At the Bloomberg Screentime conference on Thursday, Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria addressed questions about the streaming giant’s compensation model for talent. Despite recent speculation about potential changes, Bajaria firmly stated, “Our model works great for talent. It works great for filmmakers. It’s worked well for us. We like the model.” She emphasized that Netflix has no plans to overhaul its existing payment structure.
Bajaria noted that while there may be a few bespoke deals, these should not be seen as indicative of a broader shift in policy. “Everybody wants there to be a story there,” she remarked, dismissing reports that have suggested a significant change was on the horizon. She pointed out that the media has exaggerated the situation, stating, “It’s very tiny thing that has blown up to the story of, ‘we’re changing our business.’”
Recent reports indicated that Netflix might propose a new plan involving smaller upfront fees for talent, with the promise of greater backend success. Although Netflix did revise its payment strategies following last year’s SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, including success bonuses for popular shows, Bajaria’s comments suggest the company is committed to its current model of buying out backend profits for series and films.
In contrast, Netflix has made changes to its executive compensation structure, opting for smaller salaries and more stock options to better align executive interests with those of shareholders. However, Bajaria reassured that the core compensation approach for creators and talent remains unchanged.
