The six-year-old documentary ‘Becoming’, featuring Michelle Obama, has made a surprising return to Netflix’s Daily Top 10s, sparking interest and debate among viewers. The film, directed by Nadia Hallgren, was initially released on May 6th, 2020, and was nominated for several awards. It was one of the earliest projects produced under Netflix’s overall deal with Higher Ground Productions, owned by the Obamas. The documentary follows Michelle Obama as she tours with her book ‘Becoming’, looking at her life, hopes, and connection with others.
The resurgence of ‘Becoming’ in the Netflix Top 10s is a remarkable feat, given its initial performance. Upon its initial release, the documentary spent just six days in the top 10s. However, a coordinated effort has successfully manipulated the algorithm, which heavily weights recent viewership velocity. This effort has led to the documentary’s current ranking, leaving many wondering about the factors behind its sudden rise. The Netflix ‘Top 10’ algorithm is designed to showcase popular content, and it appears that ‘Becoming’ has managed to tap into this system.
The documentary’s performance is also being watched closely in light of the recent release of ‘Melania’, a documentary about former US First Lady Melania Trump. The film’s strong debut has raised questions about the economics of the release and Amazon’s strategic positioning. The budget for ‘Melania’ is reported to be in the millions, sparking debate among industry analysts about the viability of such a high budget for a documentary. For comparison, most high-profile documentaries cost a fraction of this figure, with the BBC’s ‘Planet Earth’ costing around $25 million. This unprecedented spend has sparked controversy and debate in the industry.
The resurgence of ‘Becoming’ and the controversy surrounding ‘Melania’ raise important questions about the future of documentary filmmaking. As streaming services continue to invest in high-budget documentaries, the economics of the industry are becoming increasingly complex. The Netflix ‘Top 10’ algorithm, which favors recent viewership velocity, has become a key factor in determining a documentary’s success. As the industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how these factors impact the way documentaries are produced and consumed.
