nos Separe in more than one blog post. After our lecture of the music in telenovelas, I decided to pay closer attention to the incidental music in the episodes. Whenever there is any kind of romantic moment between the protagonists, the song from the entrada plays but in a version that is much slower. Another part that stood out to me was the music used in the subplots. For example, Alejandra's (the protagonist) assistant, Susana has her own love affair going on at the moment with a guy from the office. Susana is a very spiritual character, she is a vegetarian and is into meditation and a lot of other Eastern practices. Whenever there is a romantic scene between her and her coworker, the incidental music has an oriental tone to it. That is just one example, but I've noticed the variations in the music depending on each character.

Overall, the production of telenovelas is utterly fascinating, yet completely overwhelming at the same time. There are so many people and factors involved in the making of just one episode. I had no idea how much hard work went into each episode, and it's hard to believe that these production teams are able to prepare episodes to air 5 nights a week!

Telenovelas: just like other television shows...on steroids

      Coming into this class I didn't realize how intensive the production of telenovelas was. During the first couple weeks I got a sense of the idea: one episode a day means things are pretty hectic. However, I didn't actually realize how hectic until our lecture on production. It is crazy. One of the things that baffles me the most is that the show isn't completely written before filming takes place. Because telenovelas play straight through from beginning to end there are no season breaks. The craziest part is that a writer can write a completely unplanned plot change in the middle of the show, or he can suddenly end the show depending on how it is received by the audience. I find it difficult for the actors to commit to the roles without knowing what will happen to their character. In contrast, I read somewhere recently that J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, told Alan Rickman (Severus Snape) the truth behind his character, and how he was actually protecting Harry, before it was even written in the books. Rickman was the only one to know this, and often the movie directors would try to make him act in a way that conflicted with this, but he would argue against it without divulging the secret. In the end, it made for a deeper performance on Rickman's part. BUT IN TELENOVELAS,  IT'S THE EXACT OPPOSITE! I'm not saying that is necessarily detracts from a character's performance, but it seems strange that a character may have a secret that is later written in and the actor discovers it in the same way as the audience.
      The speed at which the telenovela is produced is also terrifying. At the fastest, a writer will write a script, actors will receive it the next morning, and the whole episode will be filmed that day. Sometimes the production team is only a few episodes ahead of airing schedule. Working in the theater in the past, I can't imagine having to memorize a whole episode worth of lines the day of filming. I can understand why the actors hold onto their scripts until a millisecond before the director says action. I can even imagine how difficult it is for the prop team, or the post-production team, with being on such a tight schedule, hardly having time to get anything done. I guess this is why these people are professionals.
      While learning about the different jobs on set, my favorite was the script: the person who takes notes on actors' costumes, the set, and other details that are important for congruency when scenes are filmed out of order. I found this position very interesting because I love finding incongruencies in films and television shows. I can also imagine it being a very stressful job. I was also very surprised to discover the different directors for in-studio and on-location shots. I never thought of it that way. If I knew more about directing I would try to find differences in these types of scenes in "La Reina del Sur." All in all, the production side of telenovelas is incredibly interesting but I'm so glad I will never be a part of it.

Consumption of Telenovelas: A Social Affair

     Now that we have started working on our consumption projects, I find it interesting to see just how much user-generated content exists in the world of telenovelas. I knew that in the US people take their soap opera watching so seriously that they will buy magazines just to read more about their favorite characters and shows; those little magazines in the checkout lines at supermarkets always seem so intriguing to me – how can they write a whole digest just on one week’s worth of shows? It seems fitting that a telenovela with a big following would have just as much written about it after it airs, if not more.

     It was interesting to see how Dr. A analyzes social media during a telenovela, too, as she described in class. Paying attention to so many different forms of social media while also watching a television episode seems exhausting. I am grateful that for our consumption project we don’t have to follow along with a live episode – there is already so much to analyze, I’m not sure how we would do it!

