Over the last few years there have been intense debates about OTT platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video being a threat to movies. Filmmaker Steven Spielberg has also, in the past, voiced his concern over Netflix original films being nominated for the Oscars.
In an interview with ITV, Spielberg said, “Once you commit to a television format, you’re a TV movie. You certainly, if it’s a good show, deserve an Emmy, but not an Oscar. I don’t believe films that are just given token qualifications in a couple of theaters for less than a week should qualify for the Academy Award nomination.”
OTT Triumphs Television Networks?
As the nominees for the Golden Globes 2020 were declared on Monday, it became evident that content from OTT platforms was truly reigning. Across all the nomination categories for television shows, not a single show was from a broadcasting network like an ABC or CBS. In the film categories too, platforms like Netflix made their presence felt.
Netflix scored a whopping 17 nominations in the television categories for shows like The Crown and Unbelievable, among others. And another 17 in the film categories, including technical awards. Amazon Prime Video and Hulu also garnered five nominations each, and Apple TV Plus had three thanks to The Morning Show.
Actors like Jennifer Aniston and Olivia Colman have been nominated for shows like The Morning Show and The Crown which are on Apple TV Plus and Netflix respectively.
Tom O’Neil, TV analyst for Gold Derby told the Associated Press, “It’s shocking and weird, that NBC will still telecast the Globes even though voters decided that the network’s programs aren’t worthy to compete.”
In a major category like Best TV Musical or Comedy, there was only one show Barry which was from a cable network HBO. The others were Netflix’s The Kominsky Method, and The Politician, and Amazon Prime’s Fleabag and Marvelous Mrs Maisel.
A Marked Presence In Film Categories
In 2018, in the Best Film Drama category, there wasn’t a single film from OTT platforms. Alfonso Cuaron won the Best Director trophy for Roma, but the film did not garner a nomination. This year though, there are three films in the same cateogory - The Irishman, The Two Popes and Marriage Story, and all three films are on Netflix.
Scarlett Johansson’s critically acclaimed performance in Marriage Story and Jonathan Pryce in The Two Popes also garnered nominations in the acting categories. The marked differentiation between films and shows has been decreasing, and while awards are not the only and most credible metric to gauge quality, one can’t ignore the great content being produced by these OTT platforms.
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