Movie expert explains why all Netflix originals look the same

Amid the release of Cobra Kai Season 6 Part 1, you may have noticed something – it’s undoubtedly got the “Netflix look.” 

From TV shows such as Stranger Things, The Witcher, and Emily in Paris, to movies like Damsel, Bird Box, and The Mother, Netflix originals all share similar characteristics. 

Though it can be hard to define, generally the streaming service’s original content often has the same modern aesthetic, high-definition polished imagery, and a muted color palette with selective saturation.

Whether you agree with this analysis or not, no doubt you’d be able to pick out a Netflix film or series from a line-up from aesthetics alone.

And there’s a reason for that, as revealed by J. D. Connor, an associate professor in Cinema and Media Studies at USC. 

In a conversation with Vice’s Motherboard, he explained that the streaming service had prescribed technical specifications for its originals, including approved cameras and image resolutions.

“Netflix had an accepted camera list for its Netflix branded products. The initial list, while there were ostensibly open parameters for what cameras might qualify, there really were only like two,” he told the outlet. 

“And yes, you can do a ton within those parameters. But it meant that this was one way that the uniformity emerged, was through their real insistence on that.”

Although there are now more than two cameras on the list, it demonstrates why there’s a level of uniformity to the appearance of Netflix shows and movies. 

As per the streamer’s site, “To help creatives produce their best work and create compelling visual experiences for our audience, Netflix requires 90% of a program’s final total runtime to be captured on approved cameras using the following capture requirements.”

Connor went on to say, “The other thing that really drove a lot of this was, they did what they call future-proofing their content. They wanted it all to be shot in 4K HDR.

“When it gets compressed, and jams through the cable pipe, or the fiber to get to your television, Netflix takes as much information out of that as they can through compression in order to reduce the amount of data that’s going through, so you have a smoother streaming experience.

“One of the weird things that happens when you have a very high-resolution image, in general, when you shrink the amount of information the edges get sharper.”

So, this makes sense as to why Netflix originals look the way they do. But there’s another factor at play – budgets. 

Although Netflix has mighty deep pockets, Connor told Motherboard that much of the cash flow is being spent on big-name actors and directors upfront due to the lack of residuals in the streaming model.

“They’re overcompensated at the beginning. That means that all of your above-the-line talent now costs, on day one that the series drops, 130% of what it costs somewhere else,” he explained. 

“So your overall budget looks much higher, but in fact, what’s happened is to try to save all that money, you pull it out of things like design and location.”

The cinema expert shared a prime example of the Netflix effect in action – Red Notice, the 2021 action comedy starring Gal Gadot, The Rock, and Ryan Reynolds. 

Although it’s one of the most watched Netflix films of all time, Connor said, “Red Notice to me is like the pinnacle of this sort of thing I’m talking about. 

“It cost a fortune because they had to pay the stars a ton. It was shot in the pandemic, so they’re cutting around absences in ways that are at times very, very funny.

“And the whole thing just looks when I watched it on my TV, and I have a fairly good TV, I thought it looked just horrible, beginning to end. A sort of brutal experience.”

That’s not to say all Netflix content is bad. In some cases, this formulaic approach works well. For example, Cobra Kai, which just dropped Season 6 Part 1, has found great success with its sharp fight scenes and consistent color palette.

Or, as Connor pointed out, “It all, kind of, totally works with the Adam Sandler comedies.”

For more Netflix content, here’s everything we know about Virgin River Season 6, The Sandman Season 2, Heartstopper Season 3, and Ginny and Georgia Season 3.