Sara Fernández-Velasco is steering iZen Group through a transformative period in Spanish production, uniting a diverse group of labels into a cohesive creative ecosystem with global ambitions, from high-end drama to premium factual and fast-growing entertainment.

When Sara Fernández-Velasco stepped into the CEO role at iZen in 2018, she took control of a recently consolidated but highly diversified group – a cluster of specialised labels spanning scripted drama, entertainment, factual, branded content and production services. Her mandate, she says, has been to shape this into a creative ecosystem that is capable of embracing both the rapid shifts in Spain’s domestic commissioning landscape and the global appetite for Spanish-language content.

“We’re intentionally multi-genre,” she says. “Each iZen label has a clear identity, and together they allow us to respond to almost any commissioning need. Buyers want content that is emotionally engaging, culturally authentic and globally readable – and that is exactly where iZen is placing its creative energy.”

At the centre of iZen’s scripted operation is Zebra Producciones, known for premium films and high-end series. Upcoming titles include Playa de Lobos, a feature due for release in late 2025, and Kraken, set for 2026. One of its most ambitious projects is Day One, a scripted series coproduced for Prime Video and 3Cat with the support of the Mobile World Capital Foundation – a partnership-based model that Fernández-Velasco believes will increasingly underpin large-scale Spanish productions.

Alongside Zebra is Newco Audiovisual, which focuses on international-facing scripted projects and premium factual. In 2026, Newco will premiere two new documentary series, reinforcing what Fernández-Velasco describes as “a moment of real momentum for Spanish premium factual and real-life storytelling.”

Furthering iZen’s international ambition, the group’s UK-based English-language scripted label Clapperboard continues to grow its slate with titles such as The Madame Blanc Mysteries, Good Ship Murder, Cooper & Fry, The Rumour and Channel 4’s Hunting Alice Bell. Some of that work is partly serviced within Spain.

Documentary output is led by CAPA Spain, which is home to premium factual, investigative docuseries and documentary films. CAPA’s latest project, Serás Farruquito, is a feature-length production for Movistar+ exploring the life, legacy and personal struggles of flamenco icon Juan Manuel Fernández Montoya.

As for entertainment and daily factual, EuroTV and Indalo y Media remain two of Spain’s most prolific producers, jointly delivering more than 4,000 hours of content each year. Their output ranges from Grand Prix, one of Spain’s most recognisable family formats, to long-running regional magazine shows including En Compañía.

Completing the structure is a branded-content division, Be iZen, and a growing production services unit that supports international shoots in Spain. With stages in Asturias and Andalusia and specialised expertise in Spain’s incentive and financing regimes, the group is now recognised as a service partner of significant stature, having serviced five series in the past two years.

Despite the group’s scale and diversity, Fernández-Velasco insists its labels function as a seamless creative ecosystem. Business affairs, legal, finance, production and post-production are centralised; development pipelines and creative sessions are shared. “Each label keeps its identity,” she explains, “but we operate with unified values: creativity, talent-first decision-making and global ambition.”

Looking ahead, Fernández-Velasco identifies three strategic growth priorities: expansion into new genres, strengthening iZen’s international reach and innovation.

On the genres side, she sees strong opportunity in “high-concept thrillers rooted in contemporary themes”, investigative docu-factual, and youth-oriented scripted content. Light scripted and comedy, traditionally under-explored in Spain compared with drama, are now front and centre. “There’s a clear shift toward more mainstream, feelgood storytelling. It’s an area where we want to grow meaningfully,” she says.

Hybrid entertainment formats that combine factual, reality and talent elements are also on the rise, and the company’s broad label structure gives it room to experiment.

Internationally, the UK and US remain priority markets, not only for producing and distributing content but also pitching production services. “We’re seeing more US productions look at Spain as a base,” Fernández-Velasco says. “Our incentives, our crews and our facilities give us real competitive advantages.” Recent examples of service work for international series include Channel 5’ s The Teacher S3 and Baby Doll.

Latin America is another strategic focus, particularly for co-developments in scripted and documentary. iZen is currently working with partners in Mexico, Colombia, Chile and the US Hispanic market. The model, Fernández-Velasco explains, is consistent: “Local partners, shared IP, flexible financing and cultural authenticity.”

