Spanish Audiovisual Sector - A Growing Industry In Europe

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Spanish Audiovisual Sector – A Growing Industry In Europe

The Spanish audiovisual sector is a growing industry, promoted by the EU and Spanish Government with measures such as Spain Audiovisual Hub of Europe (includes grants and funding for audiovisual projects) and recent approval of the Audiovisual Communication and Cinema Law. In 2022, the sector saw significant growth, driven by increasing demand for Spanish-language content in Spain and abroad. This trend is expected to continue in 2023, as the industry continues to evolve and adapt to the changing media landscape.

Written for Expat Network by Marc Fernández de la Peña, Head of Immigration Department. AGM Abogados

One of the key factors driving the growth of the Spanish audiovisual sector is the increasing availability of streaming services, both in Spain and globally. In 2022, major players such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ continued to invest heavily in Spanish-language content, including original series, films, and documentaries. This has led to a surge in demand for Spanish audiovisual content, both in Spain and around the world.

Another factor contributing to the growth of the Spanish audiovisual sector is the country’s highly skilled and experienced workforce. Spain has a long tradition of excellence in the arts, and its film and television industries are no exception. The country has a large number of talented actors, directors, screenwriters and other professionals who are highly sought after by Spanish and foreign production companies.

In fact, one of the government’s measures is to promote the attraction of foreign talent and investment to Spain, facilitating the administrative processes so that foreign professionals in this sector can quickly start audiovisual activity in Spain with a fast -residency process. Profiles such as 3D, VFX, Broadcaster Engineers are professions within the Spanish labor market high demanded up the moment.

Despite these strengths, the Spanish audiovisual sector faces a number of challenges, including competition from other countries, changing viewer habits, and the rise of new technologies. Nevertheless, the sector remains optimistic about its future, and many industry leaders believe that the Spanish audiovisual sector has the potential to continue to grow and thrive in the years to come. The fastest growing sectors within the industry are streaming services and eSports (official competitions organized in Spain such as Activision-Blizzard (Call of Duty League, Overwatch League), Electronic Arts (Fifa eWorld Cup) or Riot Games (League of Legends European Championship).

Moving Abroad Checklist

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.