I know many of our readers feel a certain way when they hear about The Joe Rogan Experience, but the long-form interview with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon is a wealth of information and a two-and-a-half hour film school.
Maybe the biggest revelation from the episode was an offhand comment from Matt Damon about how Netflix movies are all watched by people who are simultaneously on their phones.
Damon also detailed the specific, data-driven demands that streamers are now placing on filmmakers as well.
Let’s dive in.
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The Death of the “Slow Burn”
Back in the day, movies and TV had your attention for much longer. You sat down and completely focused on the stories they wanted to tell you.
And action movies followed this simple structure: a set piece in the first act, one in the second, and a massive, big-budget finale in the third.
But things have changed.
According to Damon, Netflix is flipping that script. “Now they’re like, ‘Can we get a big [action sequence] in the first five minutes? We want people to stay.’”
Everything Netflix does is for viewer retention.
In an environment where the next movie is just a click away, streamers are terrified of the “bounce rate.” If a film doesn’t grab a viewer immediately, they’re gone. This shift prioritizes immediate spectacle over the patient tension-building that defined classics of the genre.
That means you now need to open with a big set piece and try to front-load the story to keep people involved.
Dialogue as a “Safety Net” for Distracted Viewers
When it came to revelations, the internet was abuzz with what Damon said about Netflix dialogue.
Damon noted that executives now encourage writers to reiterate the plot “three or four times in the dialogue.”
Now, this could have been a rumor he heard or just could be reiterating ideas he’s heard from other people, but he never said this was a direct note they were given.
Still, Netflix’s reasoning is simple: viewers are rarely just watching the movie. They are scrolling through TikTok, folding laundry, or wrangling kids and pets.
They have characters explicitly state the stakes and plot points multiple times, so that a viewer who looks up from their phone every ten minutes can still follow the story.
Again, this was an offhand remark, but it lit the internet on fire.
The “In-Home” Attention Deficit
I have a kid at home, chores, and everything else. I know how hard it is to concentrate and work at the same time, let alone watch a movie.
And that happens at every level across the globe.
Damon highlighted a psychological shift in the audience. When you go to a theater, you are in a dark room with a giant screen and no distractions; you’ve made a “contract” to pay attention.
At home, that contract is broken. “It’s just a very different level of attention that you’re willing, or that you’re able, to give to it,” Damon explained. This lack of immersion is directly “infringing on how we’re telling these stories.”
Is the Craft in Jeopardy?
I am always worried about the movies, because I think they’re the last great gathering spot for people who love arts and entertainment. And I’m worried Netflix is going to be the downfall of this thing I love.
But maybe it’ll just be different.
But Ben Affleck offered a slightly more optimistic counterpoint. Affleck cited the success of projects like Adolescence that defied these “rules” with long shots, quiet moments, and complex plotting—as proof that audiences still crave high-quality, uncompromising cinema.
Affleck’s stance is that creators should still strive to make the “best sh*t you can,” believing that true quality will always find an audience, regardless of the platform.
And that made me want to keep working and to adapt to this new way of life.
The Bottom Line
As filmmakers, we have to navigate the balance between artistic integrity and the data-driven demands of engagement. The “short attention span” era is no longer just a trend; it’s the new blueprint for Hollywood’s biggest productions.
So, how do you combat this with quality?
Let me know what you think in the comments.
