Banijay producer Carolina Bang has admitted that she spent three years trying to sell the Fault franchise — and was told it was impossible five years ago.
Speaking at the sixth edition of Iberseries & Platino Industria in Madrid, Bang recalled how she first fell in love with Mercedes Ron’s young-adult romance books through her children. She then tried to get the rights for years before finding a platform willing to take the risk.
“It is so clever to do young adult,” Bang said. “Everybody is doing young adult, but five years ago, it was impossible. I spent three years trying to sell it. Nobody wanted it at the very beginning — really.”
The Love Test
Bang runs Pokeepsie Films, Banijay’s Spanish label. The company is best known for black comedies and horror, but it has pivoted sharply to adapt Ron’s Fault books into a franchise for Prime Video.
“We only do what we love and believe in,” Bang explained. “We moved into young adult, and now everybody says it is so clever to do young adult. Everybody is doing young adult, but five years ago, it was impossible.”
Bang’s story is a reminder that even successful producers face rejection. She found a platform whose appetite and interest aligned with Pokeepsie’s, and she described the match as uncommon.
The Panel’s Recipe
The remarks about authenticity came during a panel entitled “Inside Banijay’s Scripted Strategy: The Engine Behind Global IP.” The discussion covered how Banijay’s labels make shows that travel, and what creative instincts drive the company’s biggest hits.
Steve Matthews, head of scripted creative at Banijay Entertainment, pushed back against the idea that there is a formula for global success. He drew laughter from the crowd when he said that a show aimed purely at commercial appeal will fail.
“If you say you’ll do a commercial show, it won’t be good and it won’t be commercial,” he said. “Trends will change by the time you make what people tell you they want. You better love it before you start.”
A Brazilian Bet
Just as the panel was underway, Banijay announced that Raphael Montes’ novel Uma Mulher No Escuro (A Woman in the Dark) has been greenlit for Brazil’s Globoplay. The production will be led by Banijay’s Brazil banner A Fábrica, and it is being developed in partnership with the author’s studio Casa Montes.
Simone Oliviera, development & new business director at A Fábrica, was asked how her team makes globally appealing programming. Her answer was simple: be authentic.
“Be authentic to your country to be universal,” she said.
She also stressed the value of working with different projects and partners. “It is good to work with different projects and partners, which also helps to be more global.”
The Italian Perspective
Maria Grazia Vairo, director of content at Banijay’s Italian producer Groenlandia, agreed with Bang’s sentiment. Her label, known for hits like Motor Valley, Lidia Poët and Macho Men, has produced for Netflix, Sky and Disney+.
“The main thing is story,” she shared. “What [streamers] are looking for are original stories.”
Vairo’s team tells stories about real people, often those who are obscure in history. One example is Someone Killed Spiderman – Accidentally Famous, a drama set in the 1980s inspired by the real-life origins of the Italian band 883.
The show’s popularity has prompted a second season. “They are not famous people but obscure in history,” she noted.
What Makes a Hit
The panel offered a few concrete ingredients for success:
- Authenticity to your country
- Passion for the project
- Working with different partners
- Story-driven originality
- Finding a commissioner who believes in your vision
The last point was made by Maria Grazia Vairo, who stressed that nothing is a slam dunk. A commissioner’s belief matters as much as the script itself.
Other Panels
Tuesday’s conference day saw creators of series addressing far-right politics and the climate crisis discuss whether great dramas can change the world. Mediawan executives shared insights on their strategy and focus, including hits like F1: The Movie, Slow Horses and Call My Agent!
Monday brought more Banijay news. Amazon MGM Studios executives discussed the success of the Mercedes Ron young-adult novel adaptations and the Spanish zombie horror film Apocalypse Z. Parrot Analytics shared data trends and estimates for the subscriber impact of Netflix’s Argentina hit series The Eternaut. A YouTube top executive predicted more Obsession– and Backrooms-style film hits from online creators.
The Big Picture
The sixth edition of Iberseries & Platino Industria is taking place in Madrid this week. The scripted strategy panel was one of several sessions focused on how the industry operates today.
Banijay’s recipe for global IP is built on love, authenticity and a willingness to bet on ideas that others dismiss. Bang’s experience with Fault shows that persistence pays off, even when the answer is no for years.
The lesson is simple: if you don’t believe in a project, nobody else will.
Key Facts Box
- Event: Iberseries & Platino Industria, sixth edition
- Location: Madrid, Spain
- Panel title: Inside Banijay’s Scripted Strategy: The Engine Behind Global IP
- Fault franchise platform: Prime Video
- Fault author: Mercedes Ron
- Fault book series: Culpables
- Uma Mulher No Escuro: Greenlit for Brazil’s Globoplay
- Production lead: A Fábrica, Banijay’s Brazil banner
- Development partner: Casa Montes, Raphael Montes’ studio
- Amazon MGM Studios: Discussed Mercedes Ron adaptations and Apocalypse Z
- Parrot Analytics: Shared subscriber data for Netflix’s The Eternaut
- YouTube executive: Predicted more Obsession– and Backrooms-style hits
The conference continues, and the stories keep coming.
Source material: “Mercedes Ron’s ‘Fault’ Franchise Initially Felt “Impossible” to Make, Banijay Producer Recalls,” The Hollywood Reporter.
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