We’ll fight Netflix over fast fix for busy viewers, say film-makers

The streaming giant faces director backlash over trial of technology to let users alter movie playing speeds

FANCY watching a two-hour film but only have 90 minutes to spare? Netflix believes it has the answer.

The US streaming service is testing a feature which allows users to watch programmes or films at up to 1.5 times the normal speed but it faces a backlash from the makers of its content, many of whom find it “a terrible idea”.

The function is being tested for mobile phones and tablets, favouring those who want to squeeze a show into their commute. Those who would like to binge-watch a box set but worry that they don’t have enough hours in a day may also find it a tempting proposition.

Shows can also be slowed to half the intended speed for anyone struggling to keep up with the dialogue, or who wish to watch a scene in slow-motion.

Netflix said it was responding to customer demand. But it has provoked an angry response from Hollywood.

Judd Apatow, the film-maker behind hits including Bridesmaids and Knocked Up, said: “No, Netflix, no.

“Don’t make me have to call every director and show creator on Earth to fight you on this. Save me the time.

“Distributors don’t get to change the way the content is presented. Doing so is a breaking of trust and won’t be tolerated by the people who provide it.”

Peyton Reed, director of the Antman films, wrote on social media: “Dear Netflix, this is a terrible idea, and I and every director I know will fight against it.”

Peter Ramsey, who directed Spiderman: Into the Spider-verse asked: “Do ‘customers’ want to eat or have sex 1.5x faster too? Are they right? Does everything have to be designed for the laziest and most tasteless?”

Brad Bird, whose credits include animated films The Incredibles and Ratatouille, said it was a “spectacularly bad idea, and another cut to the already bleeding-out cinema experience. Why support and finance film-makers’ visions on one hand and then work to destroy the presentation of those films?”

Some Netflix subscribers said they approved of the idea, as the speededup function would allow them to skip “boring” parts and the slower speed would help those who struggle with hearing. Netflix said the service corrects pitch, meaning speeded-up dialogue does not result in squeaky voices.

Keela Robison, Netflix vice-president of product, acknowledged the test “generated a fair amount of feedback – both for and against”. She said: “It’s a feature that has long been available on DVD players – and has been frequently requested.

“We’ve been sensitive to creator concerns and haven’t included bigger screens, in particular TVS, in this test. We’ve also automatically corrected the pitch in the audio at faster and slower speeds.

“In addition, members must choose to vary the speed each time they watch something new – versus Netflix maintaining their settings based on their last choice.”

‘Does everything have to be designed for the laziest and most tasteless?’