Netflix: Secret of Success

Intermediate level
Task 1. Warm-up.

Discuss the questions:

1. What do you think of when you hear the word 'movie'?
2. What is your all-time favorite movie?
3. If you were a movie, which one would you be?
4. Do you download movies or watch online?
5. What streaming platform do you use to watch movies and
shows online?

Created by Maria Tsedrik for Skyteach, 2021©

6. What streaming platform do you think is the most popular in the USA?

Created by Maria Tsedrik for Skyteach, 2021©

Check your guess.
Check your guess

Created by Maria Tsedrik for Skyteach, 2021©

Task 2. What do
Check your guessyou know about Netflix?
Why is it Why is it so
called popular? Why does Netflix
Neflix? release its shows by
the season instead
of by the episode?

How did it develop

into a over-the-top
content platform?
Why do some
movies and shows
How much disappear from
does the the platform?
subscription
cost?
Created by Maria Tsedrik for Skyteach, 2021©
 Task 3. A brief
Check your guesshistory of Netflix.

Read the text. The words For millions, Netflix is the de-facto place to go for movie
and TV streaming. Not bad for a company that started by
below all appear in the text.
posting DVDs by snail mail. Here we explore the origins of
Discuss what the connection the company and track some of the important milestones
might be between the words in history.
and Netflix. Netflix, in full Netflix, Inc., is a media-streaming and
video-rental company that was founded in 1997 by
● Revenue
American entrepreneurs Reed Hastings and Marc
● Boon
Randolph. The name Netflix is a combination of "Net" (as
● Whooping in the abbreviation for "internet") and "Flix" (a variation
● Unveil of "flick", the common abbreviation for a movie or film).
● Acclaimed Now the company’s sole revenue source is monthly
Read the text and check if you membership fees, where the price varies based on the
chosen subscription. How did it all begin?
guessed correctly.
Created by Maria Tsedrik for Skyteach, 2021©
 Check your guess
When it first opened, Netflix was purely a movie
rental service. Users ordered movies on the Netflix
website, and received DVDs in the post. When they
were finished with them, they would simply post
them back to Netflix in the envelopes provided. At
the time, this was seen as a boon to those who did
not have a video rental store nearby (remember
those?).
After significant growth, in 1999 Netflix switched to
a subscriber-based model offering unlimited DVD
rentals for one low monthly price. With this model,
users could keep the DVDs for as long as they liked,
but could only rent a new movie after returning
their existing one.
In 2000 Netflix introduced a personalized movie
recommendation system, which uses members’
ratings to predict choices for all Netflix members.
In 2003 Netflix announced that it reached 1 million
subscribers in the United States.
In 2006 Netflix sees huge growth in member
numbers, reaching 6,3 million subscribers by years'
end. The company also launches its "Netflix Prize",
promising a whopping $1 million to the first
developer of a video-recommendation algorithm
that could beat its existing algorithm.
In 2007 Netflix introduced Online streaming
services, which allows members to instantly watch
television shows and movies on their personal
computers. This was a huge shift in the company's
business model. Created by Maria Tsedrik for Skyteach, 2021©
 Check your guess
Since 2012, Netflix has taken more of an active role
as producer and distributor for both film and
television series, and to that end, offers a variety of
"Netflix Original" content through its online library.
In 2013 Netflix received 31 primetime Emmy
nominations including outstanding drama series,
comedy series and documentary or nonfiction
special for “House of Cards”, “Orange Is the New
Black”, and “The Square” respectively. Netflix was
the first internet TV network nominated for the
Primetime Emmy.
Netflix also releases some other popular original
programming like "Hemlock Grove" and "Arrested
Development," while also unveiling the ‘Profiles’
feature, which allows users to create different
profiles for different users and/or different moods.
By year's end, the company has more than 40
million subscribers.
By January 2016, Netflix services operated in more
than 190 countries. Netflix released an estimated
126 original series and films in 2016, more than any
other network or cable channel.Netflix premiered
“Stranger Things”, which became an acclaimed and
award-winning worldwide phenomenon.
One of the reasons why the platform is so successful
among all generations now is that you can watch
anywhere, anytime and even without an internet
connection. You can download whatever you want
in your profile. Users even have the ability to
request movies or series directly
Created to Netflix.
by Maria Tsedrik for Skyteach, 2021©
 Check your guess
Many customers feel the struggle of choosing a movie or
series, that’s where the streaming giant comes to the
rescue with their recommendation system. Whenever a
member enters the streaming service, the system suggests
content you might be interested in. This recommendation
system is driven by multiple factors like previous movie
history, analyzing information about the watched shows,
time of the day the user watches, the used devices, and
duration of watching. With millions of people watching,
this system is only getting better and better each day.

Created by Maria Tsedrik for Skyteach, 2021©

Task 4. Seven key
Check your guess factors behind the success
1. Analyse the picture and try to
comment on each factor. Use
modals of deductions and
speculations.
2. Read the article. Did you have
similar ideas?
3. Read another article. What
another Netflix features might
be appealing to the audience?

Created by Maria Tsedrik for Skyteach, 2021©

Task 5. Everything
Check your guess you need to know about Netflix.

How many of these questions can you answer now?

Why is it so Why does Netflix
Why is it popular? release its shows by
called the season instead
Neflix? of by the episode?

How did it develop

into a over-the-top
content platform? Why do some
movies and shows
How much disappear from
does the the platform?
subscription
cost?
Created by Maria Tsedrik for Skyteach, 2021©
Discussion
Discuss the questions:
1. Is now a good time to start a business? Why or why not?
2. What new patterns or behaviors have you noticed within
your society or the country’s society?
3. What spin-off ideas can you think of that support a gig
economy? For example, what services or products might gig
employees value or gig employers value?
4. What are some of the reasons for business failures? If you
were starting a business, what are some actions you could
take to increase your potential for success?your society or
the country’s society?
Created by Maria Tsedrik for Skyteach, 2021©