Vertice produces laffer about unemployment

MADRID -- Spain's Vertice 360 Group is betting round the crisis. Vertice-possessed Notro TV, its TV production company, is creating "Disadvantage el culo el aire," a comedy about Spain's unemployed. Shooting from late October, the 13-seg "Aire" will air on broadcast network Antena 3. Vertice Sales will handle worldwide distribution. Meanwhile, Vertice is betting on growth at its core business, production services, as progressively cash-strapped The the spanish language language tv producers goal to delegate services, striving, like the figures of "Aire," to settle the debts. "Aire" triggers a motley quantity of Spaniards forced by a few conditions -- forced retirement, a company personal personal bankruptcy, a tough divorce -- to abandon the big city for just about any trailerpark inside the countryside. There, they goal to settle the debts, frequently via highly suspect schemes to generate money. Among the ensemble cast are Paco Tous, star of TV hit "Paco's Males," and Maria Leon, best actress at San Sebastian for "The Sleeping Voice," who plays the divorcee. Coping with Miami-based company 360Powwow, through which Vertice has a 50% stake, the business will prep a bible striving to pitch a U.S. remake, after its attracted around the U.S. talent. Vertice 360 sees a sizable upside within the the spanish language language networks' inevitable downscaling, mentioned Daniel Rubio, Vertice's methods and financing director. The crisis features its own downside. You will discover certain series formats that are too pricey to remake in the united states. Notro TV re-versioned U.K. skein "Doc Martin" as hit primetime series "Physician Mateo," occur a perfect fishing village in northern Spain's Asturias. "At this time around that wouldn't happen. We're not receiving budgets to produce even half of this demonstrate,Inch mentioned Nathalie Garcia, gm at Notro TV. Prior to the crisis, which has left The nation with 5 million unemployed, budgets were tight at Pounds 500,000-Euros600,000 ($688,000-$825,600) "for just about any good-searching primetime series," Garcia mentioned. However, cost-cutting discloses new options. Vertice 360 Group's revenues showed up at $153 million this season, 1% on 2009. Operating profit went at $24.millions of. Film and tv services taken care of for 58% of sales. The nation supplies a potential services market of $481.6 000 0000, Rubio mentioned. "Now, Spain's broadcast systems will be in a process of outsourcing the auxiliary parts of their business," he mentioned. Vertice may even use growth via worldwide sales. Interactive TV and worldwide consider around 5% of revenue. Worldwide activities -- Vertice sales, that's firing up its slate via in-house Vertice productions and third-party pick-ups, and 360Powwow -- should consider 10% of annual revenues within couple of years, Rubio added. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com