Is Barack and Michelle Obama's agreement to produce exclusive content for Netflix part of a quest for world domination by the streaming behemoth? DW spoke to media expert Amanda Lotz about the Netflix boom.
Image: Reuters/J. Bourg
Advertisement
Netflix has been aggressively producing its own original content in recent years in a bid to bypass the Hollywood studio monopoly, and to create a library of exclusive content that can be shown around the world.
Having recently acquired the rights for Martin Scorsese's next film starring Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, the streaming service now has an exclusive deal with Michelle and Barack Obama to create content that the latter said aims to "cultivate and curate the talented, inspiring, creative voices who are able to promote greater empathy and understanding between peoples" — a very different sounding approach to current US President Donald Trump, who shot to fame with his reality TV show The Apprentice in the 2000s.
Amanda Lotz, media scholar and professor at the University of Michigan, told DW about how the deal is part of a revolutionary new content model that draws diverse global audiences.
DW: Netflix has just hit 125 million subscribers worldwide, with more than half based outside of the US. How is the streaming service rapidly becoming the world's biggest global content provider, and one that is outcompeting traditional TV broadcasters?
Netflix is rapidly expanding its global internet TV audienceImage: picture alliance/dpa/A.Heinl
Amanda Lotz: One thing that is distinctive about Netflix is that it actually tries to target many different niches. We've had international TV for a long time, but haven't had the technology that has the kind of opportunities that Netflix has in terms of having a catalogue instead of a TV schedule, and in terms of making programming available simultaneously around the globe at the same time. That's really different.
So I think initially maybe Netflix thought that they'd be pushing most of their catalogue from the US abroad. But I think we've seen good evidence already that they are also committed to developing content in many of the other markets that they're in [for instance, the German-produced serie Dark - Editor's note].
By drawing from a global audience, those different niches they target don't have to be in one country, but in many countries. The TV business has been licensing to individual nations in a way that sets up national identity as being the most important part of what works in different places. What Netflix is able to do is break down those barriers and focus on different kinds of communities all around the globe, without conceiving of them as living in a specific place.
What does the Obama's exclusive new deal say about the Netflix's efforts to create its own exclusive content outside the traditional Hollywood movie and TV model?
I think it falls in line with some of the other stories of the last months of exclusive deals made with Ryan Murphy and Shonda Rhimes [the highly successful producers were poached from major TV networks in seven figure deals, with Netflix have already bought the rights to stream Rhimes' series, Grey's Anatomy - Editor's note].
A service like Netflix is cultivating a library instead of a TV schedule, and is trying to keep all of its content just in the Netflix library – they're not trying to sell it off on the secondary market. Since that's the core part of the business model, exclusivity is a real advantage for them.
So big buzzy moves like this where there are public figure like the Obamas, and Netflix being the only place that you can go for that content, I think it's something that is both very good for Netflix expanding its brand and saying "we're gonna be more than series."
We don't know really what the Obamas will do, but I think what we see here is that Netflix is a service that is many different things. It's a great place to find access to a lot of documentaries that you may not be able to access in other places. There's an interest in this kind of programming and the kind of vision that the Obamas want to develop. But to have such a big name developing their exclusive catalogue is really important.
'Dark' and other German TV series to watch worldwide
'Dark' was Netflix's first German-language production; here are more German series that have reached an international audience.
Image: Netflix
Netflix German series 'Dark'
The first German language TV series produced by Netflix for the international market, "Dark" was released on December 1, 2017. The first season consists of 10 episodes and tells the story of four families living in a small German town. The disappearance of two young children in surrounding forest leads to investigations revealing that something shady has been happening there since the 1980s.
Image: Netflix
Dark worlds
The series was directed by Baran bo Odar and his wife, Jantje Friese, wrote the screenplay. The Swiss director filmed a similar story with the 2010 feature film, "The Silence," another thriller that interconnects two generations of a family in a small provincial German town. As the title suggests, his latest offering is a lot darker and claustrophobic.
Image: Netflix
Ambitious production: 'Babylon Berlin'
The most expensive non-English drama series ever produced, "Babylon Berlin" started airing in Germany last October. Netflix purchased broadcast rights for the US. Three directors, including Tom Tykwer, recreated the atmosphere of Berlin in the 1920s for this period drama.
Image: 2017 X Filme/Frédéric Batier
Amazon's German series 'You Are Wanted'
The first German series to be produced by Amazon, "You Are Wanted" started airing in March 2017 and was also made available worldwide through the Amazon Prime streaming service. It was directed by Matthias Schweighöfer, who also plays the lead role in this series dealing with cyber crime. Despite dividing the critics, the show's second season is already in production.
Image: picture alliance / Stephan Rabold/Amazon/dpa
A sequel for 'Deutschland 83'
Broadcast on SundanceTV, "Deutschland 83" was the first German-language series to air on a US network with English subtitles. The show obtained a number of accolades, including an International Emmy Award. The second season of this Cold War spy thriller, titled "Deutschland 86," has just been released on Amazon Prime.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/R. Hirschberger
Berlin mafia: '4 Blocks'
"4 Blocks," directed by Marvin Kren, is set in the Berlin district of Neukölln and is centered on different organized crime family clans. The series obtained rave reviews, with some critics comparing it to the US TV hit "The Sopranos." Since October 2017, it is available in over 150 countries on Amazon Video. A second season is in the making.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Handout/2017 Turner Broadcasting System Europe Limited & Wiedemann & Berg Television GmbH & Co.
