All Netflix movies look the same! But why this visual unity on the platform?

In the world of streaming, Netflix retains its title of champion. The platform always monopolizes the first place of the podium, both in terms of popularity and the number of subscribers. The giant continues to increase the production of news. in 2022, 935 original content – Movies and series were offered together. A record amount.

Nevertheless, the most observant viewers will definitely notice this: whatever their genre, the plays share many visual similarities. Smooth images, dark colors, sometimes identical photos… you can also talk about “Netflix style”.

For action movies – The Gray Man, Triple Frontier, Luther, The Mother… – the contrasts and colors are often the same, ranging from blue to gray. When the story is set in a Middle Eastern or Asian country – as in Tyler Rake or Red Notice – the colors are bound to be warm, from yellow to orange.

If this thought has already crossed your mind, that’s normal, there are several explanations. First of all, product standardization makes it possible to create a platform-specific identity. The same identity can affect viewers. By replicating the visual style of a favorite movie for subscribers, Netflix hopes to attract the same audience for the next movie and achieve similar success.

The platform also has hardware requirements. If a filmmaker agrees to work for him, he must follow certain rules. One of them concerns the choice of camera. The streaming giant maintains a list of so-called “approved” cameras for both movies and series.

In a six-minute Netflix video, camera system expert Chris Prigrok explains: “As a studio, one of our biggest priorities is to help filmmakers do their best work. We want them to feel not only empowered, but encouraged to use the latest and greatest in filming technology to tell their stories..”

The platform prioritizes resolution above all else, promising an optimal experience for subscribers. However, are there any exceptions? Yes, deviations can be made on documentaries. When it comes to directors, not everyone is in the same boat. Big names like Martin Scorsese, Guillermo del Toro or even Jane Campion were able to choose the cameras of their choice.

This requirement can create frustration for directors, but it can also be a good thing, provided you stand out. This applies to Alfonso Cuarón’s feature films Roma and Edward Berger’s Nothing New in the West.

Although these two Netflix productions were shot with a platform-approved camera, the ARRI Alexa 65, each of these films won an Oscar for best cinematography – Roma in 2019 and Nothing New in the West in 2023, enough to encourage the most refractory artists.

A list of Netflix-approved cameras should be found here.