1 – Mumbling and Growling Actors
The number one complaint. But in reply, the TV & Film Producers say it is deliberate to make scenes more realistic. Many TV viewers state they are forced to resort to using subtitles. Directors are persuading actors to downplay their delivery and almost throw their lines away, thinking it is more realistic. Personally, I blame Bruce Willis!
2 – Loud Music & Soundscape
Many people believe that the music is not only loud at crucial moments but is often composed in such a form as to not add anything to the emotions of the scene. It is hardly surprising that more native speakers watch with the subtitles on. TV systems are not designed for surround sound. The absence or incorrect integration of a central sound bar can make the dialogue difficult to hear, as can listening to it without the system mix that was part of the design. This is still an excuse because if you check the Db meter, the dialogue is always lower than the music or soundscape.
3 – Dark Grading
For many viewers, television & films are often too dark. This is not in the subject matter but in the cinematography and editing. The producers believe this makes the movie or TV series look more expensive. But, even with costly TV sets, some viewers can’t make out the action of their favourite shows, let alone those who try watching programs on smaller screens.
Plus
With budget cuts over the past 20 years, TV companies have had to take scripts and lengthen them to secure air time. The element of taking a story and adding pointless and confusing subplots to increase the length of a one-hour and prolonging it to six one-hour slots is commonplace. Include handheld & shaky camera shots for spine-tingling immersion, and you have a recipe for driving your average Joe Bloggs viewer crazy. The result is that several of these companies have seen their stocks fall in recent years.