On episode #2240 of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, which released on Jan. 16, actor and film producer Matt Damon made a comment that sparked a resurgence in the ongoing conversation of phone dependance, this time from a filmmaking perspective.
According to a 2023 study conducted by YouGov, 91% of samples taken from the U.S. were shown to at least sometimes check their phones while watching TV.
In response to the growing popularity of the practice, which the study called “second screening,” Damon suggested a new style of storytelling to accommodate the divided attention of viewers.
“It wouldn’t be terrible if you reiterated the plot three or four times in the dialogue because people are on their phones while they’re watching,” Damon said. “And, so then it’s going to really start to infringe on how we’re telling the story.”
Communication professor Nicki Chavoya disagreed with plot repetition being necessary. As a professor, she refused the idea of having to teach her students to adjust their work in this way for audience attention.
“I’d rather teach them original, honest filmmaking from the heart,” Chavoya said. “And then if they can make a good film, but then have to adapt once they start directing for Netflix, then so be it.”
However, movie theaters continue to persist in their phoneless atmospheres, creating a contrast between the experiences of screening and streaming.
“If I choose to go to a movie theater and see a movie, I’m not really thinking about checking my phone,” criminal justice senior Taylor Cotton said. “If I’m at home, I get a phone call, maybe I’ll answer it, but I’ll pause the movie.”
Chavoya agreed that the commonness of streaming has also normalized a convenience that comes with watching movies.
“At home, you’re watching something and you can easily go to the bathroom, get a snack, check your phone and it makes sense that people need to be reminded of the plot many times,” she said. “I don’t like it. I don’t appreciate it, but I see that that’s where our lifestyles have changed quite a bit.”
Despite this shift in movie watching culture, music and sound recording senior J.D. Smith didn’t believe the burden fell on filmmakers to adjust their storytelling methods.
“It is really just us being addicted to phones and not having that much attention to detail,” Smith said.
However, forensic psychology senior Kayla Dohna, said that her movie-viewing experience wasn’t negatively impacted much, if at all.
“I hear what’s going on,” she said. “And it’s not like I’m sitting there on my phone. It’s more checking if I have notifications or anything urgent to respond to.”
Her take on her “second screening” moments were a lot less grave for the filmmaking world, and even lighthearted.
“I feel like I am magically the best multitasker in the world,” Dohna said.