     There are so many different forums available online for telenovela watchers, I began to wonder if the same sites existed for US TV series that are only run weekly. Answer: They do. I looked through a few pages of televisionwithoutpity.com and it actually seems pretty similar to what’s written on telenovela forums. People bicker back and forth about liking or not liking an episode, talk about the storylines and characters as if they were real events and people, and seem to have a decent level of obsession with the show. This is basically the same as what we saw on the forums for telenovelas, but I would venture to say the obsession is a little stronger because they are aired daily, not weekly, so there’s a lot more to talk about.

     Searching twitter was also a really interesting experience because not only does the network post a lot of tweets about their shows, but fans will engage in full-on conversations about what’s going on in the show over twitter, both during and after an episode. The use of hashtags about the show, characters, and more make it easier to see what’s going on and gauge what people are thinking about an episode.

     I think that the advent of social media has probably made it easier for networks to gauge the success of their telenovelas. They have so many modes of communication at their fingertips now to find out what viewers like, don't like, want to see more of, and don't want to see again. They can see what users are saying about a particular character or episode, and even interact with viewers directly if they choose. I would imagine it is extremely helpful to have these resources on hand, because it's definitely been an advantage to have for our class as well. 

It Takes A Miracle

When we discussed telenovela production in class, my eyes were opened to the large number of people that work on a telenovela and all of the different jobs that are necessary to successfully produce a single episode. With so many people and so many different positions, there is bound to be conflict. When everyone has a specific job and a unique responsibility on the set, arguments undoubtedly arise over whose needs should be satisfied first.

For example, should the main director do everything he can to produce the vision the writer has for the show? Or should the director take liberties with the script and come up with his own idea of how the scene should go?

Should the actors have freedom to do what they want with a scene? Or should they follow the directions of the head writer and director exactly?

Should the producers edit the scripts to make the scenes realistic, budget-conscious and less time-consuming? Or should they do everything possible to make the writer's vision come alive on screen?

These conflicts and many more could make it difficult to produce a telenovela and could even halt production completely if one or more party feels like their needs are not satisfied. I imagine that these tensions could make production of a telenovela extremely difficult, especially if people's egos get involved. It seems very clear to me that you cannot work in production of a telenovela and be sensitive or have your feelings easily hurt. The executives are going to have to make decisions that may insult someone involved in the process, but that reality is just in the nature of the business. If every writer got upset each time a production assistant told him they could not execute a detail of his script, the telenovela business would never progress. Similarly, if a director called "Cut!" each time an actor messed up a tiny detail of his instructions, telenovela scenes would take years to film. Everyone involved must put away their egos and remember that the decisions the executives make regarding production are for the best of the telenovela. I'm sure this is easier said than done, which is why I honestly believe Dr. A when she says, "Everything looks glamorous and perfect on the screen but behind it you realize it takes a miracle!"

Talented actors

After we studied and learned about telenovela production, I've realized that I do not give actors enough credit. After I watch a film or a television show, I usually have just a few either positive or negative things to say about the performance of the actors. However, I never really take a second to think about how much work and effort went into every single scene. The production of a telenovela is extremely tedious. Because an episode is shown literally every night, you can just imagine how much work that is. However, I want this blog post to focus on the actors contribution to the production.
I recently read in an article how the competition between the channels Univision/Televisa and Telemundo is continuing to rise. These three channels are producing around 750-780 hours of programming per year. This means that they are completing around three episodes a day. This means that actors are most likely pulled back and forth between these channels. Especially if they are really successful and talented. Actors are often forced to sign long-term contracts to ensure that they stay faithful to the novela they are currently in. Considering there is usually around 120-160 episodes, they have to commit themselves for a sufficient amount of time.
Like Alex posted, I was also shocked at the fact that these actors are filmed in complete silence. No music in the background or anything. This can get awkward when they are filming love scenes. You have to be a pretty good actor with a lot of confidence to be able to do some of the things these actors have to do. The fact that they sometimes have to read a sentence on the script and quickly memorize and recite it is incredible. You can't be slow or dumb. You have to always be on your toes. I really admire these actors. I now watch something and think about how much time, effort, and skill it takes to complete a successful show/movie.

