Authenticity in Online Streaming Film Presentations

Rachel Campbell

Rationale: Authenticity on Netflix Streaming Online streaming has become more popular Issues of authenticity have arisen

Authenticity defined as how the film was shown in theaters; default to DVD

Buffering and freezing Aspect ratio changed (1.85:1 to 1.33:1)

Due to the popularity of online streaming services and recent authenticity issues it is worth asking whether viewers are receiving the authentic film through online streaming

Previous Authenticity Studies Sherman and Dominick (1988)

Subjects viewed film clips that were in their original black and white or colorized

Results were nearly split in half in terms of preferences

Neuendorf, Lieberman, Ying, and Lindmark (2009) Subjects viewed film clips either in original

widescreen or in pan and scan Results were again split in half

Research Questions RQ1: Are the aspect ratios changed for online

streaming?

RQ2: How frequently do inconsistencies occur in films viewed through online streaming?

RQ3: Of the inconsistencies that occur, which are the most prevalent?

Sample Population – all the films on Netflix streaming Sampling Frame – A list of the top 50 films on

Netflix streaming From Instant Watcher.com

This list was recorded every day for a month Only narrative films with a theatrical release

will be considered for analysis Films to be analyzed will be chosen randomly

from the combined lists

Coding Scheme: Instructions Unit of Data Collection – chapter of DVD

Chapter number Time at beginning and end of chapter

Instructions Use one coding sheet per chapter Answers on the coding sheet should relate to the

streaming version of the film Transfer coding of all scenes for a particular movie

to the spreadsheet Do not code opening or closing credits

Variables Aspect ratio

1.33:1 – full frame 1.85:1 – standard widescreen 2.35:1 – wider widescreen

Missing Information Occurs when aspect ratio is changed Characters, objects or printed material could be

partially cut or missing completely Reframing

Due to aspect ratio, specifically pan and scanning http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMJhM3So4

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Variables continued Interruptions

Due to buffering or freezing Could be caused by the streaming site or

streaming device

Variables continued Editing

Scene could be shortened or cut completely Visual or verbal censorship

Color Black and white could be colorized; saturation

Variables continued Picture Quality

Scale from “clear” to “heavily pixelated”

Sound Higher or lower definition Sound could be unclear or muffled Streaming device could make noise Sound might not sync with picture

Suggestions? Are there any streaming issues that I left out?

Are the directions clear?