A film blog for students of my classes at Santa Clara University. Use this blog to discuss the films we are studying, classic films, current releases or production issues you encounter while making your own films.
Sunday, February 08, 2015
Netflix and distribution
How does Netflix alter the way films and television shows are distributed/exhibited to the consumer? Does this make the market more, or less volatile?
Netflix has revolutionized the way consumers watch television and films. The ability to stream has increased the amount people watch. Individuals now have the ability to watch on multiple devices such as phones, tablets, and computers. Content is now much more convenient to access on the go. This further enables people to watch at their convenience. These changes have caused a shift in the way that content is consumed from a group and weekly ritual to a very individualized experience filled with binge watching. Television shows no longer need to have summaries at the beginning of each episode, dialogue written around commercial breaks, and can extend an entire hour rather than the abbreviated times for commercial television. The entire consumer experience has been changed.
The emergence of Netflix and streaming has made for a more competitive market. Many people have stopped watching commercial television and have instead opted to stream television shows. We saw this in class when virtually everyone answered they watch television and some movies online now. This directly affects movie theaters, advertisers, studios, etc. Think about the last time you bought a DVD or Blu-Ray disc. When was it? I cannot remember because it has been years. Streaming and video on demand have found a niche in the market. Now you have another player competing for the same resources. Older mediums have had to evolve in order to survive.
We are starting to see how large of an impact streaming and video on demand services have upon our society now with the net neutrality battle. ISPs are seeing the demand for these services in the market and want to capitalize on an opportunity to profit from the transition of culture.
This is a fantastic question. Netflix has affected the way that television shows and films are distributed/exhibited to the consumer in a number of ways. In this particular instance, let's focus on the VOD streaming component, not the DVD-by-mail aspect. With Netflix, the releases are all digital and instantaneous. No more waiting for days on end to watch a film, or driving up to a Blockbuster and hoping that there's at least one extra copy of Saving Private Ryan left.
The viewer experience for television shows and films has moved to a much more personal setting. The general movie-going experience was in a theater, and if (at home) gathered around a television set with your friends and family. Since Netflix is now available and used mainly on personal devices like computers, tablets, and smartphones, most consumers are absorbing this content in a much more personal experience that only requires their computer or smart device, and a pair of headphones in order to watch an entire television series.
We can see how this has definitely affected the distribution of television shows. A content provider like Netflix has produced numerous original films and television shows. Two of the most well known are "House of Cards" and "Orange Is The New Black". Binge watching shows has become a popular, cultural norm in society today, and in response, Netflix puts up an entire season of a television show when it's ready rather than just releasing one episode at a time. They do this because they know the habits of their viewers, and that all of the new content will be consumed.
I think that this makes the market much more volatile. Whether it's a good or bad thing, I'm not sure. It's hard to say right now because this is still such a new addition to our society and the way we consume media texts. Things are far more competitive, however, because all of these companies in the industry are trying to catch up and adapt to this model. Just last month, movie theaters started announcing that their IMAX screens will be showing the newest episodes of Game of Thrones. To me, this seems like the movie theater industry reacting to the change in consumer culture that Netflix has brought into the media market.
Netflix allows viewers to watch entire seasons of a show at a time. Binge watching increases the demand for new shows, new seasons, new material. Consumers spend one week watching a show that would normally take 20 weeks. There is less room for advertisers and more competition for networks. Streaming shows online allows production companies to take more risks with content. If the highest quality of content is online, networks will be forced to push their boundaries as well. This sort of competition makes the market more volatile and subject to change.
Netflix has altered the way films and televisions shows are distributed/exhibited by releasing whole seasons of shows at one time. This gives the consumer the ability to watch a show in a fragment of the time that it would have taken if they watched the show when it was originally released. This puts a pressure on networks to keep up with this fast pace in releasing new shows. This contributes to the market becoming more volatile because conditions are constantly changing.
Netflix’s digital distribution has given consumers the ability to watch a multitude of television shows and films essentially whenever and wherever they please, as long as they have a device that is capable of streaming the content offered on the site. With the wide breadth and variety of content that is readily available to viewers at any given time and place, exhibition is no longer limited to screenings only on television or in theaters, but can occur virtually anywhere where internet is available. We don’t necessarily have to be sitting in front of our televisions at a certain time to watch our shows anymore. Like others have said, Netflix also allows people to pay a small subscription fee for the ability to binge watch entire seasons of shows as they please, without commercials or advertisements. Through Netflix, distribution and exhibition are capable of happening quickly and efficiently through a single platform and to millions of people around the world, which I think makes the market much more volatile and able to quickly change in an unpredictable manner, for the better or worse. Those working in the industry need to keep up with trends, conditions, and social tastes much more rapidly to ensure that their products are successful in terms of their distribution and exhibition.
