In his new book, No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention , Reed Hastings describes himself as a “math wonk” with a “lack of showbiz knowledge.” Even so, the book doesn’t lean too heavily on engineering or MBA talk. Instead, to make its theoretical points, it uses an abundance of Hollywood-flavored anecdotes, drawn from 200-plus interviews with current and former Netflix staffers that were conducted by co-author Erin Meyer. Passages from Meyer alternate with ones from founder and co-CEO Hastings and stories from the workforce. Some experiences are well-worn totems of the company’s rise. Manager of original content Matt Thunell recounts the saga of buying the script for Stranger Things in 2015. Sensing the potential on the page was half the battle, a team of colleagues then had to create the studio infrastructure required to bring it to life, which they did in barely a year. Streaming House of Cards in 4K, entering children’s programming, acquiring … [Read more...] about The ‘13 Reasons Why’ Meeting That Went Off The Rails, And Other Insights From Netflix Boss Reed Hastings’ New Book
Asteroid doomsday countdown clock
Adam McKay Says His A-List Netflix Disaster Comedy Is More Than a Climate Change Warning
Last year, filmmaker Adam McKay pulled off possibly the most illustrious casting coup in modern Hollywood history, with his upcoming Netflix movie Don't Look Up featuring an ensemble cast that includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, and Chris Evans among other A-listers. In an interview with The New York Times, McKay explained the basic premise of his film, about a giant asteroid on a deadly collision course with Earth. "It's not the most high-concept bizarre idea - the idea of a disaster movie in which people don't necessarily believe that the disaster is coming. It goes back to the trope of the mayor from Jaws: 'Love to prove that, wouldn't you? Get your name into the National Geographic?' So it's two midlevel, very sincere astronomers who make the discovery of a lifetime, which is a killer asteroid headed toward Earth. They have to warn everyone and have to go on a media tour. It's them navigating our world. It's them navigating their equivalent of … [Read more...] about Adam McKay Says His A-List Netflix Disaster Comedy Is More Than a Climate Change Warning