Great American Media links with Minivela on Hispanic microdrama platform

L-R: Angela Sustaita-Ruiz (Minivela co-founder), Bill Abbott (Great American Media president/CEO), Carlos Ponce (Minivela co-founder) and Manny Ruiz (Minivela CEO)

US cablenet operator Great American Media (GAM) is getting into the microdrama game in partnership with Minivela, a vertical shorts platform created for US Hispanic and Latin American audiences.

GAM’s faith-based family entertainment streamer Pure Flix will combine with Minivela’s creator-driven, mobile-first production model to populate a new platform, Pure Flix Familia.

Launching later this year, the streamer will be dedicated to faith- and family-centred storytelling. Minivela will use Pure Flix’s audience insights to inform the development of new microdramas and adaptations.

The slate will include vertical shorts in Spanish, English and Spanglish, with production based in Miami, LA, New York and key locations across Latin America.

In addition to producing exclusive content for Pure Flix Familia, Minivela will collaborate with Pure Flix on select distribution opportunities for its IP and advise on content acquisition strategies aimed at expanding reach among US Hispanic and Latin American audiences.

The news was announced by GAM president and CEO Bill Abbott and Minivela co-founders Manny Ruiz and Carlos Ponce in New York during the ANA GrowthFronts.

“Manny and Carlos have a tremendous track record for innovation spanning decades in Hispanic media, entertainment and cultural storytelling,” said Abbott. “We’re delighted to build Pure Flix Familia with a highly creative and strategic partner that, like us, is deeply committed to storytelling that resonates with Latino audiences across the US and Latin America.”

Ponce, who is also an actor and is set to star in upcoming Pure Flix Familia projects, added: “What makes this partnership especially meaningful to me is the opportunity it creates for Latino writers, directors and creators to bring their voices to values-driven storytelling within the Pure Flix Familia ecosystem.”