Reel Facts & Opinions: Spielberg v. Netflix

The 91^stOscars may be long over (read Reel Speak’s recap HERE), but the smoke still hasn’t cleared; fresh smoke that has come from famed director Steven Spielberg fanning the flames of the war between streaming services and movie theatres. The 72-year-old, Oscar-winning filmmaker of SCHINDLER’S LIST, and mega-hits such as JAWS and RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, has recently made it clear that he plans to speak in favor of rule changes that would exclude films produced by streaming companies from being considered for Academy Awards. Spielberg, who represents the Director’s Branch of the Academy, will propose the rule changes at the upcoming Academy Governors’ Board Meeting, and seems to be a direct response to the Netflix-produced film ROMA, which in this year’s Oscars earned 10 nominations with three wins. Spielberg’s proposal is rooted in the idea that films made by and for a home-streaming service are not really “films” if they don’t play in a theatre, and should not be considered for Oscars, but for TV Emmy’s. 

Is he right? Is he wrong? The debate is endless, but the younger generation, in their haste to defend things that their generation created, has jumped to a lot of conclusions without facts or thought. This Blogger’s aim is to clear up some of the smoke by tackling the most common fallacies. 

Netflix is being treated unfairly 

Yes and no. Netflix really isn’t that different from all the other Hollywood studios out there making movies, and they should be treated just like Disney or Warner Bros. For a film to be considered for Best Picture, the requirements are simple; be at least 40 minutes long, run in movie theatres in Los Angeles for at least one week, and it must not be broadcast in a non-theatre format (like streaming or TV) before its theatrical run. All the other studios play by these rules, so why should Netflix, or any other streaming service like Amazon or Hulu be treated differently? They shouldn’t. The rules apply to all. Last year Netflix played along and gave ROMA a theatrical run, and it nearly paid off at the Oscars. Spielberg wants to change that eligibility, but he really doesn’t need to because it works. Netflix played nice, as did Amazon Studios in 2016 when their MANCHESTER BY THE SEA got a theatrical run and nearly won Best Picture. 

It’s all about money

Of course it is. Hollywood cares about art but they care about dollars more. You can’t stay in business if you don’t do business, and movie theatres are a primary source of income. Netflix’s model of releasing most of their films exclusively on streaming has been a threat to the theatre experience, and perhaps Spielberg’s assault on home streaming has a lot to do with that. But here’s where Netflix really ruffles feathers; Netflix does not license its movies to theatres, and instead rents the theatre space which means they get to keep all the ticket sales to themselves. Theatres don’t get a cut, and that is a problem. That’s an indication that Netflix doesn’t want to play the game the way everyone else does, and they come off as the new guy at work who wants to do everything different. With that in mind, it’s no wonder that the older generation, and Hollywood doesn’t like how Netflix operates. 

Netflix movies aren’t really movies

From an art perspective, this isn’t true. Television and home streaming companies are more than capable of making a movie and making good ones. But guess what, if it’s made-for-TV, then it’s made for TV. It doesn’t mean that its worse, it just means its different. Home services such as HBO have been making quality films for years without anyone banging the drum for Oscars, and it’s only because Netflix is cool and hip and popular that it is now. This Blogger’s take is to leave the Academy rules just the way they are, and its up to Netflix if they want to attend the party or stay at home.