Telenovela Production... It's an Art

Learning about the production of the telenovela was, well, very intense. To be honest it gave me anxiety just thinking about what went into every single day for as many months as the telenovela was being filmed. Not only does a 45-page script need to be written a day, but the actors can’t really prepare ahead of time. They literally have to learn new lines while they are filming previous ones they received. On top of THAT, the episodes aren’t even filmed in order because they have to make most of each set set-up and not waste time, energy, and resources moving things around.  Yet even with all of those hard steps the team has to go through to pull off an amazing telenovela episode, the one production aspect I couldn’t get past was the silence during filming, ESPECIALLY if the actors didn’t have lines… When Dr. A showed us an original scene from the telenovela, music and all it was enjoyable to watch. Yet when the same scene, which was sometimes a love scene, was given to us which was filmed from her phone, I could hardly contain my overwhelming feeling of awkwardness. It was completely silent, all eyes on the actors, and they were just doing their thing, in the complete silence. I don’t think I can stress enough…. IT WAS SILENT. So, if anything, props goes out to the actors for being able to so gracefully trudge through those types of scenes.

In my telenovela that I am watching, Corazon Salvaje, a portion of the telenovela is filmed outside in the open environment, while other parts are filmed in a studio. I can only imagine what effort it took to get all of that equipment down to the beach, and even to Juan del Diablo’s cliff-side house. The “sequence shot” is the operating camera that I was most interested in. I think it has to take major skill and confidence to know that the entire shot depends on the guy carrying the camera strapped to his body. I would trip and fall; I know it. Anyways what I thought was awesome are the horseback scenes in my telenovela, where you have the perspective that you are actually the person riding the horse. You are whizzing through trees and ducking under branches. It is definitely an exhilarating scene and incredible point of view for filming, instead of just a wide shot filming the actor on horseback.

To sum up my little production reflection on my telenovela, while doing research I came to find that the set that served as Juan del Diablo’s house on the cliff/beach is actually a restaurant now! How cool is that?!   

Here's the link for the picture of the restaurant: 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=480636522004379&set=a.168823909852310.41482.116759795058722&type=1&theater 

What if I was the protagonist?

One of the most exciting things I contemplated as we spoke about production during class was the days leading up to the premiere of the episode, the morning of the episode and finally the airing of the very first episode. I did not realize all the preparation and hype they put around the beginning of a new telenovela. As I write this blog, I want to write as if I was the protagonist of the story.

I will begin by imagining 3-5 days before episode 1. What exactly would I be thinking? After so much work, effort, memorization, tension between actors, producers, directors and many others, what will the press think? Will they like it? What if they hate it?  What if it becomes the most popular telenovela in this country immediately? Or what if it fails quickly?

Then arrives the time for the huge party and premier of the episode. I get ready, put on a beautiful dress, fix my makeup and get ready for a wild and exciting night. As I arrive to the venue there is press everywhere, photographing and writing everything about the event. The party is HUGE and we are all dressed up! I’m honestly so excited, so nervous and borderline freaking out all at the same time! People are pumped! We all sit down for a formal dinner and after each member of the cast is introduced, the episode begins. What am I thinking at this point?? AHHHHH! I’m watching the screen but constantly trying to turn around to see the reactions of the press. What are they writing? Are they enjoying it?

Finally it is the morning of the first episode. I’m literally so PUMPED! The entire cast is being interviewed on the morning show. They ask so many questions and you can tell the audience is getting antsy because they just want to see the first episode. We show the promo and clips of the show as teasers for the audience and people are freaking out! I love the excitement around the new telenovela! Hopefully they will enjoy the characters, storyline and are hooked after the very first episode!

AHHHH! The time has arrived! The entire cast meets up to watch the very first episode as it airs live on television! I can’t handle my excitement! The press is ready to go. Everyone is anticipating the reactions of the audience! What are they going to do? How will they like it? Will they love the characters we want them to love and hate the ones we want them to hate? There is so much excitement that I honestly can’t stand it.

