MarVista Entertainment’s Fernando Szew

MarVista Entertainment offers linear and nonlinear platforms a range of movies and other content. CEO Fernando Szew has led the company’s growth with a focus on solving buyers’ needs. He has forged partnerships with producers and studios in and outside the U.S., attracted diverse voices and given talent the opportunity to direct. His strategy is paying off as viewer taste and platform demand for movies continues to increase.

WS: What changes have you seen in the business of TV movies? That’s not the correct term anymore, is it?
SZEW: The nomenclature can be a bit confusing, but at MarVista, we view our titles as “made-for-platform movies,” as this feels more appropriate in our media-agnostic world. No matter how these movies are labeled, made-for-platform movies are experiencing a lot of growth, almost a renaissance, not just in the volume but the type of movies being made. This is driven by the different modes of consumption and the various ways that, as content creators, we get to exploit them for our distribution goals and for the talent we work with.

As we drill down on the nomenclature, let’s start with the fact that a TV is essentially the electronic device on which viewers are watching content and, in the current landscape, they are often catching their favorite content on their phones, tablets and computers. As the business evolves, we too need to pivot how we position our content to the market and consumers so that when we are making a movie directly for a traditional cable network or SVOD/AVOD, we consider all of them as viewing platforms. When we are making movies without a set buyer or destination in place, we still believe that eventually, they will end up on one of these platforms, even if the initial path is through a theatrical release or other means. What can be even more confusing is that some industry people still refer to a “platform release” as a theatrical run that could build from key markets to a wide release.

Another aspect that makes the made-for-platform movies so desirable, which we were beginning to see before the pandemic, is that many platforms are leaning into the 90-minute or two-hour movie, where the audience gets a full story in one sitting without having to commit to “binge.” The tide of great content has been rising for all during this golden age of scripted content, and movies are no exception.

WS: How has MarVista grown in the last two years, and what opportunities do you see for further growth?
SZEW: We have seen positive growth. It’s primarily because of the entrants into the marketplace—the platforms leaning into their movie strategies—converging. MarVista is very well positioned to super-serve the strategies for the established and brand-new sets of buyers. Based on this, our client base has expanded, and we are experiencing growth due to our core traits of being solution-oriented, “buyer first” and remaining entrepreneurial. As platforms see this market need for movies, they understand and know that MarVista is one of the studios that can deliver on their goals and seamlessly collaborate with their teams on creating content strategies beyond just one-off movies. It’s about creating more expansive multiple-movie strategies to serve their audience with a consistent flow of movie offerings.

Another crucial piece of the puzzle is that we’ve always had a global focus. Around the world, locally and regionally, we are experiencing tremendous growth and expansion. This ubiquitous demand increases opportunities for MarVista to expand our scope and breadth further.

WS: You’ve also forged some exciting partnerships.
SZEW: The way we are positioned allows us to provide, if not the entire solution, then part of the solution for different platforms and buyers. Because of this, we have partners who seek us out to complement the skills and expertise they may not have. To name a few, we have recently announced a partnership with Cyma Zarghami at MiMO Studios for kids’ and family programming. MarVista is enhancing the great development and IP creation Cyma and her new team were already working with as they launched MiMO. The teams are working cohesively, not only on IP and development but now on a real path to production, financing and distribution.

Similarly, but in a different genre of titles, is our partnership with Elefantec Global, [co-founded by] my friend Pepe Bastón. This partnership is about taking the best of MarVista, its studio platform, and addressing the continued substantial growth of the Spanish-speaking market, not just in Latin America but also here in the U.S. We know there is a strong appetite to tell culturally relevant stories to this audience. Pepe and his team can create these compelling stories, and with MarVista’s know-how across the value chain—from development that can be produced on time and budget, to delivery, to being able to commercialize and finance projects—it became a perfect marriage. As Pepe and I say, it’s the blending of our know-how and his know-who. This combo is leading to fantastic early results, and we are having lots of fun making great content and influencing the stories and quality of the movies. Additionally, we are in business with other great partners in Latin America and the U.S. Hispanic landscape.

Another deal that was also recently announced is the partnership with Lionsgate, which harkens back to the beginning of most of our careers when what we used to call made-for-television movies or MOWs were dominated by Hearst and programmed across all the general entertainment networks. Lionsgate holds the rights to the expansive Hearst library, which has some of the classic movies that made a mark when there was just television, movie theaters, magazines and books! It was a simpler world in which the lanes for content were delineated. The Hearst movies garnered huge ratings, made a real impact and starred people who would become A-listers. It’s a wonderful partnership with Lionsgate because it allows us to take the nostalgia of those MOWs but reimagine the stories for a new multicultural audience and the new platforms and buyers. In a sense, we are updating the point of view with a new modern perspective to these stories. We have a fun canvas to play with because of the high volume of movies and like-minded people on the Lionsgate side that also allow us to leverage the power of collaboration.

WS: Has the high volume of scripted fare impacted the subject matter, the availability of talent or the production values of movies?
SZEW: It continues to be a highly competitive world in this business, and it’s competitive across all aspects of production, not just talent, but within all disciplines and through the production value chain. There is a lot of demand for content with a limited pool of capable producers and talent. MarVista is a talent-friendly place with the size and scale to differentiate ourselves in this landscape. Also, and most importantly, our DNA and the heart of our company mission are focused on creating opportunities for people. So, we can support and cultivate new talent across the content creation sphere with a system for them to be their best selves and do their best work.

