Netflix execs have been telling their screenwriters to have characters “announce what they’re doing” so that viewers who have a program on in the background can follow along without having to miss plot strands. There’s barely been any pushback, until now.
I think you’re off the mark a little. By “announce what they are doing” that doesn’t mean physical on-sceeen actions, like a blind person would need. It means “directly explain the context of what is happening”
Example from.the article:
“We spent a day together,” Lohan tells her lover, James, in Irish Wish. “I admit it was a beautiful day filled with dramatic vistas and romantic rain, but that doesn’t give you the right to question my life choices. Tomorrow I’m marrying Paul Kennedy.”
In a lot of more traditional movies, that would have all been in the subtext. We’d have experienced the romantic day, and through those subtle nuances of character interaction we’d understand how the characters feel. We’d understand Lohan still plans to marry Paul, without her even having to explain.
What Netflix is really saying is, people aren’t paying enough attention to pick up on subtext and nuance. That’s why the message to filmmakers is to make content that spells it out directly and unambiguously so that no actual attention is needed.
It’s not about listening vs watching. It’s about viewers giving the show only 30% of their brain while their real focus is elsewhere.
I think you’re off the mark a little. By “announce what they are doing” that doesn’t mean physical on-sceeen actions, like a blind person would need. It means “directly explain the context of what is happening”
Example from.the article:
In a lot of more traditional movies, that would have all been in the subtext. We’d have experienced the romantic day, and through those subtle nuances of character interaction we’d understand how the characters feel. We’d understand Lohan still plans to marry Paul, without her even having to explain.
What Netflix is really saying is, people aren’t paying enough attention to pick up on subtext and nuance. That’s why the message to filmmakers is to make content that spells it out directly and unambiguously so that no actual attention is needed.
It’s not about listening vs watching. It’s about viewers giving the show only 30% of their brain while their real focus is elsewhere.
Yay, I love awkward exposition dumps.