Because Netflix reaches viewers in the comfort of their own homes and is in the form of a subscription, it requires less traditional forms of distribution and exhibition. There is a stronger direct connection between viewers and content producers compared to some other forms of media. Exhibitors don't have to engage in much promotional activity because Netflix doesn't have ads or commercial breaks. It is definitely altering the way we watch film/tv because of the competition it creates, the temptation to stay home rather than go out to the movie theaters, and for most of us college students, it gives us the chance to watch tv/film without paying for any cable networks. I agree with everyone else that this makes the market more volatile and it will be interesting to see how companies adapt to the changes.
Netflix, along with a few other key players in the digital streaming movement, has changed the way we watch television/film.
Whereas it used to be an experience we shared with others, huddled around the television screen for 'this week's episode of Friends', it is now an individual act. We watch television in our bedrooms, cuddled up with our computer screens. And we watch it for HOURS! Once we finish one episode, we have the ability to simply press a button and watch the next one, and the next one, etc.
I have noticed a pattern that every time a new television series emerges, and is labelled as popular by our culture, everyone is in somewhat of a rush to get through it so they can discuss it with those around them. It is now more of a tradition to talk about the shows together than it is to watch them together.
Netflix, along with Amazon, and Hulu, have pretty much revolutionized the way young people watch television and film. I say young people because in my opinion I think its the younger generations that are watching more media on their computers and using streaming to consume media. Netflix gives people the ability to both binge watch and watch what they want in the comfort of their own home. Another thing I think is appealing is that it is subscription based, and many people share subscriptions making it lower cost to watch movies than if you were to go to the theater and pay upwards of $12 for a single movie. However, there are drawbacks to this. The experience is completely different at the movies and Netflix often takes away the social experience we used to have watching films and waiting every week to watch our favorite TV shows. I don't think the change is inherently good or bad, it is just a different way to consume media.
I think that Netflix changes the way films and television shows are distributed/ exhibited by meeting the customers’ needs. It means to alter the way by releasing the movies with multiple choices of movies through streaming online whenever the customers want to see them instead of the style of television shows and films, which have restricted to watch in many ways such as we can see only the time they are broadcasting, and we have limited choices when we see when we want to.
I think that it makes the market more volatile by the advent of many flexible ways. The ways to sell the media products are getting more although the market is limited in how much customers spend money and time for the media products. For example, customers see movies on Netflix so they often don’t go to theater and don’t watch television shows because they choose the more confortable way they prefer and they are limited in money and time they can spend for their amusement. Thus, it leads to get competitive market. And also the original traditional companies have to respond to new strategies, which cut down the profits of the original and traditional companies indirectly, to survive at the time they appear.
Netflix has made it so that customers can now easily access a wide range of films and television shows without having to pay a lot of money. They make it so that customers can make a list of shows or movies they want to watch almost any time they want (except for when those shows or movies are pulled from the site). This means that media companies can now reach out to people who may not have cable or really go out to movie theaters anymore. What numbers they may not have gotten from the premiere they can get back on Netflix. The best and worst thing about Netflix is the idea that you can literally binge watch entire seasons of shows. Want to avoid that midterm you need to write? Go ahead and treat yo self to half a season of Parks and Recreation! By having TV shows available to stream on Netflix, it means that there does not need to be the little summary in the beginning telling people what happened last time because they know what happened. This leaves more room for content. This makes the market more competitive but also a little insecure. What happens if a show does terribly on cable but then is highly rated on Netflix? Will Netflix get the rights to the show to get it to continue? I honestly have no clue. Part of me thinks that it will get to the point where shows that want to be successful stop premiering on TV and start premiering online. That way they can get an idea right off the bat if TV shows will be popular or total tanks.
Netflix is giving films and television shows another opportunity to distribute and exhibit to the consumer making the market unpredictable. Companies do not know what to do with this new format of distribution. They do not know how to make money off a platform where viewers only pay a monthly fee.
