Why do Netflix Productions look like that?

A few months ago we published a video titled Why do A24 movies

look

like this? And you guys seem to like it, so let's talk about why Netflix movies and shows change the way they do. Netflix's internally produced television shows and movies often share a similar

look

. Vibe, this Netflix appearance occurs because Netflix asks all of its

productions

to follow certain basic technical rules. These technical rules have created this extremely safe visual language that directly correlates to the way Netflix works and operates. You already know that Netflix is ​​a subscription streaming service, but it is also a production studio that creates its own original content, as well as licensing and streaming content from other studios and production companies.

Netflix has a wide selection of original movies and shows ranging from great, that's what it is, to not so. great, he did it to send a message with his words: you will never know true power until you have tasted the testicles of a man who has wronged you, however, many people feel that despite this variety, most of these

productions

They end up feeling very similar and they don't. only in the story aspect but also in its visual style, in 2018 Netflix was snubbed by the can film festival saying that the movies produced by Netflix are not true.

Cinema, the following year again there were no films produced by Netflix in the festival competition due to a rule that all films selected to compete must have a local theatrical release, so if the films produced by Netflix are not true cinema, So what are they? Well, a film director you may have heard of might have the answer. The art of cinema is being systematically devalued, marginalized, degraded and reduced. down to its lowest common denominator content there is so much content here, what is that? An Android posts a video with him since the Internet began allowing people to build careers doing and sharing their creative work online.

That type of work has been called content. you uploaded 47 times in the last hour like i did buddy have you posted videos on facebook market place? Are you uploading your real Instagram Craigslist? I've been going viral on Venmo lately. The meaning of the word is Brun, it is not just about Internet content. by individuals now includes traditional media such as movies and television shows content became a marketing term for all moving images a Martin Score film sesi a cat video a Super Bowl commercial a superhero sequel a series episode and The number one goal of a business is profit and who created streaming services like Netflix, business and technology people, show me a payment of $72,000.

I quit my job right now and I work for you. This containment of cinema takes art and turns it into a product. This is not new. The goal of movies, especially in the US, has always been to make a profit, but the rise of streaming has made this happen faster than before because it determines what content is shown to the viewer. The almighty algorithm. I need the algorithm. I need the algorithm that is given to each one. girl, a base rating of 1400 at any given time gra a and what the algorithm seems to do is suggest a return to the familiar, so it's not so much that everything on Netflix looks similar, but that they suggest similar shows to you because they think they'll suit you. they will like them and keep looking at them, but by pushing Comfort content like that, how is the user supposed to discover something new?

How is a small independent film supposed to find an audience when competing against big franchises, superhero movies and A-list celebrities, even when a movie ends? the viewer is automatically presented with a new one to watch without having the opportunity to see the credits or think and reflect on what they just saw or consumed, and if the next movie is anything like the one they just saw, in theory it should. be more inclined to watch it, so the algorithm is one of the reasons why we feel that Netflix productions look similar, but there are three other segments that define a visual appearance of Netflix productions and any other production on general, starting with the shooting of a movie.

There are two main ways to capture footage: digital filmmakers and cinematographers can use traditional film where each frame is a physical image recorded on the film strip or they can use digital cameras that capture images electronically on memory cards or hard drives. Film gives you a classic look with rich colors and deep contrast, but it is more expensive and takes longer to process than digital, it is faster, cheaper and offers more flexibility in editing, but some say it lacks the unique feel of a movie. You're not too sure about the digital age, at least it doesn't do anything.

It doesn't do anything for me, I mean, I actually think I'm surprising myself when I go to see a movie and realize that it was shot on digital or projected on digital. I have always believed in the magic of movies, yes. For me the magic of film is all about 35mm, ultimately the choice depends on factors like budgeted time and desired look of the film. Netflix's goal is to release as many original productions as possible using the lowest possible budget in technical production and What we already mentioned doesn't care much about the look of a film, so it makes sense that most of its original productions are filmed with digital cameras.

They are also famous for their approved camera list as they ensure that all their original productions are filmed in 4k. or higher for archival purposes, you would think this would make your productions look good in high quality and it does, but resolution is not the only factor that determines image quality. The standard digital cinema camera for filming movies a few years ago was the axum which was not actually capable of filming in the 4K resolution required by Netflix, as a result their original shows and movies had to be filmed with other cameras capable of filming in 4k but with less color information, although these cameras offer higher resolution, the overall aesthetic does not quite match unlike Alexa, which is designed to emulate certain features of films that the public perceives as cinema cameras from Sony Panasonic and others to They sometimes look like more video, resulting in a cheaper, less cinematic look.

According to some, the ultimate challenge for any camera. It's the skin tone test, there are slight changes in the skin color and we know it was filmed with a lower quality video camera. The audience can't tell what's wrong, but they know something is being shot on film. Skin tones are generally handled better than with the digital camera, especially in more extreme lighting conditions. In many scenarios, when we think about traditional cinema, all those movies are filmed giving them rich and deep colors in contrast, so it makes sense that when we watch Netflix Productions we feel like something is wrong, of course, there are some exceptions.

