Free admission, subject to venue capacity.
Telling a story in just a few minutes requires its own language. What changes in writing and directing when episodes are brief, the screen is vertical and attention is contested on a mobile phone?
Carole Della Valle, Manuel Amaro da Costa and Pedro Lopes draw on their experience in television fiction and microseries created for mobile devices. Moderated by Carole Desbarats, the panel discusses how episode length, framing and new viewing habits shape character development, narrative rhythm and production choices.
A session within Series Production, Porto Industry Days’ programme dedicated to creating and producing serial narratives.
With
Carole Della Valle
A French producer, Carole Della Valle’s credits include Skam France, Germinal and Les Disparus de la forêt noire. She also produced Désenchantées for France Télévisions, adapted from Marie Vareille’s novel. She brings to the panel her experience in developing and producing television fiction.
Manuel Amaro da Costa
Born in Lisbon in 1966, Manuel Amaro da Costa began his career at RTP and has directed television since 1989. His credits include Riscos, Médico de Família and Beirais, alongside soap operas and entertainment programmes. He worked on RTP’s first microdramas created for mobile viewing and directed Lua Vermelha II for Prime Video.
Pedro Lopes
A writer, showrunner and executive producer, Pedro Lopes has more than 25 years of experience in television and film. He leads SPi’s creative strategy and international development. He created Glória, Portugal’s first Netflix Original series, and worked on the International Emmy-winning Laços de Sangue. In 2026, he led the development of RTP’s first microdramas created for mobile viewing.
Moderator · Carole Desbarats
Carole Desbarats has worked extensively in film education and critical reflection on cinema and series. She taught cinema at the University of Toulouse and served as Director of Studies at La Fémis. She is Artistic Director of the Rencontres du Havre, dedicated to television series, and the author of Enfances de cinéma, on the representation of children in cinema.