But Netflix gives viewers exactly what they want, it’s what they have always desired: a quick and easy way to offer viewers film and television. Whereas film and television companies make viewers wait and pay more till view or own a text, Netflix appeases the viewers desire for instant satisfaction. While film and television companies slowly adapt Netflix is conquering it’s own market by producing it’s own film and television shows that are actually successful. Overall Netflix takes away a viewers desire and need to wait for movie and tv releases or to go to a theater or purchase tv shows. Instead they can watch Netflix original material while waiting for their show to be released on the less expensive and more binge friendly platform.
Netflix has definitely had a huge impact on the way people watch television and movies. Netflix is made it possible to stream a wide variety of tv shows and films from the comfort of one's home, at a cost that's way cheaper overall than paying for movie tickets. Netflix is also streamable on any device, phone, tablet, etc., meaning people can watch at the gym, the car, or basically anywhere. Netflix does not air commercials so people can enjoy their favorite shows without those interruptions and are also able to watch full series at a time. Netflix has created its own television shows that are only available on Netflix, like Orange is the New Black and House of Cards, which creates competition between networks because those shows are wildly popular and only available via Netflix. Content is riskier and more innovative on Netflix.
In regard to online streaming services and distribution, I completely agree with Katelyn on this. From personal experience, I have noticed that nearly everyone in my age demographic would rather stream content from their laptop than go to an actual movie theater, primarily because of the cost.
On the other hand, my parents absolutely love going to the movie theater- I don't believe the reason for this is because they have the money to do so, but more so, because it gives them something to do.
Something to be considered in this discussion in the generational gap from individuals around college age, to the general demographic of our parents. In my opinion, the generational gap for this age group deals with a bigger difference because of the introduction of technology that happened in between. For our parents to our grandparents, I don't believe that their gap was as large.
If college aged students had more money and more time, generally, I think there might be a bit more of a draw to participate in movie going rather than laying in bed, alone, and binge watching a show on Netflix or Hulu. For my own sake, I don't think that streaming is bad, like Katelyn said. However, I disagree in that streaming will take negative effects on aspects of the industry and somewhat kill a social, interactive factor that it once had.
Netflix has changed the distribution game and put the industry on its head. No longer do consumers have to wait months, almost half a year for a film to be released. Now they can see the films ASAP and in some cases the same days as release. Also, instead of buying a series shows on dvd for keeps, a consumer can now stream and binge-watch an entire series. Think of all the forgotten DVD collections of FRIENDS now that the series is available on Netflix.
Because of this additional streaming option, distributors are dealing with a new competitive market that values instant gratification and convenience. The question is whether the answer to this trend will be fought with other instant gratification and convenience technologies, or will distributors find radical ways to peak a consumer's interests and draw them to a particular series or film.
Netflix has changed the game within the film and TV industries. It offers a subscription based service that has become a new platform for the distribution and exhibition of content. The quality of content is almost on par with film and tv too. Netflix now offers exclusive show, like House of Cards. It has forced Hollywood to rethink its models for all phases of production and distribution/exhibition. More and more people are staying in their homes to watch Netflix rather than going out to the movies. However, in response to this, theatre’s are offering memberships and exhibiting TV shows, like Game of Thrones. At the moment, Netflix has definitely made the industry more volatile. But in the end, I still believe the theaters will have their place, overall, they are perceived as the premium content and exhibition providers.
Netflix has altered the way film and tv is distributed and exhibited to the consumer in a way that makes the market under traditional models more volatile. Now there is another platform for the consumer to choose from. This means that distributors have to distribute their tv or film to not only one but two platforms. What is being exhibited where is impacted by this because now the older models like going to the theater need to fight to survive. One thing that they are doing is changing what is exhibited in theaters. Theaters are trying to draw in crowds my maybe showing popular tv series such as Game of Thrones. Netflix is also making more content available to viewers and giving the consumer more control over what they are viewing meaning more things are being distributed but not necessarily "exhibited". Also Netflix is interesting because consumers pay a subscription to watch unlimited amount of content where as with the theater or tv you have to pay to watch the movie again or are not in control of what tv show is on when. So distributors and exhibtors have to think about what to charge in order to make money on distributing the rights to show a film to tv show. This makes the market more volatile in trying to find their audiences and revenues.
