Although this farce is very eye-catching, I am more interested in the best picture “Hearing Girl” and its rival “Don’t Look Up.” Both films are not from traditional production companies, but are produced by Apple TV+ and Netflix respectively.
This year, it was the first time a film to be released on a streaming platform received the highest honor in the film industry. So from this point of view, more and more movies from streaming media platforms will win Oscars in the future.
why? Unlike the theatrical distribution of traditional Hollywood movies, these streaming platforms, whether Apple TV+, Netflix or Disney+, are subscription-based, with monthly or annual payments. A new series is released, and users can buy the series for $15 alone, and a one-month membership is also $15.
This account is not difficult to calculate, it must be more cost-effective for members, and can watch all other film and television works on the platform.
Now that everyone has a subscription system, it is difficult for a platform to attract users to its own home with one or two blockbuster movies, and it is difficult to do so continuously. Who can guarantee that there will always be movies that sell well at the box office?
Therefore, streaming media platforms are more inclined to launch episodes. After the first season, the second season is released, and then the third season and the fourth season, there can be many seasons. This mode places more emphasis on the ability to tell a detailed story well. Because a season usually has 10 episodes or more, each episode is 40-60 minutes,
That is to say, the producer can tell a story well in at least 400 minutes, which is more delicate than a 90-minute movie to describe the characters’ characters and the relationship between the characters, and the development of the plot can also be richer and richer. Reasonable bedding.
In recent years, Hollywood blockbusters have gradually become Marvelized. There are more and more vulgar themes like superheroes saving the world. The movie is about Batman vs. Superman. Iron Man, Spider-Man, and Thor all come together to form a group to defeat the villain who destroys the earth.
Not only is the scene magnificent, the sound effects are explosive, and the plot setting is very mindless. Usually, the good guy is beaten to the last breath by the evil side at first, and then he gets back on his feet because of the power of love, kills the bad guy in one go, and makes a big comeback.
This kind of facialized character design and patterned plot arrangement appear in almost every Hollywood blockbuster, but the audience really likes this set, the plot is very tense, the picture is exciting, and a little touching, come to the cinema to see it The movie is only two hours long, which is undoubtedly the best way to win the higher box office.
But now, people are watching movies and TV more on TV, iPad and even mobile phone. On a screen much smaller than a movie theater, it is difficult for audiences to get enough sensory stimulation. Just imagine how many people are willing to watch “The Avengers” on their mobile phones?
And watching is no longer a one-way output process, the audience can also participate in the movie and interact with netizens in real time for a certain plot. Therefore, in the era of streaming media, the audience pays more attention to the plot of the movie and the portrayal of the characters, rather than the bombardment of various special effects and big IP, which makes the more delicate episode mode gradually welcomed by everyone.
When the film and television drama products on these streaming media platforms have the ability to tell delicate stories, and then make movies, they will be very suitable for the taste of Oscar.
Looking back at the winning films of the previous Oscars, we can find that almost no Marvel blockbusters have won awards. It is precisely those films that deeply portray the inner world of characters, tell a small story in detail and tell a thorough story, and won the best film. For example, “Moonlight Boy” in 2017, “Green Book” in 2019, etc. This year’s “Listening Girl” is also the same way.
Some people may ask, can’t traditional film producers make such good films? In fact, if they don’t consider commercial returns, they can work hard, but it is difficult for them to shoot with emotions. After all, a major feature of this type of film is that it is not well received.
So since the intensively cultivated and delicate movies do not sell well, does it mean that the streaming media platform will lose its commercial interests?
In fact, it is not, because streaming media platforms do not rely on a stunning movie to lock in profits, but rely on the continuous release of sequels to successful movies or TV series, which ensures that they can continue to generate revenue from good works.
At the same time, in the process of producing this type of drama, the storytelling, re-narrative logic and the acting skills of the actors have also been exercised, so that good films can be released continuously.
With the subscription-based model, the streaming media platform has become larger, the number of users is large and the income is stable. Naturally, they are more willing to shoot those touching movies, rather than pursuing a big movie that sells well.
Therefore, this Oscar is not so much the success of the movie “Listening Girl” as it is the success of the subscription model of streaming media platforms. Because this mode locks in the audience’s long-term viewing and interaction, it makes users sticky enough to the content produced by the platform, which in turn gives the platform enough motivation to continue producing high-quality content. (Fortune Chinese Network)
The author Wang Yuquan is a columnist of Fortune China.com, a founding partner of Haiyin Capital, and an expert in the global technology innovation industry.
This content is the author’s independent opinion and does not represent the position of Fortune China.com. Without permission, shall not be reproduced.
Editor: Wang Kunzuo