Patricio Wills, who this year marks 50 years of uninterrupted work in the industry, is embarking on a new chapter in his illustrious career. His journey began at RTI in Colombia and continued in the US with Telemundo, Univision, and TelevisaUnivision. Now, he’s returning to W Studios as president, regaining full ownership of the company. This move follows a mutually beneficial conclusion to his tenure at TelevisaUnivision, where he will continue to provide content.
PRODU: What will your relationship be like from now on with TelevisaUnivision?
«I’ve recently parted ways with TelevisaUnivision on amicable terms. We had a successful partnership for many years. In 2012-2013, we formed W Studios, a joint venture with Univision. We achieved great things during that time. Later, when I received an offer from Isaac Lee and Emilio Azcárraga to join Televisa in Mexico, W Studios became a Televisa property due to conflicts of interest. After three years, I returned to the US and reached an agreement with Univision. I continued to lead W Studios, of course as an employee of the company.»
Upon the completion of three years, in consultation with my esteemed colleague and friend, Pierluigi Gazzolo, whose humor, personality, and creative television mind I greatly admire, we mutually agreed that I would assume a new role. I will continue to produce series and ‘serielas,’ a unique format I developed that blends the elements of series and telenovelas, for TelevisaUnivision. While I’ll no longer be an internal employee, I will remain within the TelevisaUnivision sphere, overseeing my own company, W Studios, which I have reacquired.»
PRODU: Now that W Studios is entirely yours, how do you plan to transform it?
«I intend to reinvigorate W Studios with a new vision and expand its offerings beyond scripted television. We’ll be adding two new divisions: digital content and sports entertainment. Our digital content division will be based on a Colombian venture called 242, which I’m a part of. We’ve been focusing on Colombia, but now we’re ready to take it global. Additionally, we’ll be developing sports content for both television and digital platforms. This revamped W Studios will encompass three key areas: traditional television production (series, telenovelas, and the like), along with digital content and sports entertainment. By adding these new dimensions, we aim to modernize the company and take it to the next level.»
PRODU: Your wife, Adriana Santos, is the CEO of 242. What changes do you anticipate there?
«Adriana has been leading 242 for several years, and now she’s joining W Studios to contribute to its broader development. We’ll be bringing in a group of talented individuals to the company, especially those with expertise in digital and sports. These two areas will continue to work closely together. Adriana has done an exceptional job at 242 over the past seven years, and I’m incredibly proud of her achievements. The next challenge is to expand the company internationally and on a larger scale.»
PRODU: Who will be your right-hand man in the new W Studios?
«We’ve been in discussions with someone who will be a surprise to the industry. This person is a well-known figure in the industry and a close friend of mine. I’m excited to announce the new management team for W Studios shortly.»
PRODU: Will you have your in-house development team?
«We’re currently building the Development team at W Studios. Due to ethical considerations, I won’t be using the team I had at TelevisaUnivision. We’re already working on a series with Martha Godoy, a producer who worked with me at Telemundo. She joined Telemundo from Colombia and served as VP of Content. After spending several years at Netflix, I formally invited her to join the management team at W Studios. Martha is a highly skilled producer, particularly in development, and one of the best in Latin America.»
PRODU: What type of sports content will W Studios develop: esports or classic sports?
«We’re exploring a variety of sports content options, including traditional sports and esports. We’re even considering sports-themed telenovelas, similar to the one RCN produced about Rigoberto Uran, Rigo. Additionally, we’re interested in representing athletes and sports figures. The sports world is a growing trend in global entertainment, and we’re excited to be part of it.»
El Gallo de Oro
PRODU: What projects are you working on?
«I’m continuing to executive produce two series for W Studios. The first, ‘Memorias de un sinvergüenza de siete suelas,’ is a collaboration with the Cardona group’s 11:11 Films & TV. Manolo will star, and we’ll begin filming in Colombia in three weeks. The second project is a series we’ve been developing for some time, titled ‘La mujer en el espejo.’ We’ll begin production on this series in January of next year. These are the first two projects I’ll continue with the TelevisaUnivision group.»
PRODU: What role will your native country, Colombia, play in the new W Studios?
«I hope Colombia will play a significant role. A good test case will be the series we’re producing with the Cardonas in September, which will be filmed in Colombia. It’s no secret that Mexico and the US Hispanic market are the most influential markets in the industry, and I’m now closely connected to TelevisaUnivision in a new capacity. Colombia faces the challenge of producing Mexican-style series that stand out from traditional Colombian productions. Colombia boasts a talented pool of TV professionals and offers cost advantages for producers. The key is to create a series with an international appeal rather than a purely Colombian focus. Examples like Pálpito, a Netflix production with strong development, show that this is possible. With my connection to TelevisaUnivision, Colombia will be a key part of our strategy.»
PRODU: You’ve been in the industry for 50 years. Are you still as enthusiastic as you were at the beginning?
«Absolutely! My wife, Adriana, constantly encourages me to keep going. I believe that retirement can be detrimental, so I’m not planning on doing that anytime soon. In the future, I might focus more on the creative aspects of the industry, such as developing content, working with writers, and crafting new stories. That’s my true passion. We’ll also be building a stronger team with experienced executive heads to support our efforts. This is the ultimate business challenge of my life. I’ve already experienced all the stages of the industry, and now I’m transitioning from employee to entrepreneur.»
