How Netflix is Changing the Way Writers Tell Stories – It would not be wrong to say that binge-watching was invented by Netflix. The creators have managed to hook the audience with years of diverse storytelling, experimental content, and strong character arcs, while providing useful data to revolutionize scripts.
From psychological thrillers to dramedies, period dramas, holiday movies, documentaries, rom-coms, and more, every genre found its audience. Research found that 66% of the audience prefer online streaming and only 15% go to the cinema.
While cinema is not dead, it has definitely been overcome by streaming giants like Netflix. Hence, in this blog, we will discuss how Netflix has impacted narratives and provided different opportunities to writers. To learn more, keep reading on.
Netflix and the Evolution of Storytelling
When you publish book on Amazon, you let the literary community know about your work, but to get your story picturized and viewed on Netflix is a dream come true for many writers.
Netflix’s format has encouraged many writers to craft stories that keep viewers engaged for hours and make character development natural. The following are some significant ways this streaming site has reshaped narrative construction:
Binge-Worthy Narratives
While binge-watching did not become popular until 2016, the platform had already begun to capture its audience in 2013. House of Cards, a political thriller show, attained global attention and made the platform a major content producer.
It was exclusively produced by Netflix and started the binge-watching era. Afterwards, successful projects such as Orange is the New Black, Stranger Things, Money Heist, Narcos, and many more followed and kept the trend going.
These shows allowed viewers to watch shows from the comfort of their homes. It also made them addicted to watching all episodes at once, and no matter how busy they got, they never missed a single episode.
Further, it also enabled writers to include cliffhangers, write engaging plots, and add just enough suspense to keep the viewer hooked.
Embracing Diverse Storytelling
Netflix not only provides global streaming, but also encourages writers worldwide to produce stories that accurately represent their regions and tell tales that nobody has seen before.
Subtitles and dubbing features have further enhanced the viewer experience, and tuning in to watch foreign language content has become easier for users.
Hollywood is often accused of stereotyping characters and representing them through the lens of mockery. With the entry of Netflix, writers can now showcase characters of any ethnicity, race, or region.
A popular example includes Money Heist (La Casa De Papel), a Spanish crime drama that quickly became a fan favorite and ignited interest in Spanish content among the audience.
Experimental Story Structures
Some people prefer watching simple stories, while a niche audience would be interested in complex, mind-bending, and experimental narratives. Think of Dark as an example. The show has been praised for its complex and atmospheric storytelling.
Similarly, writers can now explore new timelines, perspectives, and formats to make a simple tale into an engaging one. They can smartly intersect flashbacks with the present time and build suspense and character depth accordingly.
Strong and Complex Characters
Another way Netflix has changed storytelling is through its character-driven content. While ebook publishing is a widely used platform by writers to gain exposure, the scale of streaming sites is much bigger.
Giving longer screen time to characters throughout seasons makes their arc, development, setbacks, and progress realistic and multidimensional.
For instance, people can see and understand how and why a stalker did certain things by telling the story from his point of view in the psychological thriller You.
Data-Driven Insights
While television networks rely on viewership and ratings to collect data, Netflix has made it much easier. The platform allows viewers to create a curated list of content they would like to watch based on genres, runtime, storylines, and characters.
Other than that, every pause, rewind, and continue-watching click provides information on how the audience is engaging with the content. This data is quite valuable to screenwriters and gives insights into what viewers are interested in watching.
This way, writers retain control of storytelling while the site’s data serves as a supporting tool. It allows them to fuse artistic intuition with audience insights and create content that resonates with users.
Writing Concisely for Limited Series
Many narratives do not require multiple seasons to reach their conclusion. They can be nicely tied and end in a few episodes. We are talking about miniseries like The Queen’s Gambit, which consisted of only 8 episodes, where stories remain on track without any filler scenes.
Limited series encourage writers to craft screenplays with a clear purpose to make the story move forward. It also pushes writers to come up with tight plots, sharp dialogues, and meaningful and logical character arcs.
In this format, conflicts are introduced early on, and as the episodes go on, we watch how a character deals with issues and reaches their potential.
Challenging Traditional Formats
While television formats constrain writers to explore complex themes, that is not the case with Netflix. They, in fact, allow writers to explore themes and create content on storylines that may seem unmanageable.
Movies like Gerald’s Game and documentaries that touch upon sensitive issues and disturbing imagery can be made for this platform to narrate stories no one thought could ever be made.
Does Netflix make writing easier or harder for writers?
While writers do have creative freedom and an opportunity to make their stories reach global viewers, Netflix’s audience data does impact writing.
How do writers adjust for binge-watching formats?
Writers can use hooks, cliffhangers, and suspense elements to maintain viewer engagement.
Can Netflix shows succeed without big budgets?
Yes, with strong writing, innovative storytelling, and engaging character development, Netflix shows can overcome their production scale.
The Future of Storytelling on Streaming Platforms
Over the years, storytelling has significantly evolved thanks to streaming services like Netflix. It has also shifted the audience’s expectations, who now prefer watching entire seasons in one go.
It also provided writers with immense flexibility, which enables them to write stories that defy the norms. As digital streaming continues to dominate the entertainment industry, the future of narratives will likely be more daring, innovative, and immersive.