Banijay to Open São Paulo-Based Studio

Banijay has revealed Banijay Studios Brasil, which it is touting as the largest independent production studio facility in Latin America.

Set to open in 2023, Banijay Studios Brasil spans more than 750,000 square feet (70,000 square meters) and will welcome third-party TV and film clients. Based in São Paulo, it will offer a variety of options for productions of all sizes, with indoor and outdoor facilities, world-class technology, scenography sheds and modern office space for producers and talent.

The studio deal was led by Ben Samek, president and COO of Banijay Americas; Laurens Drillich, president of Endemol Shine Latino; and Nani Freitas, CEO of Endemol Shine Brasil.

“We are always looking for new opportunities to grow our business and strengthen our local production companies and, at the same time, enhance the quality of our shows,” said Drillich. “So, when the team at Endemol Shine Brasil came to us with a plan to build a studio complex in São Paulo, we were immediately interested. There is currently a huge demand for studio space in Brasil, a very important market for us, with one of the most engaged audiences in the world and endless possibilities. Our parent company at Banijay recognized this made a lot of sense and quickly made the necessary investments to make Banijay Studios Brasil a reality.”

Freitas added, “Here in Brasil, we have seen record growth in original television production over the last few years and with that growth, there has been a tremendous demand for audiovisual facilities for studios like ours to deliver high-quality programming to networks and streaming platforms alike. So, we chose to build this new world-class facility, where we can both produce our own original content and also offer third-party clients the opportunity to produce their series in this beautiful, massive new space.”