6 images1 | 6
Will Netflix focus more on international content, including for example German Netflix series like Dark, to appeal to its growing global audience? Or will it continue to primarily produce its own content in the US for its biggest market?
I think it's important to recognize that it's not an either or. I think they'll do both. Looking at this from the perspective of the US, and the economics of a cable channel or broadcast network, for a long time the perception was that there wasn't a big enough market in the US for a lot of international content. But the Netflix distribution system allows for that market to be identified and serviced. Once Netflix pays to create that content, it's in its global library and they have greater rights and access to it and the ability to put in more markets.
So Netflix is taking advantage of the opportunity that the technology allows to both have these libraries that can be much deeper than a TV schedule could ever be, and to be in many places at the same time.
Can we expect the Netflix streaming model to eventually overpower the traditional broadcast model? Is that starting to happen already?
It's hard to know. The angle that a lot of press and analysts take is this expectation that it's a battle that only one can win. The way I see it is that the TV ecosystem is expanding and as long as broadcast is doing something different from what an entity like Netflix does, then it continues to stay alive.
Controversies in Cannes at the 71st Film Festival
A competition with few big names but lots of politically explosive material. An argument with Netflix. German cinema's disappointing presence. An overview of the issues facing Cannes as the film festival opens.
Image: Memento Films
An Iranian opener
Persian director Asghar Farhadi has been given the honor of opening the festival this year. The two-time Oscar winner has two big stars in his Spanish-Italian-French co-production "Everybody Knows." Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem play the lead roles in the thriller, which is up for the Golden Palm along with 20 other nominees.
Image: Memento Films
Hollywood engagement
US director Spike Lee and his latest movie "BlacKkKlansman" is a contender for the Golden Palm. Lee, who has often dealt with the subject of racism in his previous work, looks at the case of a police officer who smuggled himself into the Ku Klux Klan in this movie. Spike Lee is one of just two US directors (the other is David Robert Mitchell) in contention this year.
Image: D. Lee/F. Features
A strong showing from France
French cinema naturally sees the Cannes Film Festival as a game on home turf. A total of five French films are competing this year: from the arthouse film "The Image Book" by 87-year-old master Jean-Luc Godard to the love story "Sorry Angel" (above) by director Christophe Honoré, the cinematic motherland presents itself more strongly than any other nation in the competition.
Image: C. Honoré
Competing politics
There's often something new afoot in Cannes but this year the novelty is political: two films in the competition are by directors who are under house arrest in their homeland. Iranian Jafer Panahi sent his film "Three Faces," while the Russian director Kirill Serebrennikov forwarded his latest contribution, "Leto" (above). It's unlikely the directors can present their work in Cannes personally.
Image: K. Serebrennikow
Artsy films from the world over
Arthouse films by big name directors: these have been of particular interest in Cannes over the past few years. They've taken a back seat this year as the world awaits new works by famous directors. Pictured here: Turkish star director Nuri Bilge Ceylan's "The Wild Pear Tree" traces the fate of a young writer who returns to their rural home.
Image: nbcfilm
A woman for (jury) president
The film which will take home the Palme d'Or on May 19 is decided by, among others, Australian actress Cate Blanchett, who is the 2018 president of the jury. She sits on the jury along with several other women, including actresses Léa Seydoux and Kristen Stewart (from France and the US respectively) along with directors Andrey Petrovich Zvyagintsev (Russia) and Denis Villeneuve (Canada).
Image: Getty Images/I. Gavan
Lars von Trier's return
It was a bit unexpected that the Danish director Lars von Trier would appear again at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2011, he caused a scandal after he had allegedly expressed sympathy for Adolf Hitler at a press conference. The festival then excluded him. But this year Trier can show his new movie, "The House That Jack Built," albeit outside the competition.
Image: Zentropa-Christian Geisnaes
The German and the Pope
Once again, we are looking for German directors at the competition in Cannes in vain. There are a few films being shown on the side and "out of competition," including Wim Wenders' new documentary "Pope Francis – a man of his word" who is presenting his film at the Croisette. The film was created in close collaboration with the head of the Catholic Church.
Image: W. Wenders
Ulrich Köhler makes it to the "Un certain regard" series
Yet German director Ulrich Köhler was able to make the leap into the renowned side events, "Un Certain Regard" with his film, "In My Room." In the film, Köhler, who is the life partner of the award-winning director Maren Ade, looks at the midlife crisis of a man who wakes up one morning only to realize that all of humanity has disappeared.
Image: U. Köhler
Von Trotta's personal look at Ingmar Bergman
A third German is represented in Cannes: Margarethe von Trotta is showing her documentary "Ingmar Bergman," which she staged together with Felix Möller. Von Trotta had a personal relationship with Bergman. The festival honored the Swede, who was born 100 years ago, in 1997 with the "Palm of the Palm," a special prize for the "best director of all time."
Image: Epicentre Films
Han Solo's world premiere
As American films are not well represented at the festival this year, fewer Hollywood stars are expected. But fans of blockbuster cinema will still go home happy. The latest Star Wars opus "A Star Wars Story" premieres in Cannes. The film shares the experiences of Han Solo in a plot-heavy flick located in the Star Wars chronology spectrum as being before the very first movie from 1977.
Image: 2018 Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.
The question of Netflix
One of the controversies to hit the Cannes film festival ahead of its opening was an argument with streaming platform Netflix. Questions about their presence at the festival and what they can show arose as Cannes requires a theatrical release for the works while Netflix premieres their own works online, for subscribers. The argument could not be resolved and Netflix films won't be screened.
