TV3 Signs Format Deal with DreamWorks Television

BARCELONA: TV3 has signed with DreamWorks Television for the adaptation of the series The Red Band Society that will air on ABC in the U.S.

The series’ first season, originally titled Polseres Vermelles, aired on TV3 in the 10:30 p.m. slot during the spring, garnering a 17-percent share, with a 20 percent share during the final episode.

Filmax produced The Red Band Society for TV3 that co-owns the series’ rights together with the channel. Marta Kauffman, co-creator of the hit Friends, will serve as the series’ executive producer.

The Red Band Society tells the story of a group of boys between the ages of 10 and 15 that meet in a children’s hospital, where they have to deal with life and daily situations that affect them. Polseres Vermelles was originally created by Alberto Espinosa, based on his novel Un mundo amarillo.

The deal was announced by Jordi Roure i Oriol, director of dramatization at TV3, who added: “People said we were crazy when we started this project because we were making a series starring kids, geared toward adult audiences. The other issue was dealing with children’s diseases, but the series has been a success.”

The show will broadcast on Antena 3 and on TNT for pay TV in Spain.

Víctor Carrera, director of international relations at TV3, highlighted that; “our policies in fiction are different from those at other channels in Spain, because we start out with less budget. We look for quality in the script, with productions that don’t conflict with American cinema and Spanish productions.”

TV3 was founded in 1983 and includes six channels: TV3, 33 (cultural), 3/24 (news), Esport 3 (sports), Super 3/XL (kids and teens) and Internacional (global). The channel presents content in Catalonian, looking to preserve the language and culture. Currently, the main channel TV3, has a 13- to 15-percent share.