Marianna Souza, executive president of Apro, also talks about the procedures in Brasilia that the association follows, the partnership with Apex, among others
About to turn 50 years old, Apro (Brazilian Association for the Production of Audiovisual Works), which today has 120 members, operates on different fronts to defend the interests of the production market. The first axis focuses on all content, training and qualification of producers. The second is the promotion of Brazilian audiovisual advertising for the international market.
The third is dedicated to issues of regulatory frameworks and advocacy work with the Executive and Legislative branches. Today we have some issues that we are following closely, including the VOD (streaming) Regulation Bills. Regulation is necessary for Brazilian industry to be strengthened, highlights Marianna Souza, executive president of Apro.
She also highlights the defense of practices aligned with ESG principles, such as more sustainable sets, adequate workload and on-time payments.
How was the performance of the Brazilian production market in the first half of the year?
Regarding the international aspect, we know that so far our producers together have earned US$28.5 million. The United States today represents the main destination for our films, accounting for around 23% of our exports. Regarding the national market, we still do not have data, as we only develop annual balance sheets.
What was the revenue? Was there growth compared to the same period in 2022?
We are optimistic regarding the international market, we have observed a growing wave since 2021 in the exports of our producers. With the resumption of commercial promotion efforts in partnership with ApexBrasil, in addition to the exchange rate favorable to international projects, our expectation is to exceed 2022 revenue, which was a total of US$34 million. Obviously, we know that traditionally the first half of the year is always more positive for the International market, as it coincides with the winter in the Northern Hemisphere. But we remain optimistic for a better year-end than 2022.
What were the factors that contributed to this performance?
The political and economic scenario is more stabilized, the exchange rate is favorable to exports and, without a doubt, the resumption of trade promotion work carried out in partnership with ApexBrasil.
And how are the producers’ performance in these first two months of the second half of the year?
We don’t have that information.
Do you already have a forecast of how the producers will close the third quarter of the year?
We don’t have it yet.
Historically, is the second half of the year better for producers? Why?
When we talk about the domestic market, yes, for this reason we chose to monitor the annual closure of local productions. However, when we talk about the international market, no. Traditionally, we have a greater volume of international productions coming to Brazil in the first half of the year, as it coincides with the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere.
What are the fronts on which Apro operates today?
Today Apro operates across three major thematic axes. The first focuses on all aspects of content, training and qualification of our producers. We have the Objetiva Platform, created especially for this, where we provide free courses and teaching materials in distance learning format, aimed at new entrants to the market. For more mature companies, we have other initiatives such as Apro Talks, where we deal with topics more related to day-to-day production issues, and the Whext Platform, where we concentrate the main production discussions and debates of the year. A second thematic axis is the international part. Today we have a partnership with ApexBrasil, the FilmBrazil Platform, which focuses on promoting Brazilian audiovisual advertising to the international market. We encourage the presence of our producers and their talents at the main events on the international calendar and promote the arrival of potential clients and opinion makers to Brazil. Lastly, and not least, we have the third thematic axis that I call defending the interests of our members. the Apro arm dedicated to regulatory framework issues; advocacy work in Braslia with the Executive and Legislative branches; coordination and dialogue work with stakeholders in our market. Within this spirit of working collaboratively, we developed the Advertising Production Forum, which seeks to act effectively and constantly to update and formalize the best practices in the advertising market. In addition, we provide legal advice.
What projects is the entity currently carrying out?
In addition to the works mentioned, we take a very close look at issues related to ESG. Last year, we developed the booklet, as well as the Anti-Harassment Pact. We have already created a booklet focused on Governance, in partnership with ABA (Brazilian Association of Advertisers). For this year, we are working on building a booklet focused on the sustainability agenda, inspired by successful initiatives in the USA (Greenthebid) and the UK (Adgreen). Furthermore, we are also developing a new special project to celebrate Apro’s 50th anniversary.
Are there bills that Apro is following in Brasilia? What are they and what improvements will they bring to the market?
Yes. Part of Apro’s deliveries are linked to advocacy work in Brasilia. Today we have some issues that we are following closely, including the VOD (streaming) Regulation Bills. Regulation is necessary for the Brazilian industry to be strengthened, ensuring that producers own the works they produce in the country, generating foreign currency for Brazil. Video-on-demand services have become, in just a few years, the main window into audiovisual content in the world. A movement that we saw being accelerated in these two years of pandemic. The Brazilian market, with over 200 million consumers, is strategically and commercially one of the most relevant for platforms, occupying, in some of them, the second or third position in the world. That said, Apro has been working to defend some key points. Among them are: 1) Intellectual and patrimonial property of the works for the independent Brazilian producers who produce them; 2) direct investment in the production of independent Brazilian content; 3) prominence and quotas for Brazilian content; 4) creation of Condecine VOD resources that will be allocated to the development of public policies, including regionalization, training, infrastructure, dissemination and preservation, in addition to the creation of mechanisms that help in the appreciation of Brazilian cultural heritage.
What does Apro defend today for the market?
We defend increasingly sustainable practices, in accordance with ESG guidelines, which take care of professionals and the environment, with more sustainable sets, adequate workload, on-time payments and an eye on mental health, among others. We also seek a more egalitarian market, in which women, black people and people from the LGBTQIAPN+ community, among other groups that are marginalized, can actually be part of, and are sought after by agencies, clients and producers. We seek an ethical market, with healthy market practices. With fair competition and consistent with best practices. Moving away from this, we seek support from partners and the government so that our market does not suffer so much from changes in laws or the lack thereof.
Read the full interview in the September 25, 2023 edition of propmark