Netflix is changing traditional methods of distribution and exhibition and is making the market more volatile. Especially in the film industry, many companies are experimenting with different distribution methods and are using Netflix as a platform to distribute their media texts. More movies might even start doing simultaneous releases with Netflix or even might opt to skip the theater altogether. I agree with a lot of the above comments and think that it is hard to say whether this shift in online streaming is good or bad. Having shows and movies available on Netflix is meeting the consumer’s needs more but is cutting into traditional exhibition practices like movie theaters. However, the industry needs to keep up with the rapid changes, because there is a definite shift. Even just by looking at the viewing habits of our class, there is a need for distributors and exhibitors to keep up with the consumer demand for immediate online distribution.
Netflix obviously provides a quick, comfortable and easy way to receive media on any media and mobile device for the viewer. Never before have consumers been able to watch entire series of their favorite show without interruption of commercials or without buying a DVD. Netflix may seem as a danger to film and television companies but I think it would be smart for them to allow streaming of their programs on the sit, as many do. It increases awareness and fandom and they can make profit from the site itself if its a success. However, the dangers are still present in the way that direct ratings and live viewers on TV can be cut down to due the argument " oh I'll just wait till its on netflix or another streaming online site", due to the generation not watching as much live TV broadcast of shows and the reliance on internet availability and access. So in this sense, Netflix and streaming can make the market less volatile because it affects the ratings and networks viewers. But as far as new horizons and making changes towards the new generations, we may see that streaming and netflix are the future way of making huge profits and violable markets for TV networks and broadcast companies.
Netflix has changed the viewing process of television series and movies. Television shows specifically are "binged" watched on Netflix by users constantly, making it so a show has to entertain an audience much longer than 30 min or an hour. These difference are quite evident when you compare a Netflix original series like "Orange is the New Black" to traditional television show that has been on a while, like "Private Practice". Netflix has made the idea of a "cliff hanger" not as necessary in the plot of a show, and has put the pressure on the creators to create content that is "binge worthy" for viewers to spend hours on end watching. I think this makes the market more volatile because it forces writers to write content that is interesting for a longer period of time and create better overall content in general. This creates a different competitive playing field for writers, especially for shows that air on tv networks but will be put on Netflix later on. Because they have to balance the attention span of fans who are watching the show live every week when it comes out and the binge watchers who will watch it in a few years.
20 comments:
Netflix has revolutionized the way consumers watch television and films. The ability to stream has increased the amount people watch. Individuals now have the ability to watch on multiple devices such as phones, tablets, and computers. Content is now much more convenient to access on the go. This further enables people to watch at their convenience. These changes have caused a shift in the way that content is consumed from a group and weekly ritual to a very individualized experience filled with binge watching. Television shows no longer need to have summaries at the beginning of each episode, dialogue written around commercial breaks, and can extend an entire hour rather than the abbreviated times for commercial television. The entire consumer experience has been changed.
The emergence of Netflix and streaming has made for a more competitive market. Many people have stopped watching commercial television and have instead opted to stream television shows. We saw this in class when virtually everyone answered they watch television and some movies online now. This directly affects movie theaters, advertisers, studios, etc. Think about the last time you bought a DVD or Blu-Ray disc. When was it? I cannot remember because it has been years. Streaming and video on demand have found a niche in the market. Now you have another player competing for the same resources. Older mediums have had to evolve in order to survive.
We are starting to see how large of an impact streaming and video on demand services have upon our society now with the net neutrality battle. ISPs are seeing the demand for these services in the market and want to capitalize on an opportunity to profit from the transition of culture.
This is a fantastic question. Netflix has affected the way that television shows and films are distributed/exhibited to the consumer in a number of ways. In this particular instance, let's focus on the VOD streaming component, not the DVD-by-mail aspect. With Netflix, the releases are all digital and instantaneous. No more waiting for days on end to watch a film, or driving up to a Blockbuster and hoping that there's at least one extra copy of Saving Private Ryan left.
The viewer experience for television shows and films has moved to a much more personal setting. The general movie-going experience was in a theater, and if (at home) gathered around a television set with your friends and family. Since Netflix is now available and used mainly on personal devices like computers, tablets, and smartphones, most consumers are absorbing this content in a much more personal experience that only requires their computer or smart device, and a pair of headphones in order to watch an entire television series.
