Netflix’s approved camera list and best practices are tools you can use when marketing your camera rental business. There’s no doubting the production quality of their TV shows and films and influence they’ve had. This is down to their strict guidelines regarding camera choice and best practices, and they can help you rent out more cameras.
Their Partner Help Center offers guidelines for everything from sound to visual effects and quality control. However, this guide will focus on their imaging guidelines, particularly concerning approved cameras and best practices and how you can use them in your marketing. First, we’ll look at what their best practices are before going into how you can use them.
Netflix’s best practices
The best practices for Netflix productions are split into two sections. The first is capture requirements, which are the standards cameras must meet to qualify for the approved camera list. These are likely similar to the information you share on your website about the cameras you rent out. In addition, they look at dynamic range, form factor, stability, and more.
The second section is their image capture guidelines which are not required, but they are helpful for yourself and customers to know. Whether working on a production for Netflix or not, they help productions avoid common pitfalls that can lead to added costs, lost time, and creative compromises. It is excellent advice to provide your customers with.
Netflix recommends performing black balancing regularly during production as it can shift when cameras undergo temperature changes. This can be due to extended usage or moving to a more humid environment. Most high-end cameras that record cinematic footage will have this feature, and keeping an eye on it throughout a production schedule is essential.
Meanwhile, they suggest testing before shooting and ensuring the color space transformation between formats meets the project’s requirements. Additionally, you should shoot a framing chart as this will make it easy for editors to understand what areas of the captured image are meant to be in the final product and the maximum allowable crop for producing 4K footage.
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Netflix-approved cameras
Finally, Netflix maintains an approved camera list for productions that includes products from brands like Sony, ARRI, RED, and Blackmagic. These are some of the most popular cameras among rental companies.. This list is updated regularly as new camera systems become available and are evaluated before getting approved for use in production.
Some popular cameras that appear on the list include:
Sony FX9
ARRI Alexa LF
RED KOMODO 6K
Blackmagic Design URSA Mini PRO 4.6K G2
How to use Netflix’s Best Practices in your marketing
So, how can you use this information in your marketing to attract more customers? Creating or naming a camera category on your website with the title “Netflix-approved cameras” is a great way to include this information. Not only does this make it easier for customers to find it, but it can also benefit your SEO as people will be searching the rent these cameras.
Providing customers with this kind of information is helpful in their rental decision and builds trust as a knowledgable company. For cinematographers who need the best gear for their shoot, “Netflix-approved” gives them a confirmation and makes the rental company feel experienced. In addition, you can share best practices with your customers during pick-up for a more meaningful interaction that’ll keep them coming back.
You can also display it on your website is on your product pages, where you can highlight cameras that meet these standards and the features included in the capture requirements. Ideally, this information will be included in your product descriptions or images. You could also share this information as a guide on your website to create further trust.
Whether your customers want to get their content on Netflix or not, sharing their best practices will boost your reputation. Professionals want to use the equipment big studios prefer, while amateurs aspire to be like their idols and will eat up the knowledge you can pass on. So, what are you waiting for? Test the waters and see if your camera rental business can benefit.
