AGAINST THE INDUSTRY’S NEW POWER PRAYER
PRAYER PLAYER.
PLAYER. NBC’S JOE FRYER JOINS US TO
EXPLAIN.
EXPLAIN. >> FOR MOVIE BUFFS THE ACADEMY
AWARDS ARE A MUST-SEE, A
CELEBRATION OF THE ENTIRE
INDUSTRY, BUT WITH STREAMING
SERVICES LIKE NETFLIX NOW MAJOR
PLAYERS ALONGSIDE TRADITIONAL
STUDIOS, ONE OF THE BIGGEST
NAMES IN THE MOVIE BUSINESS
APPARENTLY PLANNING TO SPEAK OUT
TRYING TO PUSH OUT THE NEW OSCAR
COMPETITION.
COMPETITION. >> Reporter: THIS MORNING
LEGENDARY FILMMAKER STEVEN
SPIELBERG MAY BE PREPARING TO
FACE OFF AGAINST THE WORLD OF
STREAMING.
STREAMING. SPIELBERG IS EXPECTED TO ADVISE
THE FILM ACADEMY THAT MOVIES
FROM STREAMING SERVICES LIKE
NETFLIX’S "ROMA" FRESH AFTER ITS
OSCAR SUCCESS SHOULD NOT BE
ELIGIBLE FOR ACADEMY AWARDS.
INSTEAD THEY SHOULD COMPETE FOR
THE EMMY AWARDS WHICH INCLUDE TV
MOVIES.
MOVIES. A SPOKESPERSON FOR SPIELBERG’S
PROTECTION COMPANY SAYS THE
THREE-TIME OSCAR WINNER FEELS
STRONGLY ABOUT THE SITUATION
ADDING HE’LL BE HAPPY IF THE
OTHERS WILL JOIN HIS CAMPAIGN.
THE FAMED DIRECTOR WHO
REPRESENTS THE DIRECTORS ON THE
ACADEMY BOARD HAS SPOKEN OUT
ABOUT STREAMING SERVICES IN THE
PAST TELLING ITV NEWS LAST
MARCH.
MARCH. >> ONCE YOU COMMIT TO A
TELEVISION FORMAT, YOU’RE A TV
MOVIE.
MOVIE. YOU CERTAINLY IF A GOOD SHOW
DESERVE AN EMMY BUT NOT AN
OSCAR.
OSCAR. I DON’T BELIEVE THE FILMS THAT
ARE GIVEN TOKEN QUALIFICATIONS
IN A COUPLE OF THEATERS FOR LESS
THAN A WEEK SHOULD QUALIFY FOR
THE ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATION.
>> Reporter: AT THIS YEAR’S
CEREMONY NETFLIX SOARED WINNING
FOUR OSCARS TIEING FOR THE MOST
BY ANY STUDIO.
THE COMPANY’S FILM "ROMA" WITH
ITS LIMITED THEATRICAL RELEASE
WAS UP FOR TEN NOMINATIONS
INCLUDING BEST PICTURE AND
NOTCHED THREE WINS INCLUDING
BEST DIRECTOR FOR ALFONSO
CUARON.
CUARON. IN AN ERA WHEN MORE CONTENT THAN
EVER IS AVAILABLE AT THE CLICK
OF A BUTTON, A-LIST -- ARE
BRINGING THEIR ART TO THE
MASSES.
MASSES. OSCAR NOMINATED FILMMAKER AVA
DUVERNAY TWEETED ONE OF THE
THINGS I VALUE ABOUT NETFLIX IS
IT DISTRIBUTES BLACK WORK FAR
AND WIDE, ADDING I’VE HAD JUST
ONE FILM DISTRIBUTED WIDE
INTERNATIONALLY, NOT SELMA, NOT
WRINKLE, IT WAS 13th BY NETFLIX.
THAT MATTERS.
THAT MATTERS. BUT AS THE OLD HOLLYWOOD VERSUS
THE NEW REALITY DEBATE RAGES ON
SPIELBERG’S INFLUENCE CANNOT BE
IGNORED.
IGNORED. >> E.T. HOME PHONE.
>> Reporter: THE DIRECTOR’S
ESTEEMED BODY OF WORK SPANS
GENERATIONS OF CINEMA FANS, HIS
ICONIC FILMS EARNING BILLIONS AT
BOX OFFICES AROUND THE WORLD.
>> CAN I ASK YOU A HYPOTHETICAL
QUESTION?
QUESTION? >> Reporter: AND HIS STREAMING
GIANTS MAKE THEIR MARKS DURING
AWARDS SEASON A HOLLYWOOD HEAVY
WEIGHT WHOSE WORK HELPED DEFINE
THE TRADITIONAL THEATER
EXPERIENCE IS FLEXING HIS
MUSCLE.
MUSCLE. >> I’M NOT SURE THAT YOU CAN
REALLY PUT THIS GENIE BACK IN
THE BOTTLE.
THE BOTTLE. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE
SPOKEN AND THEY REALLY BELIEVE
THE FUTURE NEEDS TO BE STREAMED.
>> Reporter: THIS MORNING
NETFLIX IS HITTING BACK TWEETING
WE LOVE CINEMA.
HERE ARE SOME THINGS WE ALSO
LOVE, ACCESS FOR PEOPLE WHO
CAN’T ALWAYS AFFORD OR LIVE IN
TOWNS WITHOUT THEATERS LETTING
EVERYONE EVERYWHERE ENJOY
RELEASES AT THE SAME TIME,
GIVING FILMMAKERS MORE WAYS TO
SHARE ART.
SHARE ART. THESE THINGS ARE NOT MUTUALLY
EXCLUSIVE.
EXCLUSIVE. WE’VE REACHED OUT TO SPIELBERG,
HIS PRODUCTION COMPANY, AND THE
ACADEMY FOR COMMENT AND HAVE NOT
HEARD BACK.
HEARD BACK. >> THANK YOU, JOE, WOW.
>> AS LONG AS THEY FOLLOW THE
RULTS
RULTS RULES AND THEY RELEASE THEM INTO
THEATERS, IT’S FAIR GAME.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. >> I THINK ONE OF THE CHIEF
COMPLAINTS ALSO IS THEY
APPARENTLY SPENT SO MUCH ON