The design of fictional content: a factor in success for showrunners

Researchers at the University of Navarra's School Communication have confirmed that proper management emotions in fiction productions not only connects with audiences but also increases their chances of success. Published in Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, the work specific guidelines for optimizing the quality and sustainability of audiovisual series production.

The research, conducted by Enrique Guerrero and Patricia Diego, analyzes the pilot episode of the series Ana Tramel. The Game, a Spanish thriller from TVE available RTVE and Netflix. 

Its main conclusion is that the design of the content is crucial to maintaining viewer interest. The protagonist, Ana Tramel—a lawyer going through a rough patch played by actress Maribel Verdú—generates trust and empathetic sadness, which translated into positive feelings for more than half of the audience, despite the dramatic plots addressed by the series (gambling addiction, alcoholism, etc.). "Even emotions derived from sad events can offer gratification through identification with the characters, enhancing engagement," says Enrique Guerrero.

Another finding is that emotional analysis allows narrative strategies to be validated. The character of Lieutenant Moncada, a civil guard whom the protagonist trusts, turns out to be the antagonist of the series. This character initially went unnoticed by the audience and even generated positive feelings and trust in more than half of the audience. "This confirms the success of the screenwriters in their attempt to mask his role at the beginning of the series," says Patricia Diego.

The audience reinterprets emotions

The work that, although the design of the script is effectively conveyed, the audience reinterprets it. The main emotions (trust, sadness, and fear) coincided between the script and the audience's response, but in a different order. On social media, where reactions were more polarized and negative, fear stood out as the dominant emotion. However, when viewers were consciously asked, surprise and anticipation emerged as key factors in engagement, as these are typical reactions to a thriller.

"Aligning the script with the emotional sensibilities of the audience presents various opportunities for showrunners," says Diego. This understanding not only increases a series' chances of success, but also contributes to the sustainability model by reducing uncertainty and promoting a Catalog efficient Catalog that is tailored to different audiences.

The study, which combines computational text analysis with audience surveys, is complemented by previous work by the same team applying neuroscience to series production. "Rather than limiting creativity, these tools prove to be a valuable instrument that allows creators to better understand the keys to connecting with their audience. However, certain creative risks must also be kept in mind, such as those related to possible algorithmic biases," concludes Guerrero.