You have to be living under a rock to not realize that in the past one decade Netflix has completely revolutionized how we consume digital content. In the past we were limited to user-shared content on streaming services like YouTube, and if we wanted to watch a film or TV shows we had to either catch it in theater or wait for the DVD (or Blu-Ray, if you could afford it).
Many of us have even waited for films to release on TV, which used to happen after a few months of its original release.
Netflix started out by releasing only already-released TV shows and films which were also available in our nearby video store, however the selling point offered by the company was convenience: you had an entire library of content available to you at the click of a button, and thanks to its optimized servers and high-definition content, the service quickly picked up millions of subscribers due to its exceptional services.
A Daring Move
Soon, Netflix realized it had a lot of potential to expand upon its customer base. Also, many competitors started to pop up in the market, selling the exact same offering as Netflix at a cheaper price which acted as a very potential threat.
However, Netflix already had a lot of muscle, and instead of offering discounts or sign-up promotions like most companies do at this point, the streaming service instead went into production of its own original content, a daring move considering that giant production houses like Universal and Paramount were creating films worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
Netflix Originals
What made Netflix productions different was that the studio did not base the content of its shows upon gut instinct as practiced in traditional Hollywood studios. Instead, the company used data combined with intelligently crafted algorithms to depict exactly what viewers wanted to watch.
This algorithm-processed data delivered insights into what kind of content proved most successful, and the service designed its content accordingly. Sure enough, the shows which started streaming on Netflix became wildly popular, receiving praise from viewers and also multiple Golden Globe and Emmy nominations.
But more importantly, the original shows brought in more business for Netflix, as the service released the entire season of a TV show all at once to allow users the choice to binge-watch. Combine that with the ease of streaming, Netflix has surely become one of the most popular digital streaming services in the world
A Prolific Producer
There is no stopping the chief of Netflix original films, Scott Stuber, who has come with a vision to establish Netflix as a complete end-end value chain driven by user demand, providing high quality content from some of the leading filmmakers in the industry. Award-winning actors like Meryl Streep and Sandra Bullock have also signed up to partake in the films.
Considering the investment which has gone into the studio and the number of projects that are currently planned, it seems Netflix holds the capacity to deliver 90 films a year, which includes 55 original films and the rest in documentaries as well as animated features (produced in other divisions of the company). For comparison purposes, take the example of Universal Studios. The production house is known to release many films every year, however even it releases around 30 films in a year.
Greater Diversity
Although some filmmakers have criticized their peers who have opted to make films for Netflix, mostly because they believe that films are supposed to be seen on the big screen and making films for small screens defeats the purpose, however Netflix has actually afforded filmmakers the opportunity to produce what they want.
Many art directors have been given a chance to make films for the medium which have previously been rejected by contemporary media houses. This means that viewers would be witnessing a more diverse content on the service than anywhere else, and considering how famous its original content has become, Hollywood must catch up or otherwise Netflix would take over the entire industry for sure.