Netflix will allow some Many of its movies to be shot on film, but they are generally reserved for big-name directors. That's why there are now digital ways to emulate film. One of our favorite things about Motion Matrix is ​​this plugin hub that gives you your plugin directly within the video editing software of your choice. We can use this film grain plugin to emulate the film look we talked about in a shot like this that was filmed. On a digital camera there are many other plugins that you can use to create various effects, such as Heat Distortion for these Des Ard scenes from the movie Doom or Smoke Distortion to recreate this shot from The Flower Moon Killers, but one of Our favorite plugins it has are Auto Light Flashes which automatically recognizes a light source in your shot and tracks a light flash which you can then customize if you want to check them out and access other things that Motion Matrix has to offer that you can try out. . free and if you like sign up for a month or a year download whatever you want use it wherever you want check it out head to the link in the description where you can get a $50 discount on the annual plan thanks to Motion Array for easy editing now let's get back to the video, Although many people think that the difference between film and digital is the main reason why Netflix Productions looks the way it does, it is far from the truth, a camera is just one of the elements that define the visual appearance of an image and could be the least important part of it.

Set design is the process of creating the physical environment in which a film or show takes place. This includes the design of set props and other visual elements to enhance storytelling and create immersive worlds. One thing some viewers have noticed about Netflix Productions is the lack of such set design, their content often fails the test of filling the screen. I frame seeing walls of beer at proms and a general lack of scene, but in reality this is done on purpose, it all comes down to how the content is consumed, most viewers consume their content on smaller screens, such as phones, laptops or watches.

Cinema was meant to be seen on large screens and when cinema becomes content, it is consumed on the smaller screen even when it is consumed on a larger one like television. It is often used as second screen content where the viewer is on their phone while the movie or show plays, oh yeah. Matthew MCC Netflix Productions are advised to consider screen size when filming, this means more emphasis on close-ups and less emphasis on small details that people won over. They don't realize when they look at their phones when you overload a small screen with too much information, it becomes overwhelming for the viewer;

On the other hand, larger screens allow for a richer viewing experience, which is inherent to visual storytelling as Netflix has to consider the smaller screen. The size of his productions is full of scenes with a lot of dialogue, generally in medium or close-up shots, without many background details, prioritizing the actor's facial expressions. This trend reflects the format of television, eroding the elements that make movies unique. Composition, all those things are completely useless because they lose their visual impact on a small screen and if the audience doesn't care about the production value and visual impact but still watches the movie, why should Netflix care?

This helps them reduce production costs and increase the budget for things that viewers really care about, like famous actors, so have a movie for me, yes sir, I do, so I was thinking we could get it Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds and Gal will star together in the movie, they have to be the two dumbest. men on the planet you look horrible oh man those are big names yes they are so what the movie is it barely matters oh yeah no yeah it doesn't matter a little bit of course of course but not very good wait we're not sure about that .

By putting Ryan Reynolds, Dwayne Johnson and Gadot in a movie we guarantee it will be a huge hit, no no I'm just kidding, of course we do, yes of course we do. Cinematography serves as the narrative visual language of a film or show includes camera angles lighting composition camera movements color grading, etc. When it comes to Netflix Productions, the platform's commitment to efficiency and accessibility has led to the development of standardized filmmaking techniques and styles, this standardization ensuring a level of consistency across its extensive catalogue. of content that allows viewers to seamlessly navigate between different shows and movies without experiencing boats in the visual presentation.

This ties into what we talked about earlier regarding the algorithm, if the next piece of content looks similar to what the viewer just saw, there is a higher probability. They will choose to watch it and stay longer on the platform. Another thing that we already mentioned but that is also related to the cinematography of Netflix Productions is the rise of streaming platforms that have revolutionized the way in which audiences consume content and many viewers choose to watch it on a small screen. The change in viewing habits not only affected the lack of set design, but cinematography and filmmakers must adapt their techniques to ensure optimal viewing experiences on different devices.

Cinematographers working at Netflix Productions can adjust their compositions, camera movements, and lighting setups to accommodate limitations. of small screen scenes that prioritize clarity and readability in their visual storytelling, while this adaptation to online viewingSmall screen can improve accessibility and engagement for some viewers, it can also create challenges for cinematographers struggling to maintain the integrity of their artistic vision, smaller screen size and potential distractions. in the viewing environment can affect the effectiveness of certain film techniques, leading to compromises in visual storytelling, which can contribute to an overall decline in appreciation for cinematography, as viewers prioritize narrative content over visual content. .

Aesthetics similar to the first talkies that emerged after the silent films. At the time they were obsessed with the dialogue that drove the narrative, but because they had to use fixed microphones, the camera couldn't move much and the characters also had to stay still, it was like a step back for a while, which is similar to what happens now. but this time, for different reasons, another key factor influencing Netflix Productions' visual consistency is the platform's emphasis on data-driven decision making by leveraging viewer data and analytics. Netflix can identify successful film formulas and replicate them in various productions.

This data-driven approach often prioritizes audience preferences. and Trends leading to the adoption of filmmaking techniques that resonate with the platform's target demographic, while this can improve viewer engagement and satisfaction, it can also result in a sense of visual uniformity as cinematographers can prioritize familiarity over artistic experimentation and innovation. This doesn't mean their cinematography is bad after all, from 2019 to 2023, Netflix Productions won three out of five Cinematography Oscars, which shows that the people working on the cinematography of those films are doing something right and in the end, the people who make the film are the ones who have the most influence on its style, which has been proven with great directors like Marty and Fincher, whose films they still have. its characteristic visual elements despite being produced by Netflix, if you want your videos and photos to look like movies, check out our collection of Luts and Lightroom movie profiles, the link is in the description, thanks for watching, subscribe for more videos like this and us.

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