Michael Ogden

Creator & Host & Consultant

An expert in what it takes to create, build and sustain creative work in the modern world.

Award-winning
storytelling
across media.

contact & BIO
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  • Co-Founder / The 2269 Project / Featured in The Boston Globe

  • Co-author / 2DO Before I Die / Published in 9 languages by Time-Warner

  • Creative Director / Working directly with Pixar's story team for over a year

  • Creative Director: Original concepts & prototypes / PlayStation

  • Director / Mad Factory (featured in 130 arcades)

  • Creative Director / CNN / Pitched, sold and directed an interactive experience about a political campaign

  • Podcast Hosting: Crowd Scene / Interviews with successful artists and entrepreneurs

  • Presenter / Host / Organize and host annual events for artists since 2019

  • Director: 'Gatherings' / Developed and directed a platform for virtual spaces for live events

  • Director / Writer: "Hansel Vs Gretel" (interactive narrative)

  • Producer / BBC / interactive drama

  • Director: 'Meet The Expert' Series. Developed format, conducted interviews

  • Director: 'The Gift"

  • Director / Writer: 'After Life'

  • Creative Studio Founder

  • 2269 Featured in Boston Globe

  • Director / Mo-Cap at Imaginarium Studios

  • Dad :)

  • Team Leader / Team Builder

  • Designer : 'The Greatest Party of All Time'

  • Songwriter: Spotify/Apple

  • Story Development for PlayStation, The Third Floor and with Pixar

  • Director: 'One World' / Platform

  • Contributor / Stephen Hawking's 'Time Traveler's Reception'

  • Head of VR / The Third Floor

  • Founder / Director / Atmospheric Creative Studio

  • "Michael is one of the most dynamic creative thinkers I know, paired with entrepreneurial flair and incredible networking skills.”

    —Sven Petersen Partner at Egon Zehnder

  • "This is what a creative director should be. Mike Ogden is one of the most exciting and generous people I have had the pleasure of working with. A real creative powerhouse, with endless ideas and enthusiasm. But also a person who understands the importance of contemplation, cultivation and collaboration.

    — Dan Tucker Immersive Producer & Curator

  • "Michael is one of the most inspiring leaders I've ever worked with. As a creative director, he is a fount of brilliant ideas and inspiration, always able to push concepts to new places, make the most of cutting-edge mediums, and oversee the development of rich and engaging stories.

    —Claire Bullen Award-Winning Digital and Print Editor

  • "Michael is strong on story and has a passion to deliver high quality, innovative work. He's an excellent communicator and has a natural enthusiasm that really motivates a team. I hope we get the chance to work together again."

    —Matthew Luhn, PIXAR, Lead Story Supervisor

  • "Michael was thoughtful, punchy and detailed in his Masterclass on 'Crafting The Perfect Pitch'. He was thorough about thinking through how to communicate every element of an idea and giving it every chance of success.

    —Shehani Fernando
    StoryFutures Academy

  • Michael is a fantastic Creative Director. Intelligent, articulate and full of charisma - Michael possesses the qualities of a natural team leader. I never failed to notice or appreciate Michael's attention to detail, willingness to listen to feedback and the great efforts he makes to spend time with each member of the team.

    Alkan Hassan, Lead Designer EA

Whether you're a creator trying to understand the landscape, an organisation funding or supporting creators, or someone building infrastructure for creative work, I can help. I speak, advise and help people think through what it takes to create and sustain work that matters.

Over 25 years, I have worked at every stage of creative practice: as a creator, as a show host, as a designer of creative pipelines and as a team leader for original projects and IP adaptations.

If your team or organisation needs help in telling its story, shaping and presenting a creative vision, or leading a group of multi-disciplinary creatives to develop original concepts, please get in touch.

Based in London, I am an honours graduate of USC’s School of Cinema-Television in Los Angeles and a Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts.

Hello!

At Pixar Campus as Creative Director at Sony PlayStation.
With Jason Katz, Pixar Head of Story.

Creator & Host: Podcasts

I have created and hosted two podcasts.
- My first, Crowd Scene, is a podcast about entrepreneurial artists, designers and inventors.
More recently, I’ve launched ‘The 2269 Podcast’ where guests select favourite things to pass on to their descendants.
Both feature entertaining, inspirational interviews with people seeking to make a difference with their work and art.

Creator & Host: the 2269 Events

Save the date! It’s an invitation to a world-wide party 250 years from now….What do you hope they celebrate? What do you hope survives? What can each of us do today to make it a future worth celebrating? It’s about seeing the present through a long distance lens, clarifying what matters, what lasts and what’s worth pursuing.

Successfully launched on Kickstarter and featured at length in The Boston Globe, I co-founded this award-winning project with Peter Dean. We host an annual event, every June 6th. Designed to be passed from one generation to the next, each year the project grows in size. For more, visit: 2269.co

If you're interested in being part of this, whether as a funder, partner, collaborator, or just someone moved by the vision, do get in touch.

Creator & Host: the ‘2DO Before I Die’ book

I wrote a book called 2DO Before I Die. It was one of the first of its kind, deriving its stories from user-generated content via a website and blog I set up with my friend Chris Day. Designed to help people record & share the pursuit of personal ambitions both huge and tiny, it was published in the US & UK by Time Warner. The book has since been translated into nine languages.
International press included radio interviews on NPR and BBC, features in Metro and Men’s Journal and a TV interview on Channel 5 News. I wrote, pitched and sold the treatment to the publisher, and edited all contributed stories. Amazon.

Producing & Presenting

Beyond my work developing and directing, I also have spent time on the other side — in front of the camera. Here are some examples.