I enjoyed every moment watching the first episode with the cast. There is no one else I would rather be watching with than the people who I have grown close to over these past months working on this project. I can’t believe it is here. The first episode has shown. The work is still just beginning. Time to hit the ground running!One of the most exciting things I contemplated as we spoke about production during class was the days leading up to the premiere of the episode, the morning of the episode and finally the airing of the very first episode. I did not realize all the preparation and hype they put around the beginning of a new telenovela. As I write this blog, I want to write as if I was the protagonist of the story.

I will begin by imagining 3-5 days before episode 1. What exactly would I be thinking? After so much work, effort, memorization, tension between actors, producers, directors and many others, what will the press think? Will they like it? What if they hate it?  What if it becomes the most popular telenovela in this country immediately? Or what if it fails quickly?

Then arrives the time for the huge party and premier of the episode. I get ready, put on a beautiful dress, fix my makeup and get ready for a wild and exciting night. As I arrive to the venue there is press everywhere, photographing and writing everything about the event. The party is HUGE and we are all dressed up! I’m honestly so excited, so nervous and borderline freaking out all at the same time! People are pumped! We all sit down for a formal dinner and after each member of the cast is introduced, the episode begins. What am I thinking at this point?? AHHHHH! I’m watching the screen but constantly trying to turn around to see the reactions of the press. What are they writing? Are they enjoying it?

Finally it is the morning of the first episode. I’m literally so PUMPED! The entire cast is being interviewed on the morning show. They ask so many questions and you can tell the audience is getting antsy because they just want to see the first episode. We show the promo and clips of the show as teasers for the audience and people are freaking out! I love the excitement around the new telenovela! Hopefully they will enjoy the characters, storyline and are hooked after the very first episode!

AHHHH! The time has arrived! The entire cast meets up to watch the very first episode as it airs live on television! I can’t handle my excitement! The press is ready to go. Everyone is anticipating the reactions of the audience! What are they going to do? How will they like it? Will they love the characters we want them to love and hate the ones we want them to hate? There is so much excitement that I honestly can’t stand it.

I enjoyed every moment watching the first episode with the cast. There is no one else I would rather be watching with than the people who I have grown close to over these past months working on this project. I can’t believe it is here. The first episode has shown. The work is still just beginning. Time to hit the ground running!

One of the most exciting things I contemplated as we spoke about production during class was the days leading up to the premiere of the episode, the morning of the episode and finally the airing of the very first episode. I did not realize all the preparation and hype they put around the beginning of a new telenovela. As I write this blog, I want to write as if I was the protagonist of the story.

I will begin by imagining 3-5 days before episode 1. What exactly would I be thinking? After so much work, effort, memorization, tension between actors, producers, directors and many others, what will the press think? Will they like it? What if they hate it?  What if it becomes the most popular telenovela in this country immediately? Or what if it fails quickly?

Then arrives the time for the huge party and premier of the episode. I get ready, put on a beautiful dress, fix my makeup and get ready for a wild and exciting night. As I arrive to the venue there is press everywhere, photographing and writing everything about the event. The party is HUGE and we are all dressed up! I’m honestly so excited, so nervous and borderline freaking out all at the same time! People are pumped! We all sit down for a formal dinner and after each member of the cast is introduced, the episode begins. What am I thinking at this point?? AHHHHH! I’m watching the screen but constantly trying to turn around to see the reactions of the press. What are they writing? Are they enjoying it?

Finally it is the morning of the first episode. I’m literally so PUMPED! The entire cast is being interviewed on the morning show. They ask so many questions and you can tell the audience is getting antsy because they just want to see the first episode. We show the promo and clips of the show as teasers for the audience and people are freaking out! I love the excitement around the new telenovela! Hopefully they will enjoy the characters, storyline and are hooked after the very first episode!

AHHHH! The time has arrived! The entire cast meets up to watch the very first episode as it airs live on television! I can’t handle my excitement! The press is ready to go. Everyone is anticipating the reactions of the audience! What are they going to do? How will they like it? Will they love the characters we want them to love and hate the ones we want them to hate? There is so much excitement that I honestly can’t stand it.

I enjoyed every moment watching the first episode with the cast. There is no one else I would rather be watching with than the people who I have grown close to over these past months working on this project. I can’t believe it is here. The first episode has shown. The work is still just beginning. Time to hit the ground running!