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Communication & Society
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Vol 34 No 2 (2021): Special Issue: Visual motifs and representations of power in the public sphere
Netflix fictional feature film originals: an analysis of release strategies
Antoni Roig (Login required) , Judith Clares-Gavilán (Login required) , Jordi Sánchez-Navarro (Login required)
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.15581/003.34.2.125-139
Antoni Roig (Login required)
Judith Clares-Gavilán (Login required)
Jordi Sánchez-Navarro (Login required)
This article offers an analysis of the strategies behind the release of original Netflix fictional feature films. Even if there is an already extensive literature about the streaming giant, little academic attention has been devoted to the release strategies of feature film originals and its implications for film production and distribution. With this goal in mind, we have built a database of titles identifiable as original Netflix features between 2015 and 2018 (n=171), considering theatrical exhibition, festival presence, language, genre, release territories and involvement in production. We have contrasted this macro-level approach with a more micro-level analysis through specific case-examples, in order to consider the case-by-case particularities of the film industry. Per our results, (a) Netflix has combined consistent release methods with some contingent experiments based on trial and error; (b) the unfolding of these strategies is related to the company's transnational identity and to the (c) goal of recognition according to established quality standards, like top film festivals or prestigious awards. Furthermore, the observed tendency towards capillary collaboration with local agents points to more potential diversity of catalogue titles and in some cases a greater international exposure of non-English speaking titles, even if circumscribed to popular genres like science-fiction, thriller or horror.
Netflix, OTT, feature film, transnationality, film distribution
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Jordi Sánchez-Navarro, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
Jordi Sánchez Navarro es profesor e investigador en la Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), donde actualmente dirige los Estudios de Ciencias de la Información y de la Comunicación y trabaja en temas relacionados con las transformaciones de las formas narrativas en el cine contemporáneo, la innovación en el entretenimiento audiovisual y los nexos entre la cultura lúdica y el género fantástico. Desde 1989 escribe en varios medios sobre cómic, cine y televisión. Fue director del Salón Internacional del Cómic de Barcelona (1997-2000) y subdirector del Festival Internacional de Cine Fantástico de Cataluña-Sitges (2001-2004), con el que colabora en la actualidad como programador de «Anímate», la sección de animación. Sánchez Navarro es asimismo autor, entre otros, de los libros Tim Burton: Cuentos en sombras (2000), Freaks en acción: Álex de la Iglesia o el cine como fuga (2005), Narrativa audiovisual (2006) y Pantalla rasgada. Quince conversaciones con cineastas y escritores sobre sueños y cine (2014), y ha coordinado libros colectivos como Fanáticos. La cultura fan (2013), Aprovecha el tiempo y juega (2009), Realidad virtual. Visiones sobre el ciberespacio (2004) e Imágenes para la sospecha. Falsos documentales y otras piruetas de la no-ficción (2001). Ha impartido numerosos cursos y conferencias sobre cine fantástico, ciencia ficción, cómic y, especialmente, historia y estética del cine de animación.
Communication & Society is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0.