Steven Soderbergh has been in the entertainment industry since the late ‘80s, when he made his directorial debut with one of his top movies, Sex, Lies, and a Videotape. This modern indie film pioneer has since expanded towards film series like Ocean Twelve and Magic Mike, as well as lending his talents to the streaming services Netflix and Max. But one thing that is most concerning to Soderbergh is streaming services hiding their numbers, as “they don’t want Wall Street to look under the hood.”
As the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes continue, there have been a lot of issues raised like better compensation for performers and writers as well as the fear of AI replacing jobs done by humans. Steven Soderbergh has his own pressing concerns, as he said in an interview with Defector that he’s never seen the data of the shows and movies he’s made for Max services.
Well, it’s just, there are two potential reasons that we’re not getting all of the information. One is that they’re all making a lot more money than anybody knows and that they’re willing to tell us. The other is they’re making a lot less money than anybody knows. And they don’t want Wall Street to look under the hood of this thing in any significant way because there’ll be a reckoning that will be quite unpleasant. It’s one of those two. My attitude is, I’d rather work in a version of the business where I know what’s going on. And if I have to take a haircut, to work in that business, and bet on myself more and take less upfront, which I’ve done a lot, then I’ll do that.
It’s understandable where Steven Soderbergh’s frustration is coming from. Since he’s the one who made movies for Max like Let Them All Talk and Kimi, as well as shows like Finding Magic Mike and Full Circle, he has a right to know what his numbers are. Soderbergh revealed to Defector that he’s only received “adjectives” to describe how his programs are doing, like, “We feel good about these numbers.” It’s better that those on and off camera are informed of the success of their projects compared to being in the dark about it. As the film director’s Max programs have gotten high Rotten Tomatoes scores for critics and audiences, I’d like to believe they’ve been a success for the streaming service too.
Streaming services are already taking over the entertainment industry as it already feels like we have way too many of them and TV networks haven’t stopped creating their own. The Laundromat director continued to explain the importance of needing to know those streaming service numbers.
That could, though, mean, potentially, a drastic reduction in the amount of things that get made. If we tear this thing down to the studs, and find out that the math is funky, it’s going to be quite a transformation. And so my feeling—and I’m operating from a place of real privilege—is the sooner we find out the better, because one way or another, it’s gotta get rebuilt, you might as well start now.
It’s true that especially in the case of a TV show, the truth will eventually come out about how well a show did. With demands still being fought for in the 2023 Writers Strike, more stars are revealing the surprising numbers of how much they’re getting paid in residuals. Suits writers unveiled the little money they’re making from the show's Netflix success, with Lilla Zuckerman saying she made only $414.26 for one episode in residuals from the platform. Mandy Moore said her teeny-tiny residual check from This Is Us was a disappointing number of 82 cents. The positive praises and awards attention these shows are getting deserve to have their pay match that success.
Steven Soderbergh made excellent points about why data transparency is the key to keeping these streaming services alive. With the correct data revealed, actors and writers can get the money they need to survive as well as gain a better understanding of how well a film or show they've worked on is doing. You can watch Soderbergh’s latest limited series, Full Circle, with your Max subscription as part of the 2023 TV series lineup.
