Carlos Montero offers insights into Netflix’s medical drama ‘Breathless’ during a tour of the Tres Cantos set.
We were given an opportunity to tour Netflix’s biggest production facility located outside of Madrid, the capital city of Spain where there were many large soundstages. Below are some of the things we found out regarding this serial which is expected to hit the market after awhile later in 2024.
Carlos Montero personally guided us through a well-stocked double-decker hospital set situated in 1 of the 10 sound stages at the 22,000 square meter complex thus making this the largest in the European Union. He is famous for his efforts in the long-standing Netflix Elite series that Darío Madrona helped him create. Other shows he has worked in are The Mess You Leave Behind, Feria, and In Love All Over Again.
Photo Credit: Netflix / Whats-on-Netflix
When we talked about the inception and motifs of the show, Ávalos and Montero stressed that it is to tackle profound things like life, death, and sickness. They made a point of stating that they deliberately placed it in Valencia so as to contrast the dreary hospital surroundings against the colorful beauty of Mediterranean surroundings.
The series chronicles the experiences of doctors and residents at the bustling fictional Joaquín Sorolla Hospital in Valencia, portraying their daily challenges and dynamics.
Similar to the other major sets I went to, “Breathless” set defines itself by not forgetting even the smallest detail. During the tour, the showrunner pointed it out explicitly as she emphasized that it is very authentic since it was inspired from true hospitals. We were taken through different carefully designed places such as the front entryway, ward, drugstore, corridors among others. However, this particular place of action is there for good; it allows changing of rooms just by moving walls that can adjust from scriptwriting.
An immersive environment is created by subtle touches like having patient names on waiting lists, posters in Spanish and Valencian, and authentic labels on bottles and medicines in cabinets. If only a fraction of that attention goes into the screen, expect a more enjoyable viewing experience.
Imperfections, nonetheless, contribute to authenticity. When he first visited the set, which had taken six months to build from scratch, he pointed out that everything was too neat and spotless contrary to a functional hospital. Consequently, in order to make it more realistic, he directed that the floor be scraped where the trolleys passed, some marks made on the walls among other subtle things which in all give an impression of a hospital where patients have lived.
When considering a show like Respira, focusing on detail is very important since most of its plot takes place within medical facilities. That is to say that to emphasize the precision in set design, about 80% of this series was recorded on prosthetic lung stages. This last 20% was however filmed in Valencia making the display more real and diverse in scope.
The commitment to small things goes beyond just the set. True medical practitioners were involved in this production to ensure correctness of medical issues. Moreover, one can tell that everything shown on the scenes is chaotic by the way it is bustling with both workers and patients.
Photo Credit: Netflix
Respira/Breathless is planned for multiple seasons.
According to Tanz and Ávalos, it is a major financial commitment for Netflix and they hope that it will run for several seasons. Ávalos also said that when they read the scripts at first, the program surpassed what had been expected of it before hand and hopes that it will still make waves both in Spain and global.
According to Tanz and Ávalos, it is a major financial commitment for Netflix and they hope that it will run for several seasons. Ávalos also said that when they read the scripts at first, the program surpassed what had been expected of it before hand and hopes that it will still make waves both in Spain and global.
Avalos suggested development of the forthcoming episodes, stating that they ‘are already halfway done with season two scripting’ which indicates how much faith they have in the show since we are way ahead.”
Photo Credit: Netflix
Stay tuned for more from Carlos Montero
Ávalos eagerly anticipates the release of Breathless and emphasized Montero’s dedication to putting the audience first in his storytelling.
It was suggested that Montero has no intention of leaving Netflix anytime soon. In fact, Ávalos made a joke, “If he ever thinks about retiring, then my approval comes first.”
That concludes our coverage of the visit to Netflix’s Tres Cantos studios; stay tuned for more updates throughout the rest of the week.