On a humid Miami afternoon, a group of actors is milling around a soundstage that resembles the opulent, wood-panelled office of a California wine baron.

The cast of Tierra de Pasiones, a highly-rated drama show, is rehearsing from dog-eared printouts of the script. As the director coaches the leading man for a confrontation that will culminate with an operatic slap in the face, the crew erupts in laughter. In the over-heated world of "telenovelas" - Spanish-language dramas - it is all just another day at the office.