Jane Campion fears that Netflix’s new strategy after facing a loss of subscribers will lead the streaming giant to be “more selective” about the projects it decides to fund.
“I do think they will be more selective about other projects or, perhaps sadly, not take a chance on people who don’t have a name,” Campion told the BBC in a recent interview.
Campion, whose 2021 western “Power of the Dog” received 12 nominations at the Academy Awards, thinks established filmmakers like herself may be OK. However, she believes the new strategy could hurt the prospects of up-and-coming filmmakers.
“I don’t think it’s hard for me to do something if I want to because I’ve built relationships and they’re very loyal,” she said.
While Campion made it clear that “Power of the Dog” “couldn’t have been made” without Netflix’s backing, the company’s perspective has changed since the film’s hotly anticipated awards season release last year.
The streaming company announced that it lost 200,000 subscribers at the end of the first quarter and expects to lose another 2 million subscribers in the second quarter. In its most recent earnings, Netflix promised to cut costs to keep its margins at 20 percent. Still, the streamer plans to invest heavily in content, with a $17 billion budget for shows and movies in 2022.
The company has also experienced massive layoffs, with about 300 employees leaving in its latest report.
In the interview, Campion also responded to reports that Netflix offered her a budget of “more than $30 million” to produce “The Power of the Dog.
“They didn’t give me that much, and that’s great,” she said with a laugh. “They offered something close, and no, it wouldn’t have been possible to make the film without them, because we brought it to market and had several different people interested. But we had budgeted for what it would cost, and the only person who was willing to come close was Netflix.”
The sprawling western won Campion the Oscar for best director, the third time a woman has won the award. Campion’s victory was the only Oscar the film brought home, losing in the Best Picture race to “CODA.” Campion spoke about the Apple TV+ film’s Oscar night victory.
“With the Academy, ‘CODA’ really seems to have captured people’s hearts,” Campion said. “It’s a much more accessible movie, you know, that’s how it’s evolving, and I’m happy for them.”
Campion also revealed that she currently has no plans to produce another feature film. Instead, the award-winning director wants to focus on the flash mob film school she set up in Wellington, New Zealand-which Netflix will continue to fund.
“I was thinking, ‘Oh my God, they might pull this money, they can’t understand it,'” Campion said. “But I’m really glad they didn’t do that.”