Interview with Producciones Oxígeno: audiovisual creativity crosses the pond

In the incredible world of production we find Producciones Oxígeno. From the streets of Barcelona and Madrid to the charm of Mexico City, this production company brings to life the integral audiovisual production of advertising, television content, events and new technologies.

Their activity does not end there, they also carry out fiction projects, documentaries, video clips and service. In recent years, with the emergence of branded content, they have formed specific teams of directors, scriptwriters and producers to meet the growing demand of their clients.

“Oxígeno is a philosophy, a way of producing, a different way of seeing and doing things”, this is how the production company defines itself, reflecting its essence and reflecting its unique characteristics in each audiovisual work.

We interviewed David Manchado, Executive Producer of Oxígeno Productions.

What is the story behind Oxígeno Productions and how would you explain its philosophy to the public?

Oxígeno is very much the philosophy of its founders, Tito and Aitana Coca. Aitana began her professional career in Los Angeles, where she acquired training and contacts in the mecca of our industry. Tito was an assistant and camera operator, editor and postproducer but he always had the desire to produce the complete piece. In the editing rooms (in the days of the moviola) many more hours were spent than now and this gave him the opportunity to gain great confidence with creative figures of our profession. That curiosity and desire to do things well led him to co-found one of the most memorable production companies in the history of Spain, Ovideo. After the merger with Mediapro, 15 years ago, he left with the objective of creating a new production company with his own seal “it takes very little work and little cost to do things well with all parties”.

They have always had a mentality of treating and giving people what they would like to receive. We are talking about suppliers, agencies and clients; great advertising, that which leaves a lasting impression, that which is remembered over the years, is mostly the result of teamwork between all parties. Perhaps that is Oxígeno’s philosophy, since everything is the result of teamwork, treat each member as if they were part of your family. And with the family you argue and fight, but there is a joint spirit, to get the best for everyone.

In the field of advertising films, where innovation and creativity are fundamental, how do you work to differentiate yourselves from other production companies?

There is nothing specific that makes us better or more innovative than many of our peers.Doing things well is not that difficult or complicated…. you just have to want to and be willing to tolerate or sacrifice what it entails. Doing things well is neither cheaper nor easier….We, Oxígeno, like to belong to that group of reliable professionals who offer legal, economic, professional and personal guarantees to their clients in order to obtain the best result from everyone’s effort.

Can you tell us about your experience in working in 2 totally different continents?

Oxigeno has presence in Spain and Mexico, to talk about the peculiarities of each of the two countries would be endless; they are two countries that have a lot in common …. also have big differences. Oxigeno Mexico has an entirely Mexican staff, so we really have local knowledge in both countries. There is something in common in our three offices, most of us have worked in several countries and that gives us a very global vision of production. What unites the two countries, at least as far as Oxigeno is concerned, is the continuity of the philosophy of producing as we would like them to produce audiovisual content for us.

We have observed your different fields of work when it comes to production. Regarding the production of branded content, can you highlight what is the specialty of Producciones Oxígeno?

It may seem a simple answer, but in reality it encompasses a lot. Our specialty is to produce in an agile, accurate and professional way.There is no big or small project, it’s all about the approach and the professionals for each project. We like to look for the right approach whether it’s a branded project, a documentary or a conventional commercial…. as I said before, it’s about doing things the way you would like to receive them, putting as much money in front of the camera as possible. No matter how small a project is, there’s always a better approach that will make it grow.

At APCP we like to talk a lot about achievements. What do you think has been your greatest recognition in terms of production?

I have only been with the company for a short time, but from the first day I realized something that for me is a great achievement. Customer loyalty. Rare is the project of a customer who does not repeat. I want to believe that all the members of the team (agency and clients) appreciate and perceive the effort we put into each production, and I know that this is valued.

Do you plan to explore new strategic directions or creative challenges in the near future?

We are all aware that the audiovisual evolution in the last 15 years has been much more significant and rapid than anything that has happened since the Lumiere brothers until then. Not only in technique, but also in language and ways of communicating. That is perhaps our great challenge for the coming years, to be active participants in the new techniques. How to shoot a commercial with the agility of the new technologies, how to communicate more effectively to the new audiences…. lines are less and less delimited, it is now common to find agencies that shoot their projects, post production companies that shoot single shots, there are clients with internal agencies, there are production departments in some clients….. Honestly, I believe that the different members of the advertising production will be more and more intertwined, and as up to now, we would like to be present in all the changes.

Interview by Carla Lara

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