Prime Video, Mediaset España’s “Urban.La Vida es Nuestra” (starring María Pedraza)

Yanet, in her late twenties, opened her eyes, looked in the mirror, took a breath of air, straightened her hair into two braids, put her head in her hands, pursed her lips, and was called for a stage test.

she starts singing. “People say I have to change, but I don’t care at all. I feel so free that I can even sing on high-speed trains.”

The problem is that her memorized rap has become a shriek, and she not only doesn’t care, but listens to every word uttered by the judges sitting in the theater, begging them to stop.

“He told her that if you had any talent, you wouldn’t be on this stage…”

“Urban,” which was released on Amazon’s Prime Video on October 4, was produced by Spanish free-to-air broadcaster Mediaset España in collaboration with Alea Media and Prime Video. Mediaset España will release the first episode on its channel “Divinity” on October 5th, a series that will recreate one of the biggest highlights of its sales division Mediterraneo at Mipcom in mid-October. Become something to do.

“Urban” also reflects the fluid window relationship between Mediaset España and PrimeVideo in the free-to-air domain, and synergizes the ME free-to-air window with various window treatments.

“Our relationship with Prime Video is an exceptional one. We work very closely with our acquisitions department, exploring synergies between our various businesses and developing a ‘win-win’ model for both parts.” ” said Ana Bustamante, Director General of Mediterraneo Mediaset España Group. variety.

“We are constantly trying to improve and adjust, and evaluate each title’s windowing potential. This project was inspired by the need for a platform for young adult content, and we wanted to bring Urban to the table. We decided to develop it as a dedicated title, and the implications were huge. They loved the project from the beginning.”

Born from an original idea by Aitor Gabilondo and Jota Aceytuno of Alea Media, producers of recent iconic Spanish shows such as Mediaset España’s “Unauthorized Living” and HBO España’s “Patria,” “Urban” is designed to appeal to millennials. Provides a portrait of the second half.

Yanet leaves the stage, quits her job as a bartender, and rushes back to Malaga, driven by Laura from a super-wealthy family. There they meet Yanet’s former lover Patrick, until she dumps him to chase her fame and fortune in Madrid. Seven years later, he’s a trap star at his local club.

The 20-something cast of “Urban,” based on Malaga’s dirty rap scene, includes María Pedraza as Lola, “Money Heist” star Alison Parker, and “Boarding School: Las Cumbres” star Asia as Yanet.・There is no more important role than Ortega’s. Bernardo Flores from Mexico plays Patrick.

“Urban. “La Vida en Nuestra” was created and developed by Nico Frasquet, Amanda Encinas, Paloma Rando, Carlos del Hoy.

Her language is coarse and her belittling is cruel – Yanet’s mother says she left Málaga seven years ago so her family and friends wouldn’t see her fail – “Urban” tells us that successes and failures are part of life. It is judged by the traditional parameters of asking whether everything is or should be. variety We spoke with Aceytuno in preparation for the series on Prime Video.

“Urban” is a port of late millennials who know they don’t want the life they have now (Laura, Yanet) but don’t know what they want (Laura) or seem to have no talent. It can also be considered as a rate. To get what you want (Yanet). Or they do, but are reluctant to betray their principles (Patrick). Could you please comment?

Jota Acetuno: We spend our lives searching. You’re looking for answers, direction, and feeling, trying to find your true place in the world. Sometimes we are acutely aware of it, sometimes we are not so conscious of it, but survival is an instinct, something that is inherently part of us, and that is at the heart of the question you pose here. I think there is. When intuition is your only true companion, you try. Then fail and try again. And maybe it will fail again. Or maybe not. What are the limits to finding its true location? In times like the one we live in now, where everything is driven by immediacy and true reflection takes a backseat, the fears and fears that exist within us but are largely unchecked are ignored. It seemed important to focus on uncertainty. A chance to be something else. And this doesn’t just apply to young people. Adults also live this in their daily lives. “Urban.” “La Vida es Nuestra” is not intended to be any kind of instructional manual for the audience. In fact, the opposite is true. Talking about feelings, sharing vulnerabilities and then shining a light on things when everything is dark. Questioning the concepts of success and failure is one of the keys to this series.

