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Actor Matt Damon recently shared some intriguing insights about how Netflix influences filmmaking, highlighting a shift in storytelling methods to cater to at-home audiences. During his appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience with fellow actor Ben Affleck, Damon discussed the peculiar demands of streaming platforms like Netflix, especially when it comes to explaining plots.
Damon pointed out that Netflix prefers storylines to be reiterated “three or four times” due to a noticeable trend where viewers are multitasking, often scrolling through their phones while watching. This shift in audience attention has prompted changes in how filmmakers approach movie production, particularly for home viewing compared to the traditional theater experience.
Speaking about these evolving dynamics in the industry, the actor emphasized that this change is influencing the very structure of movies. Netflix, for instance, is now encouraging filmmakers to position major action sequences earlier in the film’s timeline. This deviates from the classic formula Damon and many others have long adhered to.
Traditionally, as Damon explained, action movies are crafted with a strategic build-up: a set piece in the first act, escalation in the second, and a climactic finale in the third. “You spend most of your money on that one in the third act. That’s your finale,” he noted, referencing the conventional wisdom of saving the most significant action for last. However, the streaming giant’s new approach suggests a rethinking of where to place these high-stakes scenes to better captivate a potentially distracted home audience.
“You spend most of your money on that one in the third act. That’s your finale,” the Talented Mr. Ripley star added.
“And now they’re like, ‘Can we get a big one in the first five minutes? We want people to stay tuned in. And it wouldn’t be terrible if you reiterated the plot three or four times in the dialogue, because people are on their phones while they’re watching,’” Damon said.
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Therefore, this is “going to really start to infringe on how we’re telling the story” in films, the Departed actor added.
Affleck then chimed in, arguing that this strategy may not always be necessary, citing Netflix’s recent limited series, Adolescence, which did not follow that formula but was still “fucking great.”
“But then you look at Adolescence, and it didn’t do any of that shit, and it’s fucking great” the Gone Girl star said.
“And it’s dark, too. It’s tragic and intense,” Affleck continued. “It’s like, this guy who finds out his kid is accused of murder, and there’s long shots of the back of their heads. They get in the car, and nobody says anything.”
Damon suggested that shows like Adolescence are “the exception,” while Affleck said he felt the Netflix series “demonstrates you don’t have to do” the Netflix tricks to please audiences.
Alana Mastrangelo is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
