Netflix reorganizes its film divisions in an effort to produce fewer (but higher-quality) original films.

Image Credit: Netflix Netflix is reorganizing its film departments and pledging to release fewer, higher-quality films, according to a recent Bloomberg story, which Netflix largely verified. A few people, including two longstanding executives, will be laid off as a result of the streaming behemoth integrating film groups that make small and medium films, according to the report. When asked how many employees would be laid off, Netflix told TechCrunch that the changes were designed to streamline its operations and position it for the next stage of its growth. According to the article, Netflix Film chairman Scott Stuber has been trying to reduce the number of movies produced by the firm so that more of them are of a high caliber. Although the information is released at the same time that Netflix unveiled their schedule of 49 original films for 2023, it appears that this shift has already been put into effect. In contrast, the company's schedule from the previous year included 85 original movies. In this context, a Netflix original refers to both in-house produced content and content for which the streaming service holds the distribution rights. Whether Netflix would also be reducing the inclusion of originals that it did not make but instead acquired the rights to is still unknown, a decision that would affect the output of new originals on the service. Lisa Nishimura, one of the executives quitting the company, is responsible for its entry into stand-up comedy and original documentaries, according to Netflix. Nishimura had contributed to some of the most watched Netflix shows, such as "Making a Murderer," "Power of the Dog," and "Tiger King." Image Credit: WSJ Additionally departing from Netflix is Ian Bricke, who was the vice president of Independent Original Film. Due to Bricke's leadership on films like "The Kissing Booth," "Set It Up," and "To All the Boys I've Loved Before," Netflix has dominated the rom-com genre. Lisa Nishimura joined Netflix during the DVD era, and as the business transitioned to streaming, she built the divisions for original documentaries and stand-up comedy from the ground up, making Netflix a powerhouse in both markets, according to a statement from Stuber sent via email. "For more than ten years, Ian Bricke has worked for the company, creating and overseeing our indie film division, which has attracted directors like Tamara Jenkins, Nicole Holofcener, and Mark and Jay Duplass. We are grateful to them both for helping to make us a top-tier film company and wish them the best in the future. The few layoffs follow a series of job cuts Netflix made last year. The corporation let go of about 150 employees in May 2022. A month later, the business let go of 300 more workers, representing 3% of its total employment at the time. Then, on September, 30 more people who worked for Netflix's animation division were let go. Netflix fired 25 members of its editorial staff just five months after starting its internal Tudum publication. This was the editorial side. To its shareholders earlier this year, Netflix bragged that it had ramped up its ten-year-old original programming strategy. We are through the most cash-intensive phase of this buildout now that we are a decade into our original programming project and have effectively scaled it, the company noted in a letter to shareholders. We think we will now produce consistent, positive annual free cash flow going ahead as a result. On April 18, Netflix is expected to release Q1 2023 financial figures.