Ted Sarandos Quotes

Powerful Ted Sarandos for Daily Growth

About Ted Sarandos

Theodore J. "Ted" Sarandos is an American media executive widely recognized as one of the leading figures in the streaming revolution. Born on December 30, 1960, in Whittier, California, Sarandos developed a passion for film from a young age. After earning a degree in Business Administration from California State University, Northridge, he began his career at the independent film distribution company, Gramercy Pictures. In 1999, Sarandos joined Netflix as its Director of Content Acquisition. Over the next two decades, he played a pivotal role in transforming the company from a DVD-by-mail service to a global streaming giant. His innovative strategies and keen eye for content have made Netflix a powerhouse in the entertainment industry. Sarandos' influence extends beyond Netflix. He has been instrumental in shaping the landscape of modern cinema, championing diverse stories and talent. He was responsible for acquiring critically acclaimed films such as "The Queen," "Beasts of No Nation," and "Roma," which have earned numerous awards and recognition. In 2020, Sarandos was named one of the most powerful people in the entertainment industry by The Hollywood Reporter. His impact is felt not only in the films we watch but also in the broader conversations about representation, diversity, and the future of storytelling. As Netflix continues to grow and evolve, Sarandos remains at the forefront, driving innovation and pushing the boundaries of what streaming can achieve. Key Quotes: 1. "Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we have." (TechCrunch Disrupt, 2014) 2. "We're building a global household name that people want to be associated with quality entertainment." (Variety, 2015) 3. "The goal is to make great movies and great television shows, and make money at it." (TED Talk, 2016)

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Every time I meet a new actor, I want to work with them."

This quote by Ted Sarandos indicates his eagerness and openness to collaborate with a diverse range of actors in the film industry. It suggests that he values the unique talents each actor brings and is always seeking opportunities to leverage these skills to create engaging and impactful stories. The willingness to work with new talent also speaks to Sarandos' enthusiasm for discovering fresh perspectives and expanding the boundaries of storytelling.


"Content is King, but distribution is Queen and she wears the pants."

This quote emphasizes that while content (the "King") is crucial for attracting an audience, it's the method of delivery or distribution ("Queen") that holds the power to make or break success in media. The Queen not only decides when and where the content is presented but also controls its overall impact and reach, symbolized by her wearing the pants (exerting ultimate authority).


"We're trying to make things that move people and change culture."

This quote by Ted Sarandos implies that he aims to create content (movies, shows, etc.) not just for entertainment, but to evoke emotions deeply within audiences and influence society as a whole. He seeks to produce work that not only resonates with people on an emotional level but also leaves a lasting impact on the culture of our times. This could involve addressing significant social issues, promoting diversity, or fostering thought-provoking discussions.


"There's always more great stories to tell."

This quote by Ted Sarandos suggests that there is an abundance of compelling narratives waiting to be explored, shared, and experienced. It underscores the belief that storytelling is a vital human endeavor with no end in sight, as new ideas, perspectives, and emotions continue to emerge and evolve over time.


"The best art comes from a place of passion."

This quote emphasizes that the most impactful and meaningful art originates from deep, personal emotions or interests – in other words, from a place of genuine passion. Artists who create with this level of emotional investment often imbue their work with authenticity, depth, and a unique perspective. By allowing themselves to be guided by their passions, they are able to connect more profoundly with their audience, making the art itself more powerful and resonant.


We try to guide with a light touch. Sometimes we can be helpful, and my goal with my team, both on the series side and on the film side, is that the collaboration should always be invited. In other words, we're not looking to impose our view on the filmmaker; we hire a storyteller because we love the story, and we love their ability to tell it.

- Ted Sarandos

Love, Other, Hire, Impose

I really loved the 'Sopranos' but didn't have HBO. So someone would send me tapes of the show with three or four episodes. I would watch one episode and go: 'Oh my God, I've got to watch one more.' I'd watch the whole tape and champ at the bit for the next one.

- Ted Sarandos

Next, Show, Tapes, Sopranos

What we are going to do is continue to grow our content spend on original programming, both in absolute numbers and as a percentage of our total spending, because it's been working. It's been helping grow the brand; and more importantly, it's been driving viewing hours relative to how else we would spend the money.

- Ted Sarandos

Been, Helping, Importantly, Percentage

I don't know that on-demand sports is remarkably better than live sports.

- Ted Sarandos

Sports, Better, Than, Remarkably

I think what's going to happen with linear television is it's going to become more linear. It's going to become more about events and more about award shows, live sports - all those things that, really, you can't replicate.

- Ted Sarandos

Award, I Think, About, Events

The television business is based on managed dissatisfaction. You're watching a great television show you're really wrapped up in? You might get 50 minutes of watching a week and then 18,000 minutes of waiting until the next episode comes along.

- Ted Sarandos

Waiting, Week, Next, Dissatisfaction

The U.K. has been very progressive about on-demand, and the iPlayer has been a great invention. It has trained a generation of viewers to expect on-demand - unfortunately, it trains them to expect free!

