Ourselves Podcast
Ourselves Podcast
Ourselves
Oscar-Nominated Director Reveals the Pitch That Sold to Netflix
1 hour 39 minutes Posted Feb 17, 2026 at 2:45 pm.
Origin Story: Growing Up Without an “Artist” Blueprint
The importance of being a PA and DIY Film school
How networking got his first big break with ESPN
Deep Dive: Making his film ‘Audible’—12 Years to Finance, Pitch Decks, Netflix, and Sound as Character
Why So Many Docs Are Under 40 Minutes (Festivals, Oscars Rules)
Netflix + Festivals: Qualifying Runs, Theatrical Weeks, and Strategy
The Oscars Aren’t the Job: Filmmaking as Hard Work + Startup Life
From Viral Clip to Disney+: The Origin Story of ‘Madu’
Pitching Docs Today: Treatments, Sizzle Reels, and Selling the Arc
Capturing Intimacy on Camera: Trust, Crew Size, Lenses, and Natural Light
Co-Directing Across Cultures: Why Collaboration Made the Film Stronger
Best Ways to Edit Documentaries
The Best Way To Interview for Documentaries
Where Should the Subject Look? On-Lens vs Off-Lens
What Makes a Doc Stand Out? The One Thing That Gets Audiences to Care
Breaking Into Commercials & Branded: Reels, Rosters, and the Pitch Process
0:00
1:39:57
Download MP3
Show notes
Want to sell a movie to Netflix? This episode breaks down the reality behind a Netflix documentary pitch deck, funding, film financing, and what streamers actually buy. Oscar-nominated director Matt Ogens, known for Netflix’s Audible and Disney+’s Madu, explains how pitch decks, sizzle reels, packaging, and access determine whether a project gets made, how documentary financing really works, and what filmmakers need to understand about distribution deals in 2026. If you’re researching Netflix documentary pitches, film funding, or how to build a filmmaking career, this is the real behind-the-scenes conversation.
 
 
Follow⁠ ⁠⁠Matt Ogens⁠
Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Arrad (podcast host)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 
 
LISTEN / SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SPOTIFY⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠APPLE MUSIC⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
 
CONNECT WITH US:
✩ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ourselves (production team)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: 
✩ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
✩ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
✩ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
✩ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook