Oscar-nominated, emmy award-winning director matt ogens on the immeasurable influence of authentic documentaries

Written by: Milla Nguyen

Matt Ogens’s Biography:

Matt Ogens is an Academy Award-nominated, Emmy winning director known for capturing authentic human stories through an evocative visual and narrative aesthetic. His Netflix Original Audible was nominated for an Oscar®, an immersive coming-of-age documentary told from the perspective of Deaf high school students and communicated through sign language.His latest film Madu, a Disney Original Documentary, is the epic journey of Anthony Madu, a 12 year-old who leaves his home in Nigeria to study at the prestigious Elmhurst Ballet School in England. It recently earned an Emmy Award for Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary. His breakthrough documentary, Confessions of a Superhero, premiered at SXSW to critical acclaim and a devoted following. He subsequently earned a Primetime Emmy® Award for ESPN’s 30 for 30: From Harlem with Love about the Globetrotters. Additional projects include the feature documentary Home + Away, following high school-athletes living on the US/Mexico border, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. Additionally, his two-time Emmy-nominated documentary series Why We Fight launched on ESPN+. Ogens also helms major campaigns for iconic brands, earning prominent awards including Cannes Lions, Clios, One Show, Webby Award, D&AD, Communication Arts, and the SXSW Interactive Award.

Author’s Note:

Matt Ogens is a filmmaker creating media with unbridled curiosity and deep passion. Using his own words, he searches for a story in every place he travels to, every community he films, and every person he meets on the street. I had the most incredible opportunity to interview him for Issue three of the magazine. His vast documentary portfolio is not just a brand, but a window to human vulnerabilities and human willpower. Ogens’s explore communities that might be hidden away in mainstream media, but shine a light on important perspectives. In my opinion, the most influential films in society are the ones that cause the audience to put themselves in the character’s shoes and empathize with their choices. Ogens does just that. Our conversation delves into his creative journey, humanitarian mission, and exciting future plans.

Leaving the Nest

Matt Ogens was born and raised in a neighborhood not far from Washington, D.C. He grew up at the intersection of city, rural, and suburbia. He recalls spending time in nature, climbing trees, and searching for new vantage points. It made him feel safe, especially when he didn’t feel like he fit in with his peers. When it was time to apply for colleges, Ogens decided to leave his safe zone, and into another. He received a degree in finance from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. He explained, “New Orleans was a city where I first experienced culture. The music. The food. The historical architecture. To me, I think it’s the most unique and interesting town in America.” films The summer after graduating, he interned at the World Trade Center just before 9/11 happened. Working days and nights on Wall Street, Ogens felt that he could contribute more and did not want to be stuck sitting behind a desk for the rest of his life. While he received job offers in the finance world, he turned them down and took a risk. One night, he was enjoying the New Orleans music scene with a friend and was held up at gunpoint by a man, an indelible experience. He asked himself: Who is he? What is his story? Matt led with empathy and curiosity and decided to make a documentary short about crime in America through the microcosm of New Orleans. He went to housing projects and met with mothers who lost their children to gun violence and inmates at Angola prison, capturing both perspectives.

First Gigs

Since he didn’t go to film school, he needed to find other avenues in order to teach himself the skills of filmmaking. He read every book on film he could find and watched as many movies as possible, sometimes three a day. He then found himself in the New York independent film scene where he worked tirelessly as a production assistant and various other roles, making short films on the side. A producer, Jamie Patricof, was developing ESPN’s first docu-series, called The Life. Ogens was hired as a director on the series and never looked back. He said, “I met a lot of people on that project that I still work with today. I also recognized how there was a rise in doc-style commercials, especially for big brands. I cut a reel from my documentary work and was signed by a commercial production company. I’ve always gone back and forth between long form and short-form branded content. I think of a feature film as a long conversation and an advertisement as a single sentence.”

His first feature documentary, Confessions of a Superhero, had an explosive premiere at acclaimed film festival, SXSW. The film follows buskers on Hollywood Boulevard who dress up in superhero costumes and offer to take pictures with tourists. Ogens was walking on the street and stopped to talk to a man named Christopher Dennis who was dressed in a Superman costume. The more they conversed, the more he discovered there was a story with this community. He put a team together consisting of producers Jamie Patricof and Charlie Gruet, who also served as the director of photography. They followed four characters, dressed as Superman, Batman, the Hulk, and Wonder Woman. The film created a layered narrative around these street performers, revealing their lives in and out of costume, while also showing what it truly means to pursue your dream in a city of entertainment.

