FULLY INTEGRATING
Jeff Clanagan
President and CEO of CodeBlack
Entertainment
San Francisco, CA
Story: Amira Kidd
Photo: Mark Mainz
A revolutionary in the African-American film
industry, this once leading concert promoter
who rose to president and CEO of Codeblack
Entertainment has made his waves. Known
for his successful promotions of the “HBO Def
Comedy Jam” tour, Clanagan knew he could
go further. Leaving the tours behind and
transitioning into film and television, he has
managed to create the first fully integrated
African-American-owned film studio.
What’s the difference in promoting a film
company compared to a concert?
The difference is with a concert you have only
one night to get 20,000 people into an arena.
If there is anything such as bad weather, you
can lose it all. It’s a highly risky business.
How did being President of No Limit Films
prepare you for being CEO of Codeblack?
No Limit Films could be hectic because I
was dealing with the music. Working with
musicians and rappers, I was on call at all
times. Working with people such as Master P.,
who didn’t have an agent or manager at the
time, I had to answer whatever calls came to
me, while doing film at the same time. I even
helped him with merchandising and it taught
me a lot. Away from No Limit I helped to
acquire a piece of MP3.com, which hadn’t been
done yet.
As President of Mandalay Urban
Entertainment, you produced tele films
for BET Television and the Sundance Film
Festival. What goes into producing shows?
Well, the shows were based on books so we
have to get our sources straight, pay for the
rights to the books and hire a screen writer.
Then we have to talk with authors to get
them onboard because these books are like
their babies. After development, we just have
the task of hiring crew, cast, the director and
producing the film.
What came out of Urban Entertainment?
Out of the experience of No Limit, I
couldn’t understand why there were no
black distributors of film. So from Urban
Entertainment we decided to make our own
revolving door for black filmmakers. So we
made movies direct to video, cut deals with
record companies and went to retailers like
Walmart and Target who weren’t carrying
movies at the time.
You founded Codeblack Entertainment in
2005. How did this come about?
Well, I had a partner before leaving Urban
works, but I had a larger vision than he did at
the time. I wanted to build a fully integrated
film studio, so I decided to sell my stake and
create my own company.
What does it mean to actually have a fully
integrated film studio?
We have the same capabilities as Disney or
MGM for national and international broadcast.
From theatrical projects to video on demand
through all the same distribution platforms.
In what direction would you like to see
Codeblack heading in the next three years?
Out of the physical and into the digital world.
In the next twelve to eighteen months, expect
to see us striking a deal with some cable
networks for a movie channel.
Any projects that we may be seeing soon?
We’re in the process of finishing the film
“Mamma I Want to Sing.” We are also
completing a documentary entitled “Why We
Laugh, “which features black comedians on
black comedy. I’m most excited about our
online ecommerce site which in house we call
the Black.amazon. This is my passion.
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