Outline:
Matt Damon (55) is currently leading the Netflix charts with his police thriller “The Rip.” Alongside his friend Ben Affleck (53), he portrays Miami detectives who discover $20 million in an empty house and then compete against each other. On Joe Rogan’s podcast, Damon shared unexpectedly honest insights about how the streaming service now wants its movies to be produced.
Netflix now requires that a major event, or “big bang,” occur within the first five minutes — no longer reserved as a finale at the end, which was common before. For Damon, the reasoning is clear: “Because people are on their phones while watching.” Even more extreme is the demand to “repeat the plot three to four times in dialogue” so that viewers who are scrolling on the side can still understand the story. “This will increasingly influence how we tell stories,” Damon emphasized.
Damon likenesses film to going to church
The distinction between cinema and streaming is becoming increasingly evident. Cinema is more like attending a church service—you arrive at the scheduled time. It doesn’t wait for you. Moreover, you are seated in a theater with people from your community and experience something together.
At home, the atmosphere is entirely different. “The children are running around, the dogs are running around,” Damon explained about the interruptions in the family living room. It’s a completely different kind of focus that you can – or choose to – offer a movie in that setting.
“Adolescence” demonstrates that it can be approached in another way
As a contrast to Netflix’s new approach to content creation, Ben Affleck referenced the British Netflix limited series “Adolescence” during the same discussion. The show follows a 13-year-old individual accused of murder and defies standard Netflix conventions, such as lacking action right from the start, featuring extended silent scenes, and having minimal explanatory dialogue. “The series didn’t engage in any of that nonsense — and it’s amazing,” Affleck stated. It effectively shows that even within streaming, you don’t require “those techniques.”
The fact that the two Hollywood stars are not fully complying with Netflix’s guidelines is highlighted by a unique arrangement: As producers of “The Rip,” Damon and Affleck secured a deal with the platform that provides their team with additional rewards if the movie succeeds – which it certainly has. This bonus structure is uncommon in the streaming industry, as Netflix typically only pays fees in advance, according to the “New York Times.”