Throughout all of his work, Ogens parses out themes that are relatable and vulnerable no matter what background his audience comes from. Ogens emphasized, “Ultimately, my films are illustrating human themes. For example, themes of acceptance and belonging within a community and in the world. My work consists of character-driven stories that could be about healing, love, chasing your dreams, etc. I’m drawn to places and people. I want to go off the beaten path.”

Uplifting athletes through documentary

In his more recent work, I recognized that Ogens was consistent in uplifting athletes’ stories. Between strenuous physical training and mental social pressures, Ogens humanizes and three dimensionalizes athletes. For example, he directed Verizon’s The Team That Wouldn’t Be Here Superbowl campaign, which earned him 3x Cannes Lions Awards, 4x Clio Awards, and a Webby Award. He elaborated, “You can watch a game on any given Sunday but I’m looking for the story behind the game. I think about: What is the athlete’s life off the field? What are their dreams and goals? What obstacles were in the way? I also want to see how I can draw non-sports fans into being interested in these athletes. There is always a deeper truth that transcends the sport.”

Audible, on Netflix, which was nominated for an Academy Award, follows a group of Deaf football players who also attend Maryland School for the Deaf. Most of the film is in American Sign Language and allows the audience to be immersed in the Deaf community. That being said, the journey was not easy for many of the interviewees, battling with mental health and pressures from society. Ogens explained, “I made this film for and with the Deaf community, but I also made it so that the hearing community can understand the Deaf community. We track the ups and downs of these football players through the main character, Amaree.” Audible is a centerpiece of human grit, willpower, and the courage to not give up. Combined with the surreal cinematography and intimate directing, the film offers a unique experience for both the hearing and Deaf community.

One of Ogens’s most recognizable works, Madu, on Disney+, follows Anthony Madu, a twelve-year-old ballet dancer who leaves his family and community in Nigeria to study at a prestigious ballet school in England for the first time. Ogens says, “It’s a coming of age story. We are just trying to belong and trying to pursue impossible dreams. It’s ultimately a journey of self acceptance.” One scene in the film, Anthony Madu expressed he was having a hard time seeing with his left eye in class. He was sent to the doctor’s office and was told that he was partially blind, and it might affect his ability to dance going forward. Madu became frustrated with the obstacles in his path, but learned to eventually overcome them. Ogens watched these events happen in real time. Ogens said, “With documentaries, things won’t always go according to plan. It’s about discovery.”

Ogens and his team earned an Emmy Award for their incredible documentary. It was truly a full circle moment. He said, “It was special to share it with my co-director and producers. We shot the film on two continents and it took years in the process.”

Given the changing landscape of society, technology, and politics, making films about underrepresented communities is needed more than ever. Ogens directed Home + Away, a story following a group of teens who live in El Paso, Texas and Juarez, Mexico where they attend the closest high school in America to the Mexican border. Many families and children cross the border to El Paso, in search of opportunity and sanctuary. Ogens emphasized, “It’s not about me observing characters. I’m just a liaison or conduit for them to tell their stories. I take a more immersive approach. I want to elevate them and their community.”

Venturing into virtual reality

If Ogens didn’t seem multi-faceted enough, he quickly expanded his body of work beyond traditional filmmaking. He created an interactive art exhibition using augmented reality called the L.A. Louvre, where he invited middle school students to view projections of art that are currently on display in the Louvre Museum in Paris, France.

Serving the LA Arts Community

Ogens is also a dedicated advocate for giving back to the community and uplifting young artists. He serves on the board for non-profit organization Venice Arts. “Venice Arts teaches young creatives in media, animation, photography, etc. We just had our fundraising gala where we gave awards to young filmmakers. I volunteer there and have served on the board for ten years. I didn’t have a lot of mentors coming up, so I want to be of service and help them grow. Trust me, I’m learning from them, too.”

What to Look Forward To

For Matt Ogens, the future is bright. His new documentary film, The Quiet After, is a love story set in warzones. The themes highlighted in the film align with his previous work but also paint a different picture. He also has a few other narrative films and documentaries in development.

Acknowledgements

Finally, I asked if there was anyone he would like to thank for supporting him throughout his career. He mentioned all the crew members of his films and his key collaborators, those that gave him opportunities to bring them to life, and his family. He said, “I want to talk about why we made these films and who we made them for. They allow us into their hearts, minds, and stories.”