We can see how this has definitely affected the distribution of television shows. A content provider like Netflix has produced numerous original films and television shows. Two of the most well known are "House of Cards" and "Orange Is The New Black". Binge watching shows has become a popular, cultural norm in society today, and in response, Netflix puts up an entire season of a television show when it's ready rather than just releasing one episode at a time. They do this because they know the habits of their viewers, and that all of the new content will be consumed.
I think that this makes the market much more volatile. Whether it's a good or bad thing, I'm not sure. It's hard to say right now because this is still such a new addition to our society and the way we consume media texts. Things are far more competitive, however, because all of these companies in the industry are trying to catch up and adapt to this model. Just last month, movie theaters started announcing that their IMAX screens will be showing the newest episodes of Game of Thrones. To me, this seems like the movie theater industry reacting to the change in consumer culture that Netflix has brought into the media market.
Netflix allows viewers to watch entire seasons of a show at a time. Binge watching increases the demand for new shows, new seasons, new material. Consumers spend one week watching a show that would normally take 20 weeks. There is less room for advertisers and more competition for networks. Streaming shows online allows production companies to take more risks with content. If the highest quality of content is online, networks will be forced to push their boundaries as well. This sort of competition makes the market more volatile and subject to change.
Netflix has altered the way films and televisions shows are distributed/exhibited by releasing whole seasons of shows at one time. This gives the consumer the ability to watch a show in a fragment of the time that it would have taken if they watched the show when it was originally released. This puts a pressure on networks to keep up with this fast pace in releasing new shows. This contributes to the market becoming more volatile because conditions are constantly changing.
Netflix’s digital distribution has given consumers the ability to watch a multitude of television shows and films essentially whenever and wherever they please, as long as they have a device that is capable of streaming the content offered on the site. With the wide breadth and variety of content that is readily available to viewers at any given time and place, exhibition is no longer limited to screenings only on television or in theaters, but can occur virtually anywhere where internet is available. We don’t necessarily have to be sitting in front of our televisions at a certain time to watch our shows anymore. Like others have said, Netflix also allows people to pay a small subscription fee for the ability to binge watch entire seasons of shows as they please, without commercials or advertisements. Through Netflix, distribution and exhibition are capable of happening quickly and efficiently through a single platform and to millions of people around the world, which I think makes the market much more volatile and able to quickly change in an unpredictable manner, for the better or worse. Those working in the industry need to keep up with trends, conditions, and social tastes much more rapidly to ensure that their products are successful in terms of their distribution and exhibition.
Because Netflix reaches viewers in the comfort of their own homes and is in the form of a subscription, it requires less traditional forms of distribution and exhibition. There is a stronger direct connection between viewers and content producers compared to some other forms of media. Exhibitors don't have to engage in much promotional activity because Netflix doesn't have ads or commercial breaks. It is definitely altering the way we watch film/tv because of the competition it creates, the temptation to stay home rather than go out to the movie theaters, and for most of us college students, it gives us the chance to watch tv/film without paying for any cable networks. I agree with everyone else that this makes the market more volatile and it will be interesting to see how companies adapt to the changes.
Netflix, along with a few other key players in the digital streaming movement, has changed the way we watch television/film.
Whereas it used to be an experience we shared with others, huddled around the television screen for 'this week's episode of Friends', it is now an individual act. We watch television in our bedrooms, cuddled up with our computer screens. And we watch it for HOURS! Once we finish one episode, we have the ability to simply press a button and watch the next one, and the next one, etc.
I have noticed a pattern that every time a new television series emerges, and is labelled as popular by our culture, everyone is in somewhat of a rush to get through it so they can discuss it with those around them. It is now more of a tradition to talk about the shows together than it is to watch them together.
Netflix, along with Amazon, and Hulu, have pretty much revolutionized the way young people watch television and film. I say young people because in my opinion I think its the younger generations that are watching more media on their computers and using streaming to consume media. Netflix gives people the ability to both binge watch and watch what they want in the comfort of their own home. Another thing I think is appealing is that it is subscription based, and many people share subscriptions making it lower cost to watch movies than if you were to go to the theater and pay upwards of $12 for a single movie. However, there are drawbacks to this. The experience is completely different at the movies and Netflix often takes away the social experience we used to have watching films and waiting every week to watch our favorite TV shows. I don't think the change is inherently good or bad, it is just a different way to consume media.
