During a record period, Netflix turned from a mere movie viewing platform to a giant in the production world.

And despite its recent stock slump, it's still a flowing river of shows and movies.

But there is a feeling among viewers that there is something alike about Netflix shows.

And with each new series on the Netflix screen, these repeated observations appear, as the picture is generally dark, the colors are very saturated, and there is often a lot of colorful lighting in the night scenes, which makes everything look like it is lit by neon, and the actors also look as if the decorations (make-up) Their faces are stained, as well as the similarity of their costume details, says Jetta Jackson in an article for VICE's Motherboard.

Poster of the series "House of Cards" (La Casa de Papel) (communication sites)

This happens as a result of Netflix’s algorithms that follow the desires of the masses, as the platform’s organizers believe that when a spectator watches a movie and recommends it, he likes to watch another movie that is similar to it.

These algorithms track each person's data and try to preserve the taste of the masses.

Elisa Miller points out in an article on the “nofilmschool” website that it is good for everyone to receive recommendations for films that are similar to what they like, but it seems that this has turned into a cycle of similar shows that rely on high-voltage special effects, as a result of algorithm calculations.

Similar Offers

But what makes the shows look the same?

Film studies professor J.D. Kono attributes it to the fact that Netflix required similar technologies and specifications for all of its shows, resulting in that safe, non-adventurous visual language.

Connor explains that Netflix has a small list of cameras that meet the criteria, which leads to uniformity in the picture.

Why does the platform insist on that list?

Camera systems specialist Chris Bregrocki answers this question, saying that Netflix wants filmmakers to give their best, and encourages them to use the latest technology to capture their photos and tell their stories.

Despite the high resolution and advanced technology of this group of cameras, it reproduces the same image and color gamut.

The other thing that caused this similar picture is Netflix’s desire to scrutinize the future of its content, as the platform’s organizers ask movie and series producers to shoot everything in “4K HDR”, a resolution that combines “4K” technology ( 4K) and HDR (HDR).

4K indicates high dynamic range, while HDR indicates a higher contrast between light and dark tones.

However, 4K technology provides a clearer and more defined image.

Ludic series poster (networking sites)

Netflix is ​​trying to get a good picture even when 4K mobile phones become popular in the future, a desire that makes sense for a mobile and home-based viewing platform.

But it limits filmmakers' choices in the technology they use, and 4K video files are very large, and when compressed for viewing on a small screen, the effect of this compression appears in the displayed image.

“It's like '70s movies that look great on a big screen, but get a lot worse on a small phone screen, which is exactly what happens when we take big pictures and compress their data to display them on the phone screen," says Connor.

real cinema death

There is a general impression that the death of true artistic cinema is imminent, due to the change in the way films are produced.

In 2021 alone, Netflix produced 129 diverse films, and 10 years after its appearance, it has changed the concept of traditional television broadcasting and theatrical cinema paradigms, and positioned itself at the center, growing from 24 million subscribers in 2012 to 214 million subscribers in 2022.

This platform is available in more than 190 countries, and has become an essential factor in global entertainment, despite all the drawbacks of the offers. Today, artistic and aesthetic production is integrated into a commodity that can be sold, consumed, renewed again and sold again, because art has now become a consumer product that is sold. It is bought.

Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos says that when critics talk about specific audiences who care about the quality of a movie, they're not talking about the big crowds.

So, Sarandos says, mass audiences don't care about quality, so why should Netflix care?