- Ted Sarandos

Generation, Been, Very, Progressive

I think that we've got a huge head start on things that are not easy to do: progressive streaming, to be able to stream in very high quality, even in an environment of highly variable bit rate, and to work on a big variety of devices seamlessly.

- Ted Sarandos

Big, I Think, Very, Progressive

I think when you see 'Ridiculous Six,' the show speaks for itself in terms of its treatment of American Indians.

- Ted Sarandos

Think, I Think, Treatment, American Indians

Typically, if you buy a studio with a library, their library is pretty well licensed out many years in advance, so you are not really gaining access to the programming in that way.

- Ted Sarandos

Pretty, Studio, Gaining, Licensed

Netflix is distributed in 50 countries around the world. It's an incredibly affordable, well-distributed product that gives anyone with access to the Internet and a screen access to content in a very affordable way.

- Ted Sarandos

Product, Affordable, Very, Distributed

The future of how the networks and studios deal with Netflix and Hulu and Amazon Prime Instant Video is certainly going to determine their future.

- Ted Sarandos

Deal, Prime, Certainly, Hulu

I think we can launch - successfully, high quality - around 20 original scripted shows a year, which means every 2 1/2 to three weeks you're launching a new season or a new show on Netflix meant to be for really diverse tastes all around the world.

- Ted Sarandos

I Think, Weeks, Tastes, High Quality

Why not premiere movies on Netflix the same day they're opening in theaters? Listen to the consumer; give the consumer what they want.

- Ted Sarandos

Want, Give, Why, Theaters

Theater owners are exerting a lot of power over the studios to withhold access to content that people want to see. That's bad for consumers, that's bad for studios, and ultimately, I think it will be bad for theaters.

- Ted Sarandos

Think, Over, I Think, Theaters

I don't think, by the way, that any network would have given us their show to release all 13 episodes once ahead of them, and the same way, I don't think any studio will give us their movies to release the same day they are in the theaters - not yet, not yet.

- Ted Sarandos

Ahead, Release, Studio, Theaters

'Marco Polo' had some negative reactions in the press. Viewers have loved it, and the volume of viewing has been phenomenal.

- Ted Sarandos

Some, Been, Had, Phenomenal

On Friday night, if you want to go out on a date with your wife or your girlfriend, nothing on Netflix competes with that, right? Because you're getting out; that's what you're doing. If you don't want to put your shoes on, nothing in the cinema competes with the worst thing on Netflix.

- Ted Sarandos

Doing, Date, Friday Night, Friday

What I didn't want to do is get into a ratings race with television because really, for them, it matters. For me, it doesn't.

- Ted Sarandos

Television, Want, Race, Ratings

Our value proposition to consumers is so much more about completeness than freshness. Having the complete season is so much more valuable, in our business model, than having last night's episode.

- Ted Sarandos

Business, Last, Having, Completeness

It's a massive consumer frustration around the world about how long they have to wait after the U.S. to see television shows and movies. In the U.S., there's the frustration of having to wait a year to watch a movie in the format that you choose.

- Ted Sarandos

Wait, Year, Movie, Consumer

I think being a partner with the studios and networks and, more importantly, being a great source for consumers to watch that programming is always going to be a part of our programming mix.

- Ted Sarandos

Think, Always, I Think, Programming

The major international appeal for 'House of Cards' was kind of a surprise because it's a very American show. What we learned is that American politics is very American, but greed and corruption and all of that is very global.

- Ted Sarandos

Politics, Surprise, Very, International

Our feature film, 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Two,' has a built-in fan base from the original film.

- Ted Sarandos

Original, Film, Feature Film, Fan Base

We're closer to HBO than we are to the entire grid of cable on demand.

- Ted Sarandos

Than, HBO, Entire, Grid

I feel like if we can use the combination of basically data-driven hunches and bet on really first-class talent to deliver the shows, that I think we could do as well as the networks do, who basically have a 75 to 80 percent failure rate for new shows anyway - even after all that development and pilot work.

- Ted Sarandos

Feel, I Think, Use, First-Class

When we show you all these various pieces of content on the site, how frequently do you take the one that we present? And of the one you took, how frequently do you completely watch the whole series? And do you rate it, one to five stars? So if we presented it to you, and you watched it, and you rated it, that's a big win.

- Ted Sarandos

Big, Show, Frequently, Rated

We're one of the largest employers in Canada for animation executives, and there is - I think something on the magnitude of $140 million a year be important to the Canadian economy producing animation for Netflix.

- Ted Sarandos

Think, Largest, Employers, Animation

A lot of our animation projects are co-productions with French production companies.

- Ted Sarandos

Projects, Lot, Companies, Animation

We are anxious and open to all forms of doing business in China.

- Ted Sarandos

Business, Doing, Anxious, Forms

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