I think that Netflix changes the way films and television shows are distributed/ exhibited by meeting the customers’ needs. It means to alter the way by releasing the movies with multiple choices of movies through streaming online whenever the customers want to see them instead of the style of television shows and films, which have restricted to watch in many ways such as we can see only the time they are broadcasting, and we have limited choices when we see when we want to.
I think that it makes the market more volatile by the advent of many flexible ways. The ways to sell the media products are getting more although the market is limited in how much customers spend money and time for the media products. For example, customers see movies on Netflix so they often don’t go to theater and don’t watch television shows because they choose the more confortable way they prefer and they are limited in money and time they can spend for their amusement. Thus, it leads to get competitive market. And also the original traditional companies have to respond to new strategies, which cut down the profits of the original and traditional companies indirectly, to survive at the time they appear.
Netflix has made it so that customers can now easily access a wide range of films and television shows without having to pay a lot of money. They make it so that customers can make a list of shows or movies they want to watch almost any time they want (except for when those shows or movies are pulled from the site). This means that media companies can now reach out to people who may not have cable or really go out to movie theaters anymore. What numbers they may not have gotten from the premiere they can get back on Netflix. The best and worst thing about Netflix is the idea that you can literally binge watch entire seasons of shows. Want to avoid that midterm you need to write? Go ahead and treat yo self to half a season of Parks and Recreation! By having TV shows available to stream on Netflix, it means that there does not need to be the little summary in the beginning telling people what happened last time because they know what happened. This leaves more room for content.
This makes the market more competitive but also a little insecure. What happens if a show does terribly on cable but then is highly rated on Netflix? Will Netflix get the rights to the show to get it to continue? I honestly have no clue. Part of me thinks that it will get to the point where shows that want to be successful stop premiering on TV and start premiering online. That way they can get an idea right off the bat if TV shows will be popular or total tanks.
Netflix is giving films and television shows another opportunity to distribute and exhibit to the consumer making the market unpredictable. Companies do not know what to do with this new format of distribution. They do not know how to make money off a platform where viewers only pay a monthly fee.
But Netflix gives viewers exactly what they want, it’s what they have always desired: a quick and easy way to offer viewers film and television. Whereas film and television companies make viewers wait and pay more till view or own a text, Netflix appeases the viewers desire for instant satisfaction. While film and television companies slowly adapt Netflix is conquering it’s own market by producing it’s own film and television shows that are actually successful. Overall Netflix takes away a viewers desire and need to wait for movie and tv releases or to go to a theater or purchase tv shows. Instead they can watch Netflix original material while waiting for their show to be released on the less expensive and more binge friendly platform.
Netflix has definitely had a huge impact on the way people watch television and movies. Netflix is made it possible to stream a wide variety of tv shows and films from the comfort of one's home, at a cost that's way cheaper overall than paying for movie tickets. Netflix is also streamable on any device, phone, tablet, etc., meaning people can watch at the gym, the car, or basically anywhere. Netflix does not air commercials so people can enjoy their favorite shows without those interruptions and are also able to watch full series at a time. Netflix has created its own television shows that are only available on Netflix, like Orange is the New Black and House of Cards, which creates competition between networks because those shows are wildly popular and only available via Netflix. Content is riskier and more innovative on Netflix.
In regard to online streaming services and distribution, I completely agree with Katelyn on this. From personal experience, I have noticed that nearly everyone in my age demographic would rather stream content from their laptop than go to an actual movie theater, primarily because of the cost.
On the other hand, my parents absolutely love going to the movie theater- I don't believe the reason for this is because they have the money to do so, but more so, because it gives them something to do.
Something to be considered in this discussion in the generational gap from individuals around college age, to the general demographic of our parents. In my opinion, the generational gap for this age group deals with a bigger difference because of the introduction of technology that happened in between. For our parents to our grandparents, I don't believe that their gap was as large.
If college aged students had more money and more time, generally, I think there might be a bit more of a draw to participate in movie going rather than laying in bed, alone, and binge watching a show on Netflix or Hulu. For my own sake, I don't think that streaming is bad, like Katelyn said. However, I disagree in that streaming will take negative effects on aspects of the industry and somewhat kill a social, interactive factor that it once had.