International collaboration has also become a major engine of iZen’s growth. Partnerships with companies such as Turkey’s Inter Medya allow the group to explore hybrid scripted formats blending European and Turkish sensibilities – a combination with strong export potential given the global popularity of Turkish drama.

In 2021, France’s Studio TF1 (formerly Newen) acquired a majority stake in iZen, a move that has accelerated the company’s ambitions, according to Fernández-Velasco. She highlights three areas of impact: “Expanded international reach, inter-group collaboration, and deeper financial and industrial capability.”

Significantly, however, she emphasises: “The Studio TF1 acquisition hasn’t changed our identity – we remain proudly Spanish in our storytelling,” she says. “What Studio TF1 gives us is the stability and investment capacity to be bolder. It also makes iZen a more compelling home for top-tier talent.”

In terms of market context, Fernández-Velasco says Spain’s commissioning landscape is going through a period of consolidation, with platforms and broadcasters ordering fewer but more distinctive projects. She notes that thriller, true crime, real-story drama and premium factual continue to dominate, but that there is a rising appetite for light scripted and comedy – categories she views as growth opportunities.

In response, iZen has adopted what Fernández-Velasco calls a “dual editorial strategy”: maintaining strength in premium thrillers and factual while expanding into mainstream scripted, entertainment and youth-focused genres. Alternative financing, including brand-backed models, is increasingly used to support development.

International demand for Spanish-language content shows no sign of slowing, she adds. Buyers are responding particularly to character-led dramas, youth identity and digital narratives, female-driven stories, real-event-inspired thrillers, true crime, light and scripted comedy. “Spanish stories resonate because they’re emotionally grounded yet universally readable,” Fernández-Velasco says.

Looking toward 2026, iZen’s ambition is clear: to become one of the leading Spanish-language production groups with genuine global reach. “Our goal is to be the home of exceptional creators,” says Fernández-Velasco. “We want iZen to be recognised for innovation, supporting new voices and experimenting with new storytelling languages while keeping our strong grounding in premium thrillers and drama.”

This remains the company’s touchstone despite the encroachment of artificial intelligence. “AI enhances efficiency,” she says, “But human creativity and authorship are still at the centre.”

Sara Fernández-Velasco is steering iZen Group through a transformative period in Spanish production, uniting a diverse group of labels into a cohesive creative ecosystem with global ambitions, from high-end drama to premium factual and fast-growing entertainment.

When Sara Fernández-Velasco stepped into the CEO role at iZen in 2018, she took control of a recently consolidated but highly diversified group – a cluster of specialised labels spanning scripted drama, entertainment, factual, branded content and production services. Her mandate, she says, has been to shape this into a creative ecosystem that is capable of embracing both the rapid shifts in Spain’s domestic commissioning landscape and the global appetite for Spanish-language content.

“We’re intentionally multi-genre,” she says. “Each iZen label has a clear identity, and together they allow us to respond to almost any commissioning need. Buyers want content that is emotionally engaging, culturally authentic and globally readable – and that is exactly where iZen is placing its creative energy.”

At the centre of iZen’s scripted operation is Zebra Producciones, known for premium films and high-end series. Upcoming titles include Playa de Lobos, a feature due for release in late 2025, and Kraken, set for 2026. One of its most ambitious projects is Day One, a scripted series coproduced for Prime Video and 3Cat with the support of the Mobile World Capital Foundation – a partnership-based model that Fernández-Velasco believes will increasingly underpin large-scale Spanish productions.

Alongside Zebra is Newco Audiovisual, which focuses on international-facing scripted projects and premium factual. In 2026, Newco will premiere two new documentary series, reinforcing what Fernández-Velasco describes as “a moment of real momentum for Spanish premium factual and real-life storytelling.”

Furthering iZen’s international ambition, the group’s UK-based English-language scripted label Clapperboard continues to grow its slate with titles such as The Madame Blanc Mysteries, Good Ship Murder, Cooper & Fry, The Rumour and Channel 4’s Hunting Alice Bell. Some of that work is partly serviced within Spain.

Documentary output is led by CAPA Spain, which is home to premium factual, investigative docuseries and documentary films. CAPA’s latest project, Serás Farruquito, is a feature-length production for Movistar+ exploring the life, legacy and personal struggles of flamenco icon Juan Manuel Fernández Montoya.

