In the following interview with ttvnews, José R. Briceño Reolon, Director of Post-Production Tech & Services, talks about the path of growth and innovation that has led Wide Angle to become one of the most advanced post-production facilities in the region.
In just four years since its launch, Wide Angle has positioned itself as a state-of-the-art post-production hub in Latin America, combining technological innovation, cutting-edge infrastructure, and operational capacity designed to meet the demands of the contemporary audiovisual industry.
The company, part of EndemolShine Boomdog, has experienced sustained growth that has allowed it to significantly expand its services, achieve certification under international standards, and become a strategic partner for streaming platforms, television networks, and content producers in the region.
Currently, Wide Angle operates some of the most complex post-production workflows in the market, including the simultaneous management of large-scale live, 24/7 entertainment formats, such as MasterChef Mexico, La Casa de los Famosos, and La Casa de los Famosos México; three projects that demand speed, scalability, and maximum technical reliability.
The recent expansion of its facilities, along with investments in new editing, mixing, screening, and mastering suites, reflects a strategy focused on offering comprehensive solutions capable of supporting all stages of the post-production process under one roof.
As part of the company’s fourth anniversary celebrations, ttvnews spoke with José R. Briceño Reolon, Director of Post-Production Tech & Services at Wide Angle, about the main milestones achieved during this period, the challenges behind operating at such a big scale, the technological trends transforming the sector, and the group’s growth plans for the coming years.
Wide Angle is celebrating its fourth anniversary this month. Looking back at these first four years, what have been the key milestones in the facility’s growth and evolution?
We are excited to be celebrating our fourth anniversary at Wide Angle. Since our initial launch, we have enjoyed numerous key milestones, and we’ve grown in many ways.
We’ve been able to stay up to date with technological equipment upgrades and adapt workflows to each project, understanding client needs and innovating to offer faster, more efficient processes.
We’ve become a facility certified for Dolby Vision and Atmos, with security standards validated by Amazon Content Security.
We have a team of highly skilled professionals who work collaboratively with the client to achieve the best possible result. And we act as a training ground for specialists, such as editors, contributing to the professionalization of the industry.
Wide Angle is currently handling post-production for three simultaneous live, 24/7 productions – an impressive feat. What are the biggest technical and operational challenges involved in managing such a demanding undertaking?
Our sister company EndemolShine Boomdog now has three, 24/7 live series including MasterChef Mexico which just launched its first season in this exciting new format for TV Azteca and Disney+. That series joins our big hits La Casa de los Famosos and La Casa de los Famosos México which continue to attract millions of viewers in both the U.S. and Mexico.
In terms of the challenges to handling post-production on these big series, a key is the ability to receive live signals simultaneously from the control room, regardless of distance. And we now have the capacity to manage and ingest multiple shows live at our facility, even when post-production is not physically located at the studio site.
Storage is another major challenge; consequently, we have expanded our capacity to over 2 PB for this type of show. Thankfully, we have a dedicated technical team specializing in 24/7 workflows that has enabled us to manage operations and handle any issues that arise.
With MasterChef joining La Casa de los Famosos and La Casa de los Famosos México, Wide Angle has reached a scale unprecedented in Latin America. What systems, workflows, and team structures have made this possible?
At Wide Angle, we designed a specialized workflow for this type of show. We have the capability to ingest live feeds from the studio to post-production across a distance of more than 20 kilometers between facilities. Material is available for editing just four seconds after being received in post-production. Our workflow guarantees the immediacy required to capture signals and begin editing. We integrate tools such as Avid MediaCentral/Interplay to manage media quickly and systematically, ensuring timely delivery.
The facility has recently expanded its infrastructure with new editing suites, audio rooms, a hybrid editing and 5.1 mixing room, and a screening room. How do these investments enhance the services you provide to clients?
We have invested significantly into expanding our facilities and infrastructure. That investment has allowed us the ability to review the final cut, make color adjustments, and then package and send it to the client all in one room, which is a key value that characterizes Wide Angle’s facilities and technology. The screening and mastering room is designed for the client’s final cut; here they can view, approve, and send the master.
We have also adapted our spaces and services to the client’s requirements. We have lead editing suites that we acoustically treat and are equipped with specialized 5.1 mixing equipment. This way, we have a room where we can do both finishing and mixing, which expands our service offerings and allows us to tailor them to the specific needs of each project.
Across scripted and unscripted productions, Wide Angle works with major platforms and broadcasters including Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max, Peacock, Telemundo, and Televisa/Univision. How do the post-production requirements differ between these types of clients and content genres?
We work with a wide variety of clients and network/platform partners. The requirements for all of these unique clients range from delivery times and revisions to post-production processes and delivery methods.
To address each type of requirement, we have designed workflows and the necessary equipment to fulfill them all. For example, we have a facility approved by Amazon’s content security to handle their specific projects. We also have equipment like the Transkoder to produce deliverables required by platforms such as Netflix and Warner Bros. And for the 24/7 workflows, we have differentiated designs for Telemundo, Televisa/Univision, and Azteca TV, each tailored to their specific delivery times and technical requirements.
Technology continues to evolve rapidly in the post-production sector. What are some of the latest tools or innovations that Wide Angle has adopted, and how are they improving efficiency and creative quality?
We now have facilities, and the interconnection between the two has expanded our capacity and project management capabilities, as well as the possibility of post-production for projects regardless of where the recording takes place, especially 24/7 series. This is an innovation we developed for efficiency processes to meet the quality demands that our clients expect.
Beyond serving EndemolShine Boomdog productions, Wide Angle has increasingly become a partner for third-party clients. How important has that diversification been to the company’s growth strategy?
Opening ourselves to projects beyond those from EndemolShine Boomdog is very important to us. It has allowed us to receive both scripted and unscripted productions, encompassing up to 15% of the projects we develop annually and we continue to expand our service offering to attract new clients.
Having surpassed 1,000 hours of post-production and increased capacity by 67%, what are your priorities for the next stage of Wide Angle’s development, and where do you see the biggest opportunities for growth in the coming years?
Wide Angle is a dynamic and constantly growing company. We are focused on continuing to expand our service offerings and entering new markets with partners in the region. We also intend to continue innovating to make 24/7 reality shows increasingly efficient and profitable, regardless of where they are filmed.