Netflix has changed the distribution game and put the industry on its head. No longer do consumers have to wait months, almost half a year for a film to be released. Now they can see the films ASAP and in some cases the same days as release. Also, instead of buying a series shows on dvd for keeps, a consumer can now stream and binge-watch an entire series. Think of all the forgotten DVD collections of FRIENDS now that the series is available on Netflix.
Because of this additional streaming option, distributors are dealing with a new competitive market that values instant gratification and convenience. The question is whether the answer to this trend will be fought with other instant gratification and convenience technologies, or will distributors find radical ways to peak a consumer's interests and draw them to a particular series or film.
Netflix has changed the game within the film and TV industries. It offers a subscription based service that has become a new platform for the distribution and exhibition of content. The quality of content is almost on par with film and tv too. Netflix now offers exclusive show, like House of Cards. It has forced Hollywood to rethink its models for all phases of production and distribution/exhibition. More and more people are staying in their homes to watch Netflix rather than going out to the movies. However, in response to this, theatre’s are offering memberships and exhibiting TV shows, like Game of Thrones. At the moment, Netflix has definitely made the industry more volatile. But in the end, I still believe the theaters will have their place, overall, they are perceived as the premium content and exhibition providers.
Netflix has altered the way film and tv is distributed and exhibited to the consumer in a way that makes the market under traditional models more volatile. Now there is another platform for the consumer to choose from. This means that distributors have to distribute their tv or film to not only one but two platforms. What is being exhibited where is impacted by this because now the older models like going to the theater need to fight to survive. One thing that they are doing is changing what is exhibited in theaters. Theaters are trying to draw in crowds my maybe showing popular tv series such as Game of Thrones. Netflix is also making more content available to viewers and giving the consumer more control over what they are viewing meaning more things are being distributed but not necessarily "exhibited". Also Netflix is interesting because consumers pay a subscription to watch unlimited amount of content where as with the theater or tv you have to pay to watch the movie again or are not in control of what tv show is on when. So distributors and exhibtors have to think about what to charge in order to make money on distributing the rights to show a film to tv show. This makes the market more volatile in trying to find their audiences and revenues.
Netflix is changing traditional methods of distribution and exhibition and is making the market more volatile. Especially in the film industry, many companies are experimenting with different distribution methods and are using Netflix as a platform to distribute their media texts. More movies might even start doing simultaneous releases with Netflix or even might opt to skip the theater altogether. I agree with a lot of the above comments and think that it is hard to say whether this shift in online streaming is good or bad. Having shows and movies available on Netflix is meeting the consumer’s needs more but is cutting into traditional exhibition practices like movie theaters. However, the industry needs to keep up with the rapid changes, because there is a definite shift. Even just by looking at the viewing habits of our class, there is a need for distributors and exhibitors to keep up with the consumer demand for immediate online distribution.
Netflix obviously provides a quick, comfortable and easy way to receive media on any media and mobile device for the viewer. Never before have consumers been able to watch entire series of their favorite show without interruption of commercials or without buying a DVD. Netflix may seem as a danger to film and television companies but I think it would be smart for them to allow streaming of their programs on the sit, as many do. It increases awareness and fandom and they can make profit from the site itself if its a success. However, the dangers are still present in the way that direct ratings and live viewers on TV can be cut down to due the argument " oh I'll just wait till its on netflix or another streaming online site", due to the generation not watching as much live TV broadcast of shows and the reliance on internet availability and access. So in this sense, Netflix and streaming can make the market less volatile because it affects the ratings and networks viewers. But as far as new horizons and making changes towards the new generations, we may see that streaming and netflix are the future way of making huge profits and violable markets for TV networks and broadcast companies.
Netflix has changed the viewing process of television series and movies. Television shows specifically are "binged" watched on Netflix by users constantly, making it so a show has to entertain an audience much longer than 30 min or an hour. These difference are quite evident when you compare a Netflix original series like "Orange is the New Black" to traditional television show that has been on a while, like "Private Practice". Netflix has made the idea of a "cliff hanger" not as necessary in the plot of a show, and has put the pressure on the creators to create content that is "binge worthy" for viewers to spend hours on end watching. I think this makes the market more volatile because it forces writers to write content that is interesting for a longer period of time and create better overall content in general. This creates a different competitive playing field for writers, especially for shows that air on tv networks but will be put on Netflix later on. Because they have to balance the attention span of fans who are watching the show live every week when it comes out and the binge watchers who will watch it in a few years.
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