The series stars María Pedraza and Asia Ortega, two rising stars of Spain’s recent television scene. How did Maria learn how to fight rap?

Acetuno: By working tirelessly and respecting the essence of the profession. Improvising at home, in the car, on the phone, and during rehearsals with Cordo Armandos and Jota Linares. It was also important for her to move away from references such as Sarah Csokas. Her work with musicians Victor Elias and Jaime Vaquero on her series was also fundamental. Together they were able to create an atmosphere full of confidence and talent that transcended the screen. Maria and Asia Ortega’s dedication and generosity were exemplary along with their character, team and staff as a whole.

It seems to me that this series is structured by the tension between two narrative threads. One is aspirational. Just an EP. 1 There is Yanet in the casting. Patrick is persuaded by a talent scout to join him in an underground battle that could potentially win him a record deal. He also has a commitment to psychology and the basic realism of psychology to the music scene and creativity. Seven years after her departure to Madrid to pursue her musical career, Yanet still works as a barmaid. Patrick is worried about his chances of winning beyond his own. Obviously, aspiration and realism are in direct conflict… Can you please comment?

Acetuno: This series was designed around the idea of ​​failure. Today, we see gems that just need to be polished, waiting to come out and be unearthed, among thousands of great talents on television and on platforms whose subsequent professional careers are in demand. I’m used to watching talent shows looking for. They embarked on stardom and were guided in the right direction. Musical talent is a good example of these forms. But…what happens to those who hear the dreaded word “NO”? What happens when, after hundreds of casting sessions, one aspirant steps off that stage, goes home feeling defeated, and no longer has the will to continue fighting? We spend much of our lives focusing on successful people, taking inspiration from them, and setting impossible goals for ourselves, but in any case, failure is a much more familiar starting point. I think it’s interesting. It’s a great place to start building, so why not give it a try? Make it as realistic as possible. There are silences, contradictions, ambiguous sentences, and plenty of time to get inside the heads of Laura, Yanet, Patrick, and the other characters.

Can you explain why you chose Málaga as the setting, as it seems to have been inspired by the real-life music scene?

Acetuno: surely. The image that people commonly have of Malaga is one of a city of sun, beaches, beer, skewered fish, high-season tourism, and a variety of hotels. It’s all true. But there’s another Malaga that has a special magic that postcards don’t offer. I’m talking about the local city of Malaga, the cockfighting city of Malaga on the Guadalmina River. The urban art of Malaga in the Lagunillas district and the essence of life in its many districts. In this context, I also thought it would be interesting to show a city that, like the characters, shows one face while the other remains more hidden. Málaga is the birthplace of talent, light, music and art, and its people are its greatest asset.

When you create, you often have a great idea, develop it, and think about what kind of audience you can reach to justify making it. Was this a case of “urban” or was it an attempt to reach a specific demographic from the beginning? 6. If so, what kind of audience is this? If so, which generation are you reaching out to? Battle rap, for example, really took off outside the United States with 2002’s “8 Mile.”

Acetuno: Everything is “urban”. La Vida es Nuestra” was born organically. Indeed, initially, the series may have naturally connected with a younger audience of Gen Z and beyond. However, when I look at the finished product, I think it goes beyond that and becomes more mature. We talk about music, aspirations and life goals. But we also talk about the depth of failure, the creation of fleeting yet intense connections, and we also talk about love. Is there a specific age when you start having these feelings? Or do we really live through all of that in some way throughout our lives?

Regarding the production, what kind of style did you look for in the director?

Acetuno: For us, the “urban” nature was very clear from the beginning. “La Vida es Nuestra” should avoid false traps. It was a story that had to be told from below, from the very basic road level: asphalt. If it were the other way around, it would be inconsistent with the tone, the story, and its essence. As such, Cordo Armandos, which worked on tone and direction from the beginning, avoided any kind of stylized jargon and leaned heavily into the continued use of handheld cameras to create a very realistic narrative pace. Set up. , vividly captures the pulse of the street on your shoulders. The interpretation is similar. It’s restrained, nothing forced or excessive. Silence, respecting the emotions of every moment. In this sense, Cordo and Jota Linares, who brought his vision and talent as director, did a great job.