Yet, established US players maintain that the market demands more than an hola and a glossy reel. Production companies like Miami-based Peliculas Ponder, República and Letca Films have long plied the Latin American and US Hispanic commercial scene, as has Miami-based rep Ed Rivero of Independent Artists. Rivero, who reps top Argentine directors like Javier Nir, recently signed a deal to rep RSA directors including Tom Dey, Carl Erik Rinsch, Hugh Johnson, Angel Gracia, Adrian Moat, Alfonso Arau and Oliver Stone to the Spanish-speaking ad world. Already Gracia has directed a Home Depot spot for Los Angeles' Casanova Pendrill.

"A lot of production companies are sending reps to the Latin market but it's specialized," says Rivero. "You have to know the language and the market. I think it's good that general market guys are going to the Latin market as it will bring up the quality of the work and soon enough clients will realize it costs the same in either market." Rivero notes the average 30-second Hispanic spot is tagged with a budget of $250K US, about 30% less than general market budgets.

"But just because a market is open, doesn't mean you can rush in."

Peliculas Ponder pres/exec producer Lynn Ponder has chalked up nearly a decade of experience (including stints at Miami's Ilumina Films and Chakra Films) in the market. Via a network of alliances with production companies in Spain and across Latin America, Ponder reps directors including Daniel Bohm, Sebastian Grousset, Mario Bazzi and Bruce St. Clair. Recently, Ponder worked with Spain's Tesauro to produce a $1.3 million US Telefonica Movistar campaign directed by St. Clair for Adhoc/Y&R, Mexico.

"Mexico is a market that always has work. I hear Mexicans complain, but the flow is consistent and the pie is now being distributed around the world," says Ponder. "We rep directors from Brazil, Argentina and Chile but don't work those markets. In Chile for example, if your director or company is not based there they are not keen on taking work out of the country, and Argentina and Brazil already have the best directors available. Venezuela is hard hit in the political arena and Colombia, which has creative boards, has slowed as well."

Jorge Colon, owner of Letca Films, began directing in Caracas, Venezuela before moving his base of operations to Miami in 1994; he now directs Latin and US spots (English and Spanish) for clients including Bud, McDonald's and Chevy.

"The Latin American market right now is trying to globalize because this is more economically efficient," says Colon from Mexico City where he preps a regional Head & Shoulders spot for Leo Burnett, Mexico. "I am doing versions for Peru, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia and Central America. The budget is larger (about $250K US) but it's a very formal P&G job. The spot is not complicated to produce - the complication is the traveling, versions and legals for each country."

Colon says solid creative scripts from the region are often so underfunded that only top work will lure directors from abroad.

"Forty thousand dollars for a big idea is not worth it, but sometimes I choose to do it for my career, taking a loss to work on a good creative script. We did an MTV campaign (for La Comunidad, Miami) almost for free because we loved the idea."

Not to say it's impossible to make a buck catering to the Latin American market. In 2001, Miami-based República Network produced 150 commercials and billed more than $6 million US. The Network consists of seven associated production companies: Prime Time República in Caracas, Venezuela; La Banda República in Bogotá, Colombia; Quatro in Quito, Ecuador; Cine Qua Non in Panama City, Panama; Cine Acción in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; Kamikasi in San Juan, Puerto Rico; and República Films in Miami, which also works for US market. The network sprouted from Caracas' Primetime in 1997. In 2000, following a merger with Bogota's La Banda and the opening of the Miami office, the network developed with the twin goals of accessing each company's directing talent and accessing local boards. Puerto Rico's Kamikasi is the latest addition to the network.

"The creativity there, from agencies like Lopito Ileana & Howie, Eje Sociedad and Wing Latino, is very good," says Yeyo Marquez, partner/exec producer for República in Miami. "We want to increase options for our clients and we want to have participation or presence in as many countries as we can."

Marquez touts República's ownership of the Venezualan and Colombian markets and the flexibility of the company's directors.

"There is not much work in the US Hispanic market, and moving into the general market will be an upcoming step. We are not interested in expanding into Brazil, although Chile and Costa Rica have potential," says Marquez, who laughs off mention of expansion into Argentina. "We plan to establish this office first with the Latin and Hispanic markets and then crossover. Our directors Arturo and Carlos studied in the US and are perfectly bilingual."

So, for those eyeing Latin America as an untapped source of work, don't overlook the long-established US players already bridging the market. And remember, Latin Americans hunger for American cuisine too.

Webfiles:
Peliculas Ponder> http://www.peliculasponder.com
Letca Films> http://www.letca.com
RSA> http://www.rsafilms.com