Record’s Delmar Andrade

Alongside its strong slate of telenovelas and series, Record has been building up its unscripted catalog with new documentary fare to offer to the international market. This factual programming has the hallmarks of Record’s journalism expertise, honed over 70 years. Delmar Andrade, international sales director at Record, talks to TV Real about what’s new in the doc arena.

TV REAL: What is guiding Record’s factual strategy?
ANDRADE: After employing various forms of journalism over the past 70 years, Record has reached the level of quality that the international market has long been seeking. Proof of this is our latest production, Doc Investigation, which showcases the best of the true-crime genre to the audience. It consists of 12 episodes that combine the modern language of streaming platforms with the investigative journalism that is in Record’s DNA.

In the same vein as Doc Investigation, the documentary series The Hospital takes the audience through the halls of one of the largest and most technologically advanced hospitals in Latin America. Viewers will experience the day-to-day operations of a hospital that treats highly complex cases. The production highlights the thin line between anxiety and hope, apprehension and relief. Consisting of 12 episodes in a reality format, the show is hosted by the doctors and patients themselves, capturing the behind-the-scenes activities at Moriah Hospital, renowned for its advanced procedures.

Meanwhile, La Bestia, winner of the Premio Rey de España de Periodismo in the television category, is produced by the journalism team at Record and reveals the dangers of long journeys aboard the train known as La Bestia, or the Train of Death. The production showcases the magnitude of the immigrant drama, with individuals willing to risk everything, even their lives, in search of a dignified life on American soil. The Record team accompanied families for 21 days as they clandestinely crossed Central America, fleeing poverty and violence from armed groups, with the aim of reaching the U.S. The migratory route is perilous and leaves profound scars on the families left behind. Many disappear along the way or are kidnapped by Mexican cartels. Hundreds of people await news of their relatives who set out in search of the American dream. La Bestia is a human odyssey of resilience, courage and the relentless pursuit of a more dignified future.

With the addition of documentaries to Record’s portfolio, we expand our production mix and aim to conquer markets that have not yet been explored. The possibilities for documentaries are truly limitless.

TV REAL: There’s a wide range of documentaries available on the market. What should a documentary have to stand out from the crowd?
ANDRADE: Record has won international recognition for its work in documentary journalism. In recent years, Record’s productions have been among the finalists for One World Media, an award that recognizes the best media coverage of the developing world, reflecting the social, political and cultural lives of people around the world. In addition, Record has already won three editions of one of the most prestigious awards in world journalism and the largest in Spanish and Portuguese language, the Rey de España in 2016, 2019 and 2020.

With these nominations and awards, we decided to further explore this genre and present it as a new option for the international market that seeks quality and exclusive content. Currently, our documentary portfolio has hours of high-quality content, covering the most diverse topics. The interesting thing about this type of production is that it can be explored in different media and fit perfectly in any programming schedule, whether on traditional broadcast television, cable channels or streaming platforms. This has allowed us to work in different ways with our clients.

TV REAL: What trends are you seeing in the factual content space?
ANDRADE: Documentary is a genre that has always been relevant in the market. They are productions whose main feature is to explore reality and present the facts to the viewer in a true and unique way. Today, with streaming platforms, the possibilities of access to this type of production have expanded.

It is possible to watch this content on mobile phones, which was almost impossible to do before. With this evolution in the market, we find a new window of opportunity to work on our productions, bringing quality content and information to an international audience.

TV REAL: What factual titles are you highlighting?
ANDRADE: Doc Investigation, for example, is a true-crime series. We’re showcasing the crimes that occur in Brazil in a dynamic yet clear manner so that people can understand what’s happening in Latin America. The realism is striking, but not overly gory, featuring real stories to not only depict Brazilian reality but also introduce the audience to something new, a fresh approach to crime documentaries.

We also have entertainment documentaries like 50 by 1. It showcases 50 cities around the world visited by a host who highlights the culinary delights and entertainment within each city. So, it’s not just a documentary solely focused on crime or informative documentaries but shows about life and everyday occurrences. It’s a way to entertain viewers with information but also with enjoyable content.

TV REAL: How are you working to increase your factual content offering?
ANDRADE: We continue to produce many documentaries within our group, and simply prepare, package and give an international stage to the product. Every day at Record, we conduct constant investigative journalism. It never stops. It’s not just one day a month, every day there’s material, and we’re continuously making selections. After the selection process, we choose the best ones and present them to the market. New titles are coming soon!