In another expansion move, Mediapro Studio, the content arm of the Mediapro Group, has acquired Fresco Film, the doyen of Spanish production services companies.
Under Peter Welter, Fresco became an industry legend after bringing Game of Thrones to Spain for its fifth season, prompting Spain to offer incentives for filming abroad in early 2015 in part to encourage HBO to return for the rest of the series.
Fresco continued to provide services for the filming of seasons 6, 7 and 8 of Game of Thrones in Spain, as well as seasons 1 and 2 of House of the Dragon, season 3 of Westworld, The Blacklist, Narcos: Mexico, season 3 of Killing Eve, and the films Spider-Man: Far From Home, Unexplored, Terminator: Dark Fate and Covenant.
Fresco Film excels at conjuring up stunning locations, like the island of San Juan de Gaztelugatx in the Bay of Biscay, which became Dragonstone in Game of Thrones, as well as managing tax incentives and building trust with major studios, producers and streamers. The long list of companies it has worked with reads like a who’s who of the industry: Max, Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, SkyShowtime, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros. Discovery, BBC Studios, Paramount Pictures, Hulu, NBC, Peacock, Fremantle, Sky Atlantic, ZDF, ARD and ITV Studios, among many others.
Noting the “prestige and recognition that Fresco Film has achieved among the major international production companies,” Laura Fernández Espeso commented: “Their experience and professionalism have made them a benchmark in the international industry, and their integration into Mediapro Studio is excellent news, especially after the recent acquisition of Cimarrón.”
“For us, it is an honor to become part of the Media Pro Group. There are many synergies that enable us, by joining forces, to create an even greater show in terms of production quality and, above all, human quality. Joining forces with the Media Pro Group is a dream come true, and represents a logistical, creative, professional and human expansion,” commented Peter Welter, CEO of Fresco Film.
One form of synergy could be to transform the service offering into a co-production, leveraging Mediapro Studio's long experience in production and orientation towards English-language production, and establishing its new headquarters in Los Angeles.
In a deal announced in September 2023, Mediapro Studio acquired Cimarrón, a Uruguay-based production company that has emerged as a service producer during the pandemic, providing services to major productions from a range of broadcasters. It has continued to establish offices in key markets in Latin America, as Mediapro Studio has done, providing another production option for the global giant.
As a leader in sustainability, Fresco Film has maintained a dedicated department to oversee each project and shoot to ensure sustainability through environmental calculators and green suppliers.
The company won awards from Location Managers Guild International (LMGI) in 2015 and 2018 for its work on “Game of Thrones” and in 2020 for its services on “Killing Eve.”
