Dominique Bazay Reveals the Anatomy of a Perfect Pitch at the Viborg Animation Festival

The art of the pitch remains one of the most enigmatic yet vital components of the global animation industry. At the 2026 Viborg Animation Festival in Denmark, industry veteran Dominique Bazay, former Director of Animated Series and Family Spectacle at Netflix, provided a masterclass on the mechanics of project development. Drawing from a career that spans both sides of the commissioning desk—from her early days in Quebec selling shows to her decade-long tenure shaping the streaming giant’s animation slate—Bazay’s insights offer a blueprint for creators navigating an increasingly competitive landscape.

A Career Defined by Both Sides of the Table

Dominique Bazay’s professional trajectory provides unique context for her advice. Beginning her career in Quebec, she operated as an independent producer pitching Canadian content to global broadcasters. This foundational experience in the trenches of independent production allowed her to transition effectively into executive roles, including her tenure at the French-language youth channel Vrak TV and her subsequent move to Netflix.

At Netflix, Bazay was instrumental in the commissioning and development of high-profile animated projects, including the Emmy-winning series Hilda and the critically acclaimed, genre-defying hit Arcane. Her perspective is informed not only by these successes but also by high-profile misses, most notably her admission of passing on the early concept for Peppa Pig—a decision she has openly characterized as a significant error in judgment. By analyzing the distance between a successful pitch and a missed opportunity, Bazay provided the Viborg audience with a grounded, humanized look at how executive decisions are actually made.

The Philosophy of the Pitch: Chemistry Over Perfection

Bazay challenged the prevailing notion that a pitch must be a flawless, rehearsed performance. Instead, she posited that a pitch is fundamentally a manifestation of chemistry. According to Bazay, the success of a meeting is often influenced by factors outside the creator’s control, such as the executive’s current workload, the economic climate of the studio, the specific strategic needs of the network, or even the immediate mood of the decision-maker.

"There is no such thing as a perfect pitch," Bazay told the assembled crowd of students and industry professionals. "A pitch is chemistry. It’s people, it’s creativity, it’s the moment. Sometimes it’s even the weather or the traffic, the mood you’re in. It will never be the same twice."

This realization serves as a critical takeaway for independent creators: rather than attempting to engineer a "perfect" presentation, creators should focus on authenticity and clarity. Bazay suggests that while the environmental variables of a pitch meeting cannot be managed, the internal components—clarity, personal connection, and specificity—remain entirely within the creator’s control.

Reducing the Idea: The Economy of Language

One of the most persistent hurdles in project development is the tendency for creators to over-explain their vision. Bazay emphasized the "reduction" principle, comparing the process of refining a pitch to the culinary art of reducing a sauce until only the most concentrated, potent flavor remains.

She cited the pitch for Hilda as the gold standard of this approach. The initial presentation did not rely on a dense, 40-page deck. Instead, it utilized a single page containing a handful of bespoke, evocative images and one clear sentence defining the central relationship between the protagonist and her mother. By distilling the project to its core emotional and narrative essence, the creators enabled the executive to instantly grasp the show’s identity.

This principle is supported by industry peers such as producer Kurt Mueller, who worked on Hilda. In alignment with Bazay’s philosophy, Mueller notes that the primary objective of a pitch is to guide the listener to a destination without them getting lost. In a high-stakes environment where an executive may have to "pitch up" the ladder to their superiors, a simple, clear vision is a functional asset that makes the executive’s job easier.

Personal Authenticity and the Vulnerability Factor

Contrary to the traditional advice that a pitch should remain strictly professional and detached, Bazay advocates for the inclusion of the creator’s personal narrative. She argues that a pitch is not just a sale of an intellectual property, but an audition for a long-term partnership.

"I need to know who you are," Bazay stated, emphasizing that the creator’s personality is a proxy for the kind of collaborator they will be during the multi-year production cycle of an animated series. She highlighted Stanley Moore’s pitch for Go! Go! Cory Carson as a prime example, noting that Moore incorporated his own experiences as a new father and shared personal photographs to establish the emotional stakes of the show.

This view is echoed by Apple TV+ executive Tara Sorensen, who has noted that personal stories provide the "purpose" and "authenticity" that executives look for. When a creator is deeply connected to their material, it signals a level of passion that can sustain a project through the inevitable difficulties of development and production.

Specificity as a Competitive Advantage

In an era of mass content production, the most frequent reason for a "pass" is that a project feels derivative or generic. Bazay noted that executives are constantly scanning for a "hook" that distinguishes a project from the saturated market.

This was the deciding factor for Arcane. Despite the project having been rejected by multiple other studios—a history that often carries a stigma in Hollywood—the strength of the pitch overcame the apprehension. Bazay, who had no prior experience with the League of Legends source material, was immediately moved by the story of two orphaned sisters. The pitch transcended the gaming brand, focusing instead on the universal, visceral conflict of the siblings. By prioritizing the emotional specificity of the story over the familiarity of the game’s lore, the creators successfully bypassed the "seen-it-before" barrier that plagues many adaptations.

The Anatomy of a Successful Meeting: Research and Performance

Bazay’s advice on the logistical side of pitching is equally pragmatic. Creators are encouraged to move beyond the script and engage in a dialogue. Researching a buyer’s current slate is essential, but it should be paired with curiosity. Asking an executive what they are currently excited about or what gaps they are looking to fill in their programming can transform a static presentation into a collaborative conversation.

Furthermore, Bazay warned against the danger of the "cringe" factor when using gimmicks. While a physical prop—such as the record player used to introduce the atmosphere of Hilda—can be effective, it must serve the narrative. Flourishes should only exist if they communicate something essential about the show’s tone or identity; when they are used merely to compensate for a weak concept, they often have the opposite of the intended effect.

Navigating Disagreement and Building Advocacy

The ability to demonstrate conviction without becoming inflexible is a delicate balance. Animation is a collaborative medium, and executives are looking for partners who can defend their creative choices while remaining open to feedback. Bazay emphasized that when an executive raises a concern, the creator should seek to understand the root of that concern through questioning rather than immediate defensive posturing.

When an executive decides to move forward with a project, they become the project’s internal champion. Bazay reminded the audience that the pitch doesn’t end when the meeting concludes; it continues in boardrooms and budget reviews. The creator’s final responsibility is to provide their advocate with the tools—the clarity, the passion, and the narrative strength—to successfully represent the project to the rest of the studio.

Final Reflections: The Reality of the "No"

Despite the best preparations, rejections are an unavoidable part of the industry. Bazay’s own admission regarding Peppa Pig serves as a humbling reminder that even the most experienced executives can fail to see the potential in a project due to personal biases or poor timing.

Ultimately, Bazay’s message to the animation community at Viborg was one of resilience and self-belief. "Be yourself, because that’s what’s going to make the pitch clear and unique," she concluded. "And whether they take it or not, it doesn’t matter, because you showed up." In a creative field defined by uncertainty, the act of showing up with a clear, personal, and well-reduced vision remains the only path forward.