My boyfriend and I stream movies and television shows from Netflix on a daily basis. When we first began using the service more than a year ago, we mostly watched hit movies that ranged anywhere from the 1980s Terminator to last year’s Captain America. But as our Netflix use has progressed, we have moved very much beyond the hits of the last few decades. We have watched The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret, a failing American television series that features David Cross from Arrested Development; Peep Show, a British television series that was fairly popular in the early 2000s but never aired in the U.S.; My Kingdom, a recently-released Chinese opera warrior movie; The High Cost of Living, a dark Canadian drama featuring Zach Braff from Scrubs; and a lot of other niche features that probably didn’t appear in many American theatres or on many U.S. television channels. While I can’t say that we don’t watch the hits anymore (last night was Braveheart, which I had never seen before), our consumption of them is much less now than non-hits or niche productions.
But we had help along the way thanks to Netflix’s filter– an algorithm that provides recommendations based on movies or television shows a consumer has previously watched and/or rated. Basically, Netflix makes suggestions by first listing relevant categories and then by listing relevant movies or television shows within those categories. For example, after I watched The High Cost of Living, Netflix created an entire category for me based on similar movies, most of which featured or were directed by Zach Braff. The same thing happened after watching all of the seasons of Peep Show. The category contained a list of quirky comedies from across the globe. But, of course, Netflix has pretty standard categories, too, such as new releases or newly added. While I personally believe that the Netflix search and suggestions could be better, I still use them more often than not to explore the abundance of movies and television shows that exists. IMDB and RottenTomatoes are a big help, too (that is if Netflix has the movie or television show you want to watch instantly).
And this is just one example of the long tail. It’s such an obvious yet unfamiliar concept, one that I feel is worth exploring in the world’s current state.
What do you all think. Is the concept of the long tail obvious in your daily lives? Do you all think that the long tail is worth exploring?
Yep the long tail is obvious in my daily life. I’ve never really had “mainstream” tastes….so I love the unconventional, weird stuff that’s online. Netflix has been able to satisfy my weirdness through movies like “Vampire Girl vs. Frakenstein Girl….and this tv show from New Zealand called “Being Eve”…. It’s funny that you mentioned “The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret”…I found that show because Netflix thought it was something that I might like….and it was right, I love that show, it’s hilarious The recommendation section on YouTube has also helped me find a new artist a time or two. For example, I discovered Linda Perhacs after watching a Devendra Banhart video on YouTube. Linda’s video popped up on the side…i clicked on it and became a fan.
Yep the long tail is obvious in my daily life. I’ve never really had “mainstream” tastes….so I love the unconventional, weird stuff that’s online. Netflix has been able to satisfy my weirdness through movies like “Vampire Girl vs. Frakenstein Girl….and this tv show from New Zealand called “Being Eve”…. It’s funny that you mentioned “The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret”…I found that show because Netflix thought it was something that I might like….and it was right, I love that show, it’s hilarious The recommendation section on YouTube has also helped me find a new artist a time or two. For example, I discovered Linda Perhacs after watching a Devendra Banhart video on YouTube. Linda’s video popped up on the side…i clicked on it and became a fan.
The long tail is obvious in my daily life also. I own a Kindle Fire and I frequently purchase e-books and videos from amazon. When I log onto the Amazon Website I see a list of suggestions of e-books and videos, I also see some suggestions from other consumers. I recently talked myself into signing up for Netflix for the past two weeks I have enjoyed watching movies that I missed going to see over the past 3 years. I noticed that Netflix, suggest movies that I never heard some are very good.
Netflix does a great job by giving unknown movie producers, actors, directors, and the unknown movie itself a chance to be viewed. Youtube is kind of similar, due to the fact that you broadcast yourself, but people may or may not view your post, just like on netflix, everybody may not watch your movie, but the simple fact that it is there give whomever an opportunity to get to the hits; you may be a hit or niche on netflix, but the opportunity is there, and what mjore can you ask for right? Great post bblock.