Dear Netflix: Give Us More Films, Not Faster Films
With normal playback speed, I do look back at how much Netflix I have watched and am appalled. I can name countless times where I pause an episode to see how many I have left in the season, only to find that the one I’m on is the last one.
The most recent hit of reality was when I was binging the show “Unbelievable,” (which, if you haven’t watched already, I highly suggest- it’s raw, poignant, and has Toni Collette) and found that I had easily completed the series within two days.
This may not seem super quick for some avid viewers, but it definitely seemed like a whole bunch of content, and a large amount of hours, fit into binging. And now, Netflix wants to make binging even faster. They’ve surmised a plan to have an option to watch things at 1.5 speed, so that you can finish that season even faster.
Playing film and TV faster is just ridiculous at this point. I’m aware our generation’s attention span is shorter, and I’m aware that binging Netflix is a pastime now. But we watch shows that keep our attention. We don’t pick shows that bore us, because what’s the point in wasting such lengths of time?
And, within the art, 1.5 speed defeats the purpose of making entertainment. We’re supposed to be involved within the show, supposed to be reactive to it and take it all in on the film’s own (normal) time.
Aside from the fact that the pitch will be distorted and half the sentences will come out nearly incomprehensible without subtitles, it depreciates the artistic integrity. You won’t be able to pick up on as many things that may make the show/film even better.
Those in the industry have not taken this news lightly, either. Not only does Netflix want to do this for their own originals, but they also want to take pre-existing work and allow the quicker playback option for them as well.
They messed with the wrong industry. Brad Bird, a director of films like, “The Incredibles,” took to Twitter and retweeted the news saying “Another spectacularly bad idea, and another cut to the already bleeding-out cinema experience.”
And to some extent, it’s all too real. While shows and films are progressively getting longer, they’re getting longer because viewers want them to. They want more content, more characterization. Most won’t fly through the film at quicker playback, and if they want something more digestible, shorter content does exist. As much as we’d like to deny it, and while it’s slowly reshifting itself, streaming services have hurt the entertainment industry. And now they want the control again.
However, both creators and Netflix viewers are coming together to fight the intended change.
Judd Apatow has threatened to collect creators, actors, and more that he knows in order to prevent it, saying that “[He] will win but it will take a ton of time,” yet time is (literally) of the essence here. If directors wanted something to be viewed quickly, they’d speed up their own footage or suggest it. Netflix seems to value quantity over quality.
The film/TV industry is great. It’s creative, immersive, and can be jaw-dropping. However, it’s (mostly) intentional and planned down to the props. Speeding up to even 1.5 speed can take away from the director’s intentions, and in extreme cases, take away from what was meant to be told through the film. You’re more likely to binge-watch shows that you’re interested in, ones that you know you’re bound to enjoy.
One mustn’t confuse enjoyment with hoarding: happiness isn’t brought from the amount of things you watch, but rather the quality of the shows you do. Netflix’s failure to understand that is merely for money-grabs, but is sure to continue to fall under scrutiny, and all for good reason.