Well, well, well, Netflix. Every filmmaker’s new ideal way to show films to the audience and climb the mountain of success. Perhaps too ideal that having a film on Netflix is becoming a dream to some. But they are not our case today, because today we want to talk about the group of filmmakers who CAN get to Netflix following the steps we talk about, so don’t miss today’s blog.
So you have done your job and made a great film…wait, wait, the first question is what makes a film great for Netflix? I guess it’s better to figure it out before we go to Netflix’s office, so let’s have a look at a list of effective factors.
Production Value
The very first thing that qualifies your film for a company like Netflix is the quality of your film. And by that, I don’t mean using Netflix approved cameras because that list is somehow for Netflix originals, but having a cinematic image and sound will save your film to be an outsider among all that quality films. So as a good start you might wanna study Netflix published films in your genre to get the standards.
Cast & Crew
The next thing that makes the film a good option for Netflix is the people who built it. If you have an A actor in your film or an A director or producer is behind it, your chance is much much better in that office. So if you’re not famous enough to be recognized by Netflix buyers, try to attach someone to your film who is recognizable for them. And one possible way to do this is to find people who make films in the same genre that you want to work on. People who have proven that they’re good at that genre and are interested in that.
Recognition
Another factor that increases the value of your film for Netflix is the number of big festivals you’ve been involved in and perhaps won some awards. This can also be a shortcut to the negotiation office as such companies often search for good films in those festivals to be the platform that publishes that successful film. This one is not related to recognition, but your film can also be of interest if your subject is something very popular and relatable to many people.
Now that you know your film holds some value to itself, you can think about pitching your film to Netflix. And for that, we have three ways for you.
Netflix Directors
If you carefully study the list of credits in Netflix originals, you can find some names of producers and directors who might wanna talk to you about your interesting film and get you to the Netflix office. Of course, it’s a casual way and you should spend a lot of time to get those executives’ emails, but it’s the most direct way you can go.
Agents
If you want people who can link you directly to the right people in Netflix, those are agents. Literary agents, entertainment executives, and people like them are known for connecting good ideas to good people. so working with them can increase your chances of getting noticed. It’s also what Netflix recommends filmmakers to do if they want to get their film there. It says Netflix only works with people they know and have worked with before, otherwise, the submission is unsolicited.
Distributors
Another type of people you can rely on, are the distributors who have access to Netflix. They usually know what type of film will be accepted and how to pitch it to Netflix. Even if you’ve already built your relationship with Netflix, they will ask you to work with a film distribution company to deliver your film properly.
Now let’s assume that after all or one of these ways, you get the chance to go to that room and talk to a Netflix buyer. One thing that you should keep in mind about the meeting is that you need to be brief and effective. What pros recommend about that is to have a professional logline, along with a trailer and the key art to make sure they understand the vision and value of the film and perhaps buy it. Once you do that right for the first time, working with Netflix gets easier and easier for the upcoming projects and you become a Netflix approved filmmaker.