Charlie Kaufman feels that Netflix did not kill Hollywood but the studios killed it!
- There is a constant ongoing argument regarding the streaming service Netflix.
- People allege that Netflix has destroyed films and Hollywood and should be banned.
- But do not agree with these allegations.
- American screenwriter Charlie Kaufman feels that this is not the case.
The allegations, according to him, are baseless. Know more about his defense on Netflix.
Charlie Kaufman and Netflix
For many years now, a debate has raged that the new streaming service Netflix is destroying the movie industry and Hollywood. There are for and against arguments put forth.
Many filmmakers such as Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, and Edward Norton have participated in this debate. American screenwriter, Charlie Kaufman also put forward his support for Netflix. He argues that Netflix has a strong influence on movies.
Charlie feels that the movie industry killed itself and Netflix is in no way responsible for it. He told the Wall Street Journal recently:
“I could play around and experiment, but the business has changed enormously, and it all happened around 2008 when studios stopped making movies and started making tentpoles,”
He added:
“The reason something like Netflix attracts filmmakers is because there’s nowhere else to make those things. It’s infuriating to me when people say Netflix is ruining movies because—no, movies ruined movies, studios ruined movies, and that’s the truth.”
About Charlie’s Hollywood films and the audience response
Charlie had written screenplays earlier in his career for other directors. Those movies did well. But later on, when he both wrote and directed films, they did not do well at the box office.
These included his 2008 film Synecdoche, New York, and his other film called Anomalisa which was released in 2015.
Charlie also explained that he had made the original musical screenplay called Frank or Francis. There were big film stars’ names attached to it.
Yet the film could not get finance and its budget estimated was around $ 11 million. Therefore, Charlie began penning his work in the form of novels.
Charlie’s debut novel and switch to Netflix
Since he was unable to make films in Hollywood, he wrote his first novel called Antkind. It is 700 plus pages long and Random House has published it. It will be released on 7 July 2020.
Additionally, Charlie has a lined-up film on Netflix which will release on 4 September 2020. It is called I’m Thinking of Ending Things. Charlie himself has written the story and directed the film as well.
The film is based on the novel by Ian Reid of the same name. Basically, it is a psychological thriller and talks about a woman who drives with her boyfriend to the isolated farmhouse of his family.
Elaborating on it Charlie said:
“I was looking for something that somebody would let me direct and it’s easier to get something made if it’s based on a book, or a comic book, or a movie that’s already existed,”
He continued:
“The producer I work with happened to have a deal with Netflix. I don’t know that Netflix knew going in that I was going to make it into something that was less of a thriller than the book, and I don’t think I knew that either. The book is leading you to a reveal, and I felt like that might be obvious and disappointing in the movie. Things are more mysterious in words than they are in images.”