The national television industry, specifically that of the series, is going through a moment of bonanza that, according to its scriptwriters, has not served to end the precariousness that dominates the sector. «Spanish fiction is experiencing a moment of projection and international success, but quality series cannot be produced in violation of the rights of the professionals who create them. Otherwise, the existence of a low cost industry that will end up finding another country where it is cheaper to settle is encouraged, ”said Ana Pineda , director of the ALMA screenwriters union, in the latest edition of the series Screenwriters meeting.

Manuel Burque , co-writer of Perfect Life (Movistar +) along with Leticia Dolera , showed himself as combative: “The visibility of the screenwriter is not a matter of exhibitionism, but of working conditions. If you are anonymous and people don't know that you are the creator, they pay you worse. And in conversation with Paper he added: «We are part of an entertainment, entertainment and image industry. So the scriptwriters have to make an effort to go out in the arena and claim, make good promotions, speak in public and breastfeed. Because that makes them value you more and that the script is given the compensation and recognition it deserves.

The landing of foreign platforms such as Netflix , HBO and Amazon Prime Video , together with the push of national services and groups such as Movistar + , Atresmedia , Mediaset and RTVE , has multiplied series production in recent years. According to PwC data, Spain has gone from creating 28 series in 2015 to 58 in 2018, an increase of 52.6% in four years. These titles are not only consumed in our country, but they reach millions of viewers around the world and conquer prizes such as the celebrated international Emmy of The Paper House , but despite their achievements, the situation of most scriptwriters Spaniards has barely changed. Because our main value remains that we produce good and beautiful thanks to the experience acquired in recent decades, but also cheap.

“The value for money is wonderful for the platforms, that's why they have come, but there are still many people in a very precarious situation. There has been a slight improvement because there is more work, but the conditions have not improved as much as the success of our series, ” Gema R. Neira , scriptwriter of the Bambú producer told this newspaper. And speaking of visibility, as a woman screenwriter she opened another melon: «Many times my name and that of my colleagues are obvious in certain projects because they are considered not to be feminine. In Velvet nobody forgets me, but in Fariña or El corredor de la muerte , yes ».

In this meeting, which was attended by 16 screenwriters of 13 national series, including dramas, comedies and daily series, all recognized that certain figures have managed to break that glass barrier. In the opinion of Alberto Caballero , creator of Here there is no one who lives and The one that is coming , this has happened because there has been a paradigm shift. «Before the chains went to a great producer with depersonalized scriptwriters, but now they look for those who make the series. Ten years ago it was impossible for a screenwriter to have his production company or showrunner as they say now », basically, to assume the functions of executive production and have control over the entire project. For example, Daniel Corpas and Samuel Pinazo , creators of Malaka (TVE), admitted that if their Andalusian thriller took only a year to see the light, it was, to a large extent, by his godfather, Javier Olivares , architect in turn of successes such as Isabel or the ministry of time .

The majority of those present argued that this recognition of the authorship of the scriptwriters on television is even greater in the new platforms. Because his voracious appetite is rescuing projects that had been in a drawer for years, like Hache (Netflix), according to the writer Antonio Mercero . And giving opportunities to many professionals, both young and old. Among the latter is Pepe Coira , creator with his brother Jorge de Hierro (Movistar +), and worked mainly on regional television in Galicia. "We have been trying to work for national chains for 20 years without getting it," he said.

In short, «Before the writer was simply a worker and now it is a production value. That will lead to better economic conditions, but we are at the beginning, ”said Neira optimistically. «Now we have the opportunity to tell a lot of stories that we couldn't tell before. With the platforms you can go to a super specific audience and there are many more possibilities, ”he added.

In fact, coinciding with its 30th anniversary, the affiliation of the ALMA union is currently touching 700 people, which represents an increase of 45% in the last two years. And since 2015 they have their own collective agreement. However, maybe everything is a bubble about to burst. As Víctor García León , screenwriter and director of Vota Juan , he concluded: «I have had times of atrocious unemployment and this is one of the good times. While it lasts, how wonderful. But we are all afraid ».

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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