In the present world, streaming platforms like Netflix have become the default entertainment source for millions of people around the globe. But it’s not just entertainment; people also rely on the media to stay updated on current events and trends. Many services, including Netflix, have become an essential part of daily life, but do we really know what we are consuming? To fully understand what Netflix provides, the viewers have to develop an awareness of the diversity of content and film literacy.

The information we receive from stories helps us form our perception of reality and our position in it. Diversity in the media industry is vital because it ensures that people of different cultural backgrounds, races, and identities are depicted in the media. This promotes tolerance in the society we live in. As a foreign exchange student, it is important to me to see myself represented correctly on screen in order to create empathy and prevent stereotypes. This is something that Netflix has provided to viewers in a new and different way.
However, I do think that we all watch TV and want to be there, we want to be part of the world and the cultures and even languages that are presented to us. Viewers of diverse stories enhance their understanding and reduce their biases. For example, English shows on Netflix helped me improve my English language skills. I was interested in watching shows that portrayed what it was like to live and work in the United States, which even helped me decide to study abroad. We need diversity in the media so that people can feel like they are being put in the other person’s shoes, including my own. The ability to analyze and interpret the media we consume is referred to as film literacy. It is the understanding of the film’s context, themes, and the visuals used in the film. This means that the users of Netflix can move beyond surface level engagement with movies and instead explore the layers of meaning within them.In the present world, streaming platforms like Netflix have become the default entertainment source for millions of people around the globe. But it’s not just entertainment; people also rely on the media to stay updated on current events and trends. Many services, including Netflix, have become an essential part of daily life, but do we really know what we are consuming? To fully understand what Netflix provides, the viewers have to develop an awareness of the diversity of content and film literacy.

The information we receive from stories helps us form our perception of reality and our position in it. Diversity in the media industry is vital because it ensures that people of different cultural backgrounds, races, and identities are depicted in the media. This promotes tolerance in the society we live in. As a foreign exchange student, it is important to me to see myself represented correctly on screen in order to create empathy and prevent stereotypes. This is something that Netflix has provided to viewers in a new and different way.
However, I do think that we all watch TV and want to be there, we want to be part of the world and the cultures and even languages that are presented to us. Viewers of diverse stories enhance their understanding and reduce their biases. For example, English shows on Netflix helped me improve my English language skills. I was interested in watching shows that portrayed what it was like to live and work in the United States, which even helped me decide to study abroad. We need diversity in the media so that people can feel like they are being put in the other person’s shoes, including my own. The ability to analyze and interpret the media we consume is referred to as film literacy. It is the understanding of the film’s context, themes, and the visuals used in the film. This means that the users of Netflix can move beyond surface-level engagement with movies and instead explore the layers of meaning within them.

Here are some practical tips for enhancing your film literacy:
Cinematic elements such as lighting, music, and camera angles should be paid attention to as they contribute to the mood and storytelling of a film. All of these elements may seem like they are just creative choices but ultimately are a very big part of the underlying tones of the story. They can even progress the film forward and add much-needed detail and closure.
Cultural context should be researched before watching a film from a different culture. This will enrich your viewing experience as it can add more depth to each event and interaction seen.
The intent of the director should be reflected on. Why was a particular setting chosen? What message does the story convey? Everything means something. Nothing is there by coincidence.
Films should be discussed with others as they can introduce new perspectives and interpretations you might have missed. You create an essential perspective that adds to each layer of diversity you are unique in your experiences and others can benefit from your perceptions.

How Netflix Encourages Diversity and Film Literacy

To this end, the company has improved in the area of diversity through measures such as financing content from new creators and providing subtitles and dubbing in several languages. This is because creating and displaying films with actors from various countries and with different race, culture, identity and gender brings depth to the story. It enables us to identify our family members, friends, colleagues or even people we don’t know well. It presents a platform for awareness and acceptance. Furthermore, it enables us to experience various periods in history and what they might have been like for characters with different life experiences, including those defined by gender, sexual orientation or preference (Netflix).
On the whole, there are always ways to improve, and it is important that we as consumers realize when incorrect information is being construed. A big part of misrepresentation is having inaccurate casting choices. Casting is an essential part of telling the authentic story. The Netflix Company should make sure that the actors they are casting are of the ethnicity, culture or language of the character they are to play. This not only improves the genuineness of the story but also provides a chance for the actors, especially those from the minority groups, to act in roles that depict their real lives. Avoiding misrepresentation and cultural inaccuracies in casting decisions builds trust and credibility with diverse audiences.
In casting, misrepresentation—such as casting an actor who is the wrong race or does not speak the language or culture of the role—can perpetuate stereotypes and weaken the story. For example, a character who speaks with the wrong accent, or who incorrectly portrays cultural details, can be off-putting to the audience and weaken the story’s impact. My family and I have often seen the language or the culture being portrayed in films, and most of the time, there are negative stereotypes (Santa Clara University).
Netflix could adopt industry standard casting guidelines, or expand on them, and could partner with cultural consultants to make sure that the stories are told correctly and sensitively. The company could also provide a chance for relatively new actors from particular communities to emerge and give their performances as authentic because they are not famous or stereotypically attractive actors. Using the culture and depth to open a mind is always better than a recognized face. Accurate casting is important, but it is also important to respect the culture and the stories that are being told.

Mental illness has also been addressed by Netflix in various forms through its original films and series. Included in its films are a variety of mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder and more, and it presents these experiences from different points of view (Peña and Sarrionandia). This does the best job of capturing the fact that everyone’s mental health story is unique because it shows that there are many ways to tell a story about mental health. Many of the Netflix projects try to demedicalize and destigmatize mental illness by portraying characters with mental health issues as whole people and not just their condition. Additionally, for the more sensitive matters, Netflix has a way of consulting mental health professionals to make sure the content is accurate and does not cause more harm than good. Some content on the platform, especially when dealing with the more intense or potentially damaging subjects, contains trigger warnings for the viewers. This is a big step forward in acknowledging what these depictions can do to audiences. This is a huge step forward in accepting these stories in real life. This is also because the platform provides a global platform to tell culturally specific stories about mental health. The films and series that are produced and are from different countries depict how mental illness is perceived and handled in societies and thus bring about the global perspective.

Netflix. “Inclusion & Diversity.” About Netflix, Netflix, https://about.netflix.com/en/inclusion. 

Peña, Mikel, and Ainize Sarrionandia. “Mental Health, Violence, Suicide, Self-Harm, and HIV in Series and Films of Netflix: Content Analysis and Its Possible Impacts on Society.” Frontiers, Frontiers, 25 Sept. 2023, www.frontiersin.org/journals/communication/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2023.1243394/full. 

Santa Clara University, Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. “Ethical Casting in a Racially Realized Hollywood: A Framework.” Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara University, www.scu.edu/ethics/focus-areas/journalism-and-media-ethics/resources/ethical-casting-in-a-racially-realized-hollywood-a-framework/.