3 ms·

The article is missing the forest for the trees. Hollywood isn't snubbing Netflix (in my opinion, anyways). Hollywood is all about the cinema and the theatrical

by jbob2000 9y ago

The article is missing the forest for the trees. Hollywood isn't snubbing Netflix (in my opinion, anyways). Hollywood is all about the cinema and the theatrical release. It is a completely different experience streaming a movie at home than going to see it in the theatre. Netflix makes movies to keep people subscribed. Hollywood makes movies to get people to the cinema. On the surface, it looks like they're in the same business, but the products are engineered differently for different purposes. It makes sense to keep these in separate buckets; they are rated by different metrics.

DamnYuppie 9y ago
I will be honest the only draw of going to a theater is to see a new release. If they let me stream it form $30 one time to my home I would much rather do that. I don't enjoy the movie theater experience, kids being noisy, 25+ minutes of previews, and most importantly not being able to pause the movie to go to the bathroom!
- coliveira 9y ago
  That's exactly why Hollywood is not letting Netflix or anyone else to stream these new releases. They know very well what they're trying to sell.
  - shmerl 9y ago
    And they know, people aren't buying it. That's why they try to ban competition, thinking it will slow down the tide.
- ghaff 9y ago
  >most importantly not being able to pause the movie OTOH, not being distracted. I actually mostly like seeing movies in the theater now and then, albeit not enough to actually go out and see something more than once in a blue moon. But, yeah, it's mostly when there's some new release that I want to see without spoilers.
  - bhandziuk 9y ago
    Is the need to pee really badly not distracting to you?
ioeo93 9y ago
That’s a fine distinction to hold for yourself Doesn’t mean the traditional model must survive Personally, having been going to theaters since Return of the Jedi, the experience has lost novelty and is easily summarized as “been there done that over and over” for me
scott_s 9y ago
I completely disagree. I see Hollywood and Netflix producing the same product but having different business models. I do make conscious decisions about seeing movies in theaters versus at home - but in that case, it's not Hollywood competing with Netflix, as when I make that decision, I'm still paying the movie studio, as I pay to stream just that movie. All I'm doing there is cutting out the physical theaters. Watching a movie in the theater is different from streaming it at home. But the two experiences are in direct competition with each other. As I said above, I make conscious decisions about which movies I will watch in theaters and which I will wait to watch at home. Hollywood is fine with that process still keeps the specialness of a theatrical release: if I want to be a part of the hype and see it "at release" I need to go to the theater. What Netflix is showing is that we can just cut out the theatrical release part; it's not necessary. That threatens Hollywood's business model, and, I think, is emotionally hard on some Hollywood creators because it makes their work feel less special. But I actually think there's a more interesting tension showed by Netflix and HBO: the limitation of the movie as a medium. Both Netlfix and HBO have put movie-studio level investment into what we call "tv shows" but are really more like long-form movies. And people like it. A lot. It's an experience which can't be had in movie theaters, and I actually think that may be the longer-term threat to the current Hollywood, movie-studio to theater business model.

DamnYuppie 9y ago

I will be honest the only draw of going to a theater is to see a new release. If they let me stream it form $30 one time to my home I would much rather do that. I don't enjoy the movie theater experience, kids being noisy, 25+ minutes of previews, and most importantly not being able to pause the movie to go to the bathroom!

coliveira 9y ago
That's exactly why Hollywood is not letting Netflix or anyone else to stream these new releases. They know very well what they're trying to sell.
- shmerl 9y ago
  And they know, people aren't buying it. That's why they try to ban competition, thinking it will slow down the tide.
ghaff 9y ago
>most importantly not being able to pause the movie OTOH, not being distracted. I actually mostly like seeing movies in the theater now and then, albeit not enough to actually go out and see something more than once in a blue moon. But, yeah, it's mostly when there's some new release that I want to see without spoilers.
- bhandziuk 9y ago
  Is the need to pee really badly not distracting to you?

ioeo93 9y ago

That’s a fine distinction to hold for yourself Doesn’t mean the traditional model must survive Personally, having been going to theaters since Return of the Jedi, the experience has lost novelty and is easily summarized as “been there done that over and over” for me

scott_s 9y ago

I completely disagree. I see Hollywood and Netflix producing the same product but having different business models. I do make conscious decisions about seeing movies in theaters versus at home - but in that case, it's not Hollywood competing with Netflix, as when I make that decision, I'm still paying the movie studio, as I pay to stream just that movie. All I'm doing there is cutting out the physical theaters. Watching a movie in the theater is different from streaming it at home. But the two experiences are in direct competition with each other. As I said above, I make conscious decisions about which movies I will watch in theaters and which I will wait to watch at home. Hollywood is fine with that process still keeps the specialness of a theatrical release: if I want to be a part of the hype and see it "at release" I need to go to the theater. What Netflix is showing is that we can just cut out the theatrical release part; it's not necessary. That threatens Hollywood's business model, and, I think, is emotionally hard on some Hollywood creators because it makes their work feel less special. But I actually think there's a more interesting tension showed by Netflix and HBO: the limitation of the movie as a medium. Both Netlfix and HBO have put movie-studio level investment into what we call "tv shows" but are really more like long-form movies. And people like it. A lot. It's an experience which can't be had in movie theaters, and I actually think that may be the longer-term threat to the current Hollywood, movie-studio to theater business model.