At the moment, streaming services are experiencing a real boom. The pandemic has intensified this even more, because people spend a lot of time at home and it is not possible to visit a movie theater at all. Even movies that didn’t make it to theaters because of the pandemic are now being offered more frequently via various streaming portals.
So the trend is toward streaming and away from classic cinema and, above all, away from linear television. But there is more behind this than just a shift in the medium. Rather, it is currently about how films and series are produced and what innovations there are compared to earlier productions. Technical innovations also play a major role here, giving producers better opportunities.
This can also be seen in the releases. Because the time that a film was exclusively shown in theaters is getting shorter and shorter. In the past, it took months for a theatrical film to appear on DVD or years for it to appear on television. This is no longer the case today. Movies and series are often released in parallel in theaters and on the corresponding platforms on the Internet.
This fact already shows that there is a shift towards streaming services. The current state of the world has played its part, because it is no longer even possible to show films in a cinema. The producers from Hollywood therefore have no other option if they want to present their films to the public.
The Turnaround in Figures
Netflix is the prime example of streaming services, as the American corporation has already reached a user base of 200,000,000. This fact may frighten cinema operators and film producers, but it is only an acceleration of the actual trend. Even before the pandemic, the numbers were constantly increasing and the newly won money could be used to pay for larger and more elaborate productions. And this is precisely where the sticking point lies.
The streaming providers are now producing their own films and series. Some of these are produced so lavishly and with so much detail that even the classic producers from Hollywood are amazed. One example is the series “Game of Thrones,” which was produced by HBO.
This series broke all records and makes the classic cinema seem very small and insignificant. Even if the cinemas open their doors again at some point, it can be assumed that fewer people will take advantage of the offer.
How is Film Production Done Now?
As mentioned, Netflix, Amazon Prime and many others now produce their own movies and series. There are many reasons for this. One of the main reasons, however, is that they can respond much better to users’ wishes. This is because the providers collect data without end, which is a significant difference from Hollywood productions. With this collected data, the new series are tailored very precisely to the respective target groups and adapted to their wishes. This guarantees the success of a series and there is no longer any fear of landing a flop.
The streaming providers control everything that has to do with a production. They determine the scripts, hire a so-called showrunner, distribute orders to production companies and accompany the entire production. With this approach, streaming providers can always intervene and correct any mistakes, thus constantly improving the production.
Above all, the role of the showrunner is relatively new and seems to have a major impact on the success of new series and films. The showrunner can also be called a so-called fixer, because he is responsible for ensuring that everything runs smoothly. The showrunner has the task of mediating between the various entities involved in a production to achieve the best possible result.
This job is mainly responsible for the fact that the new series has such an enormous success. The streaming services appreciate the job of the showrunner, because he is their mediator between the fronts and has to make sure that the wishes of the clients are implemented. The high flexibility as well as the great knowledge about the collected data make the new productions much better and more detailed than classic productions.
One new fact is that series productions always have several writers at the same time, rather than one script writer as in the past. The writers work together in a team and have the advantage that they can produce quickly and with high quality. During a production, the writers achieve a very high degree of flexibility, so that they rewrite and change entire scenes during the shoot.
Streaming is Already the Ultimate Experience
The numbers don’t lie. With the high user numbers of streaming providers and their novel production methods, it is already foreseeable that cinema and television will soon be passé. This trend can also be seen in the classic film awards, which were actually reserved for Hollywood studios. In recent years, more and more series have been nominated at the Oscars.
Previously, only productions that were also seen in the cinema were allowed to participate. This has now changed and the world seems ready for a new way of enjoying series and movies. Another big advantage of streaming services is that of cost. Big Hollywood productions have a huge budget, which is also always exhausted and even increased if necessary.
Netflix and the like, on the other hand, try to keep costs low and adjust them as needed. However, they adjust the budget so that they can still make money with it. They know exactly how many people will watch a new series and can plan better accordingly. With feature films, the question is always whether the film will bring in enough money to justify its large budget.
Can the Cinemas Be Saved?
Cinemas are at an important crossroads in their history. Not only the cinemas, but also large established production companies and everything else that is based in Hollywood. To keep up with the new technical innovations of streaming services, they have to reinvent themselves. However, the big cinemas still have the advantage of the experience.
This means that a visit to the cinema is equivalent to an event and therefore stands out from the streaming services. Series on Netflix and Amazon Prime can only be watched from home and have to be within your own four walls.
This is different in the cinema, where you are virtually exposed to a film with many others and experience it together. Hollywood productions also continue to be sold to all streaming providers, which is a billion-dollar business.
So the two parties still need each other. It is also conceivable that extremely successful films from Netflix or Amazon Prime will run in theaters in order to have the complete feeling of immersion there. This is not possible in front of one’s own screen, which is why many people will continue to be drawn to theaters in the future.
