HBO Max Execs Talk “Narrative Universes,” True Crime Femicide Drama, Marcial Maciel Docuseries
Recently launched true crime femicide drama miniseries Ângela Diniz: Murdered and Condemned (Ângela Diniz: Assassinada e Condenada) and docuseries Marcial Maciel: Wolf of God, about a Mexican Catholic priest and sex offender, were among the titles touted during an HBO Max session at the fifth edition of Iberseries & Platino Industria in Madrid on Tuesday.
The Diniz series is based on a true-crime podcast that brought back debate about the killing of a Brazilian socialite at her own beach house in Rio de Janeiro by her lover in 1976, which caused a media circus at the time, explained Vanessa Miranda, head of scripted content development at Warner Bros. Discovery.
She was joined on stage by Jorge Tijerina, head of scripted content development – Mexico/Colombia at the company, and Sergio Nakasone, head of non-fiction content development at Warner Bros. Discovery.
They also discussed such fiction series as Like Water for Chocolate, which has been renewed for a second season, and City of God: The Fight Doesn’t Stop, among others.
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The panel also explored “narrative universes” developed based on iconic IPs, literary works, films, cultural figures, or events with a social impact.
So, what does content need to fit into HBO Max’s narrative universe(s)? “I would start with the resonance that a topic has with our audience,” said Nakasone. “Another component is, whether it is starting from a biography or from true crime or a great book, complete with the creative perspective, is what actually moves the audience? You want to add something to that. I would summarize that it has to have soul. It has to resonate with the audience, it has to be moving, especially with the local audience.”
