How To Get A Movie On Netflix: Complete Guide

Nowadays, more and more people spend huge amounts of their time watching movies and TV shows on Netflix.

The streaming company has boomed over the years, and now it is the leading Video on Demand (VOD) site in the whole world. To date, it has over 250 million subscribers worldwide.

Many movies, TV shows, and documentaries get released on the platform by the day, and it’s showing no sign of slowing down anytime soon.

How To Get A Movie On Netflix

Seeing the coverage that Netflix has, you may want to release your movie on the popular platform.

Maybe you are a published company or an indie filmmaker who wants to reach more people, get more views, and make more money.

But you don’t have any idea about what you must do, or any steps you must take. Also, you are too intimidated to take the first step.

Well, getting your movie on Netflix is indeed time-consuming and unnerving. But it’s a decision you can’t regret because it will benefit you a great deal.

Getting Your Movie On Netflix

If you play your cards right, you can get there in a shorter time than usual, and you will increase your chances of success up a notch. If things go well, you will kill it in terms of making money.

All this will happen and at the same time, you will be gathering a massive audience for your movies.

Most likely, they will turn into your loyal customers as they will watch every movie you will release sometime in the future.

That’s what Netflix can do for you, so releasing your movie on it can be a great sales strategy. Not doing so would be unwise—your sales won’t reach their full potential.

In this article, I will give you the necessary steps you need to get your movie on Netflix.

Strategies To Get Your Movie On Netflix

There are many options you can choose to get your movie on Netflix. Some work better than others, and also, some will work or won’t work for you.

But if you take one of these options, you may get your movie on Netflix without much hassle.

1. Work With An Aggregator

Here is the truth: Netflix is a big company, so it rarely has time to interact with individual movie producers.

There are a lot of indie producers out there who want to get on Netflix, and if the streaming company attends them all separately, it will take a lot of time and work.

To make it easier, Netflix works with aggregators.

These aggregators meet with Netflix buyers regularly, and they pitch movies on behalf of the indie producers.

They will receive your film, repair it if need be, package it, and deliver it to Netflix.

There are many aggregators now, and they all charge differently, and also different amounts. Some charge a certain percentage on the profits generated, some charge a flat fee, and others charge both.

For most companies that charge a flat fee, the payment will be anywhere upwards of $1k. In return, you will keep 100% of the profits.

Sounds good, right? It sure does, at least for me.

An example of those aggregators is Distribber. For a flat fee of $1600, they will manage all your distribution to Netflix and other outlets of your choice.

And yes, you will still have 100% rights to your movie, as well as profits.

2. Pitch To Netflix

If you are too reluctant to work with aggregators, or you want to avoid paying any fee to them, you can pitch directly to Netflix.

This method is overwhelming, but it’s a viable option. Quite frankly, chances of success are low, but who knows, maybe you can get a response. By the way, nothing is impossible, right.

Well, some producers have pitched directly to Netflix buyers, and they found success. So at least we have proof that it works. They achieved what they wanted, and the same can apply to you too.

To contact someone from Netflix, you should send them an email. That’s the only way you can reach them.

But don’t get your hopes too high because unless you have significant contacts at Netflix, your odds of success will be low.

They rarely have time to deal with indie producers by the way.

But if you are a producer with great enough credibility, then your likelihood of success with this method will be higher than usual.

And you have to be willing to accept rejection. The odds of success will be against you, and the chances of being rejected will be high.

If it does happen, accept it — it’s part of the process. You are an indie filmmaker, so you will undoubtedly be an entrepreneur.

   

Being rejected isn’t anything new to entrepreneurs — it’s often what fuels their success.

If Netflix doesn’t consider your proposal, keep on pitching to them. It’s all about trial and error. You might get lucky.

But don’t go overboard. You shouldn’t be a pain to the company. If you overdo it, they may cut ties with you for good, and you may never pitch to them directly again.

The takeaway here is that use this method wisely if you want to get your movie on Netflix.

3. Work With An Agent

Agents have proven credibility and are professionals in this field.

They help you make your pitch better so that it can stand out from their crowd. Also, like aggregators, they meet with Netflix buyers regularly.

Furthermore, agents give you published notes consistently that give you tips on what Netflix wants.

As a result, it will help you create better pitches that go in line with what Netflix is looking for.

If you work with them, you will get your movie on Netflix.

Tips To Help You Get Your Film On Netflix Faster

You have seen the methods that will help you get your movie on Netflix. All of them work, and some are better than others.

But if you want to get your movie on Netflix faster, you should work with a well-known actor or producer.

These guys have more solid credibility, and so Netflix will most likely consider them. Partnering with them will help you succeed in leaps and bounds.

Take for example Dwayne the Rock Johnson. If he stars in your movie, people will be willing to see it any time of the day because of his credibility.

And if a regular Jane or John Doe stars in the movie, fewer people will see it.

Mind you, it’s not to say that regular actors are bad, it’s just that they are unknown. As a result, people won’t see it — they have nothing to do with an unknown individual.

But if a known one stars in the movie, whether he be a protagonist or antagonist, you will most likely find success as you get your movie on Netflix.

Because of that, Netflix won’t hesitate to approve your pitch. They will acknowledge it and put your movie in their database. If you are lucky, you may even appear on the front page.

So aim to have a credible star in your movie. It can be an actor or a producer—both will work as long as they have a proven record.

With this tip, you will get your movie on Netflix faster.

What Netflix Doesn’t Accept

You have seen the methods that you can use to get your movie on Netflix. They all work.

But believe me when I tell you this: any other method you can think of to get your movie on Netflix won’t work. It’s that simple.

You may have a great movie and a cheesy idea to get it on Netflix. Still, it’s futile because Netflix won’t consider it.

The streaming company regards it as unsolicited submissions.

It only considers the worthy methods that I have already mentioned. Netflix also accepts submissions from entertainment executives and managers with whom they have a preexisting relationship.

Anything otherwise will be ignored. So don’t try to be clever by using some irregular and witty methods. You may think that it may work, but it won’t. Netflix only wants legit methods, so use those. That’s all there is to it.

How To Get A Movie On Netflix – Final Thoughts

To get your movie on Netflix, you have to be willing to take the necessary steps.

It is time-consuming indeed, but the benefits will far exceed the work put in. Pitch to Netflix directly or, better yet, work with an aggregator or an agent.

Working with an aggregator is more ideal as the chances of success will be high. As I once stated, Netflix doesn’t always have the time for indie filmmakers. If it does so, the work will be too much for the company.

That’s why it prefers aggregators. Amongst all the methods I mentioned, it is the best because even Netflix itself approves it more.

You can choose any method you like, but I recommend you to take the aggregator path.

If you do so, you will soon get your movie on Netflix. You will be in the right position to reach a greater audience, understand them, and make more money.