There's no I in Team

I'm not going to lie, before this class started I didn't have a lot of respect for telenovelas. I didn't know much about them, thought they were trashy, and wasn't too interested in changing my view. Now, my perspective has changed completely.

After learning all about production this past week in class, it is amazing how much hard-work and determination from each individual department goes into each and every episode and season of a telenovela.

From the writers, to the actors, to the crew, working as a team has never been more important. It is now obvious to me why some tv shows just don't end up working. The failure of a tv show cannot simply be due to a lame plot. Once different members of this very large team start slacking off or taking themselves out completely, the total demise is near.

The process of the production of a telenovela is what really increased my level of respect for them. Besides the fact that you become addicted after watching only a few episodes, knowing what happens behind the scenes is crucial to one's overall knowledge of this tv genre. It was so helpful to see the two different videos of the same scene in class.

Seeing the actual taping of the scene showed us how many cameras and crew members are needed at all times in order to film just a short scene. It also helped to see how the scene eventually turned out in the episode to show how much editing there is in post production. It was so funny to see scenes taped without music because of the level of awkwardness that must be present. Now I understand the importance of truly having good chemistry among the actors.

Even though the audience only sees the final product, to really be able to appreciate the process of a telenovela it is so important to see more than just the actors. The team-work aspect is crucial to the success of all telenovelas.