Actors and Telenovelas

From speaking with individuals in many different roles in the telenovela industry, I was able to gain valuable firsthand insight into the duties of these roles and how they related to the telenovela industry as a whole. Without the collaboration of the people in all of these roles, telenovelas would not be what we know and love today. I found it incredibly interesting to see their opinions and thoughts about the topics we discussed in class. Furthermore, it demonstrated to me that the themes we learned about in class are applicable to every aspect of the telenovela industry and that they may be applicable in different ways that we haven't considered before.

In our conversations in class, we spoke with actor Luis Geronimo Abreu. He spoke about the struggles he had as an actor such as moving with his family to cities where they didn't know anyone or having to deal with extreme conditions without complaint because many of the extras had paid their own way in order to be featured in the telenovela they were filming. Throughout much of my life, and the majority of this course, I thought that actors lived a glamorous work free life with little worry and little problems. However, this talk demonstrated to me that actors play an integral role in the telenovela industry that requires a lot of behind the scenes work that viewers don't normally see.

Their jobs require a lot more than simply showing up on set and delivering lines. They must wake up early and often times work 12 hour days in extreme weather conditions. An interesting difference between American television and telenovelas is that many of the extras in telenovelas pay their own way to be featured in the show. However, in American shows, the extras are paid for their time and would most likely not work without compensation. I think that this yields to the fact that telenovelas are a cultural phenomenon that many people would love to have any part in, no matter if it's compensated. While the producers try to make the actors comfortable, this can mean a tent with a sofa and some food. In my opinion, this highlights a key difference between the American television industry and those of Latin America. The American actors are often perceived as divas who demand the best if the best.

In the production of telenovelas, writers and producers are very much the foundation that allows the actors to be able to deliver their lines. They may be the face of the network or telenovela, but they cannot perform without the teams of people supporting them and creating a telenovela that viewers respond positively to. It is the work of all these people together that takes the telenovelas to the next level. Without the writers and producers, there would be no job for actors. Without the actors, telenovelas would not be the multigenerational cultural phenomenon that we know today. However, ultimately, it's up to the actors to bring the story to life. If the lines aren't delivered well or as they are intended to, it could take away from the quality of the telenovela and deter viewers from it.

Our conversations in class illuminated to me just how much goes into making a telenovela. That it consists of the hard work of many people, including the actors. Lastly, that the lives of actors are not as glamorous as I thought and that they too must work in less than ideal conditions.