On the talent front, one of the appealing aspects is that we’re seeing recognizable and established talent understand that made-for-platform movies are yet another way of telling and delivering great stories. Today’s made-for-platform movie is no longer perceived as the “stepchild” of the theatrical movie. The home and mobile viewing experiences are now legitimized, and audiences are getting accustomed to it, and in some instances, even prefer it. From a platform and talent synergistic point of view, the made-for-platform movie can now be promoted and featured alongside the most talked-about content in the world, which are some of the wonderful series that are currently having their “watercooler” moments. The fact that these titles live in the same environment and space also means that there can be more crossover and synergies with the same production companies and talent. There is less of a silo effect, which has been refreshing, and we are fortunate to be the beneficiaries of this.

In the past, with a Christmas or holiday movie that would have been produced with/for a traditional cable partner, we would have had a harder time casting up, as we call it, but now talent and their representation are more open to the new movie paradigm. For example, we recently wrapped a movie called The Fight Before Christmas, which Lionsgate has acquired, with talent that might not have signed for a cable movie a few years ago. This movie stars high-level talent Dermot Mulroney, Hayley Orrantia and Janel Parrish, as just one example of many and part of how movies have been impacted positively with the shifts in content viewing.

Because there is greater demand for movies, more partnerships and frankly more chances and space to play, we can launch new talent. We’re able to continue what’s constantly been at the forefront of my and MarVista’s purpose and the company’s DNA, which is to allow new voices to get into the industry, work in a professional setting and tell stories. We consistently work with first-time storytellers and directors and pride ourselves on making not only their first movie but their second. In particular, this has played out for us in the past five to seven years for some female directors who are now making huge waves throughout the industry.

We also offer opportunities for talent normally in front of the camera to get behind the camera. For instance, we have given quite a lot of actresses their directorial debut. We are shifting and designing new creative outlets for talent. We finished Sweet Navidad, directed by actress Brittany Underwood. She also happens to be Latina and leaned into her background to make this an authentic and beautiful movie, a wonderful marriage of the crossover multiculturalism in today’s America. In addition, through our partnership with Neshama, we’ve been able to find a new pool of producers and directors in Canada. Although they have a robust industry, we believe that our collaboration with Neshama and the addition of MarVista’s know-how have helped create vast new opportunities there. We are beginning to see the same pattern in Mexico and throughout Latin America in our partnership with Elefantec.

WS: Are there Covid planning or production procedures that you foresee continuing after the pandemic?
SZEW: Even after we are on the other side of this, as we go through variants of Covid-19, people are going to be more careful and aware of safety precautions. We are going to see these protocols survive for quite a while. Will they make a lot of sense in 2030? I don’t know. We’ll have different technology by then for sure. In the short term, I don’t see a lot of this changing. There is a big debate around the world and in different states as to vaccinations and what to mandate, how to mandate and if you can mandate. That is one of the hot-button issues. The other one is insurance. It’s all happening in real time. If we were in a post-Covid world, I think we’re still going to have some of these protocols for a while.

WS: Has your production pipeline had to shrink because of Covid?
SZEW: We had four months in 2020 of not producing, but rather than shrink our production pipelines, they shifted. We run a complex slate and organization, and we’re working with so many different partners, both on the platform and the producer side. Early in the pandemic, it was shifting a lot as there were thousands of cases here and fewer in other areas, and different protocols, different regulations and different quarantine rules. It was quite a large task, which we are still, in part, living in and maneuvering around. There was a big shift in projects and changed timelines throughout, but we managed to work with all the stakeholders to keep the pipeline strong!

WS: Where are you in production now?
SZEW: We are continually looking for unique and interesting locations with settings that add to our storytelling. Our list of shooting locations is rather vast, but right now, we are producing in the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay and Australia.

WS: What upcoming titles would you like to mention?
SZEW: We have so many great titles for this quarter, spanning across various genres and, most important, reflecting representation and inclusion.
I mentioned our holiday movie Sweet Navidad earlier, marking Colombian American actress Brittany Underwood’s directorial debut. The movie is a charming multicultural romantic comedy, where an aspiring self-taught Latina pastry chef is selected to partner with a professionally trained chef to create a unique menu for a hotel holiday gala. With the clock ticking down to Christmas, the two chefs come up with a truly inspired meal made from passion and love!

In the young adult space, we are thrilled to be working with the team behind This is the Year. Executive produced by singer and actress Selena Gomez and directed by and starring her Wizards of Waverly Place co-star, David Henrie, This is the Year is a contemporary spin on many of the classic ’80s movies—focusing on good times and a killer soundtrack featuring performances by lovelytheband! The film also stars Jeff Garlin (The Goldbergs), Gregg Sulkin (Pretty Little Liars) and Vanessa and Laura Marano.

Unicorn for Christmas is another favorite of mine that the whole family can gather around the TV and fireplace to watch. The magical movie stars Abby James Witherspoon (Reese Witherspoon’s talented niece) as a young girl who finds a small white pony named Snowflake and is convinced that the horse is a real unicorn, but she seems to be the only person who can see Snowflake’s glowing horn and magical powers. Gradually, other children begin to see Snowflake for who she really is and set out to protect Snowflake from a greedy fair owner. The movie also stars TV legend Ed Marinaro.