And almost without Spanish viewers realizing it, The Grand Prix is about to wrap up another season. The second after their expected and successful return in the summer of 2023. This Monday, September 2, Olvera (Cádiz) and Tauste (Zaragoza) will play for a place in the final, for which Binisalem (Mallorca) has already qualified.
At BLUPER we were present at the recordings of the projection that La 1 broadcasts this Monday, watching the development of some tests and knowing first-hand the impressions of those who make possible the historic format presented by Ramón García.
The production company responsible, EuroTVProducciones (iZen Group), calls us around 4:00 p.m., when a filming begins that will last until late at nightin the best case scenario. Our tour of the set begins at production control, where Gabriela Ventura Polish the final details before the games begin.
The “Grand Prix” cameras carry out some checks before recording
The Spanish
Responsible for the editions proposed by FORTA, as well as those of this year and the previous one, the director of The Grand Prix explains how to prepare for a test, more specifically, how they are intended to be captured on camera: “First, I imagine the games. You already know what people like, you create new characters, like the squirrels this year.”
“After this imaginative part, come the rehearsals and the director sees what you want to do. The director is the one who sets up the cameras so that the performance is rendered in the best possible way. With fairly open plans, to see the course and the falls”says Ventura, who emphasizes the need for “dynamism”: “A lot of things have to happen in those 2 or 3 minutes.”
Gabriela Ventura, director of ‘El Grand Prix’, views a test from the control
Gabriela details that the recordings began at the end of May and that they had about three weeks before rehearsing, “a little more time” than in 2023: “I always ask for more, but they give me less. This year we had a little more time, so we were able to create almost twice as many games. “All the steps are different depending on the delivery.”
For any doubts that may arise, the director confirms: “We never stop a test unless there is a technical problem, something breaks, a machine stops. Within eight Grand Prix that I have, it has only happened to me a few times”. He also highlights the existence of VAR for questionable games: “We show it to the participants. We show, for example, whether a salmon is on time or not.”
Ramón García records some vocals in ‘El Grand Prix’ before the tests begin
We leave the control of the realization and we came across a ‘Ramontxu’ practically ready for action. Also presenter of In company records the promotions and totals requested by the network, in the minutes before the appearance of the mayors, the sponsors -Blas Cantó and La Terremoto de Alcorcón- and the main protagonists, the players of each municipality.
When they all make their grand entrance, it shows. The audience sings and waves to warm up the atmosphere. Then, after a few moments of concentration and tension, “Be warned” sounds and the intro is recorded, to the sound of the legendary music of The Grand Prix. The second semi-final begins.
The ‘Grand Prix’ events, planned on paper
As Ventura rightly said, in 2024, viewers were able to enjoy almost twice as many tests compared to 2023. Ramón acknowledges that the new ones were prepared “throughout the year”: “It is a program that is seen in summer. but the work is done throughout the year. The team thinks, designs, creates and tests. The tests are devices, they have a significant configuration. “They dress it up to give it an amusement park look.”
However, the first game set up that June afternoon is one of the most recognizable to the public, The crazy newspapers. This is taking place completely normally thanks to a team responsible for drying the logs at high speed. Terremoto has so much energy about the fish her team has caught that she hits a camera with one of them.
The yellow team leaves the ‘set’ after the test of ‘Les malles folles’
Complicity with Cristinini
What happens between one team and another participating in the tests is worth highlighting. It is detected by the camera, but certified outside of it. Ramón García and Critinini are pure complicity and we can often see them sharing their impressions at each break.
As for the streamer, García is full of praise for these downtimes: “When it comes to narrating the tests, we do it at the same time. She’s a great narrator. He picked up the pace very well. The Grand Prixwhich is unique. “You have to follow the rhythm of the race itself and she captured that rhythm very well last year.”
Ramón García and Cristinini chat between tests
Of course, Wilbur doesn’t sit idly by between tests. On this occasion, we witnessed the recording of a small number of stunts. Victor Ortiz is on a platform from which he has to jump. His perfectionism is undeniable: he demands that the structure be lowered or raised until he is one hundred percent comfortable and can jump safely onto a mat.
Then, “The Pilot Dog” is filmed. We are sent backstage because, unlike other games, this one requires a wider camera shot. In this test, players must navigate a route by collecting flags placed along it. The handicap? A fan will try to push them away the whole time.
Víctor Ortiz, Wilbur, rehearses one of his stunts
On the screen it is not so obvious, but the fan is impressive due to its enormous size. and especially because of the deafening noise it emits. After another classic, “Babies in Diapers,” we end our afternoon as direct spectators of the game format.
The team still has a few hours to set up and dismantle the tests at full speed. Also to the public, who from time to time leave the stand area for obvious needs, accompanied by members of the team who guide them through the facilities.
The good harmony of the members of the ‘El Grand Prix’ team is palpable
Better preparation
Carlo Boserman, director of The Grand Prix and CEO of EuroTVProducciones (iZen Group), supervises everything that happens on the set, “in situ” or from production control. From time to time, comes to us to focus on issues that deserve to be highlighted in this “making of”.
“Between this year’s participants and last year’s, there is not much difference. The difference is seen between those who came 20 years ago and those today. They come much more prepared now, with all this body worship stuff. “They come to compete”assures the Italian.
And the years and generations pass. “The Olympic Games of the Spanish people”, as Ramón García defines it The Grand Prixare a clear reflection of the passage of time. How a legendary format of our television has managed to adapt to today’s small screen, with the same essence.
Grand Prix teams attend one of the tests
The response from viewers was overwhelming. After the first effects of its return in 2023, the production company was aware that it was difficult to maintain these audiences close to 20%. However, this new batch of The Grand Prix was placed above the average of La 1, and it is one of their biggest successes of the summer: it achieves an average of 13.3% market share and 1,187,000 viewers.