As for entertainment and daily factual, EuroTV and Indalo y Media remain two of Spain’s most prolific producers, jointly delivering more than 4,000 hours of content each year. Their output ranges from Grand Prix, one of Spain’s most recognisable family formats, to long-running regional magazine shows including En Compañía.

Completing the structure is a branded-content division, Be iZen, and a growing production services unit that supports international shoots in Spain. With stages in Asturias and Andalusia and specialised expertise in Spain’s incentive and financing regimes, the group is now recognised as a service partner of significant stature, having serviced five series in the past two years.

Despite the group’s scale and diversity, Fernández-Velasco insists its labels function as a seamless creative ecosystem. Business affairs, legal, finance, production and post-production are centralised; development pipelines and creative sessions are shared. “Each label keeps its identity,” she explains, “but we operate with unified values: creativity, talent-first decision-making and global ambition.”

Looking ahead, Fernández-Velasco identifies three strategic growth priorities: expansion into new genres, strengthening iZen’s international reach and innovation.

On the genres side, she sees strong opportunity in “high-concept thrillers rooted in contemporary themes”, investigative docu-factual, and youth-oriented scripted content. Light scripted and comedy, traditionally under-explored in Spain compared with drama, are now front and centre. “There’s a clear shift toward more mainstream, feelgood storytelling. It’s an area where we want to grow meaningfully,” she says.

Hybrid entertainment formats that combine factual, reality and talent elements are also on the rise, and the company’s broad label structure gives it room to experiment.

Internationally, the UK and US remain priority markets, not only for producing and distributing content but also pitching production services. “We’re seeing more US productions look at Spain as a base,” Fernández-Velasco says. “Our incentives, our crews and our facilities give us real competitive advantages.” Recent examples of service work for international series include Channel 5’ s The Teacher S3 and Baby Doll.

Latin America is another strategic focus, particularly for co-developments in scripted and documentary. iZen is currently working with partners in Mexico, Colombia, Chile and the US Hispanic market. The model, Fernández-Velasco explains, is consistent: “Local partners, shared IP, flexible financing and cultural authenticity.”

International collaboration has also become a major engine of iZen’s growth. Partnerships with companies such as Turkey’s Inter Medya allow the group to explore hybrid scripted formats blending European and Turkish sensibilities – a combination with strong export potential given the global popularity of Turkish drama.

In 2021, France’s Studio TF1 (formerly Newen) acquired a majority stake in iZen, a move that has accelerated the company’s ambitions, according to Fernández-Velasco. She highlights three areas of impact: “Expanded international reach, inter-group collaboration, and deeper financial and industrial capability.”

Significantly, however, she emphasises: “The Studio TF1 acquisition hasn’t changed our identity – we remain proudly Spanish in our storytelling,” she says. “What Studio TF1 gives us is the stability and investment capacity to be bolder. It also makes iZen a more compelling home for top-tier talent.”

In terms of market context, Fernández-Velasco says Spain’s commissioning landscape is going through a period of consolidation, with platforms and broadcasters ordering fewer but more distinctive projects. She notes that thriller, true crime, real-story drama and premium factual continue to dominate, but that there is a rising appetite for light scripted and comedy – categories she views as growth opportunities.

In response, iZen has adopted what Fernández-Velasco calls a “dual editorial strategy”: maintaining strength in premium thrillers and factual while expanding into mainstream scripted, entertainment and youth-focused genres. Alternative financing, including brand-backed models, is increasingly used to support development.

International demand for Spanish-language content shows no sign of slowing, she adds. Buyers are responding particularly to character-led dramas, youth identity and digital narratives, female-driven stories, real-event-inspired thrillers, true crime, light and scripted comedy. “Spanish stories resonate because they’re emotionally grounded yet universally readable,” Fernández-Velasco says.

Looking toward 2026, iZen’s ambition is clear: to become one of the leading Spanish-language production groups with genuine global reach. “Our goal is to be the home of exceptional creators,” says Fernández-Velasco. “We want iZen to be recognised for innovation, supporting new voices and experimenting with new storytelling languages while keeping our strong grounding in premium thrillers and drama.”

This remains the company’s touchstone despite the encroachment of artificial intelligence. “AI enhances efficiency,” she says, “But human creativity and authorship are still at the centre.”