Jeff Clanagan – the master architect
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It’s unfortunate that a large number of black films debut, not during red-carpet premieres, but at Blockbuster and other video chain outlets. What’s also regrettable is that the few projects that actually do make it to the big screen often suffer from a lack of promotion, and are instantly whisked away to DVD without being granted a fair shot at gaining any box-office traction. As a longtime industry executive, Jeff Clanagan has witnessed firsthand the unbalanced stance that Hollywood takes towards black film.
As president and CEO of CodeBlack Entertainment, Clanagan has sought to fight back against a Hollywood establishment that fails to acknowledge or believe in the power of black cinema. Clanagan’s weapon of choice: A highly successful multimedia company that specializes in the distribution of compelling urban entertainment projects through various media channels. In Clanagan’s opinion, such a step was necessary if the African American community ever hoped to gain independence from the Hollywood establishment.
“At the time, I believed that the creation of CodeBlack was vital,” he began. “And I still do. We have such a rich legacy, filled with so many stories that deserve to be told. For a long time, that opportunity wasn’t being afforded to us, so it was time for us to create an avenue to make that a reality.
Clanagan has recently sought to expand the reach of CodeBlack Entertainment globally. According to Clanagan, the rest of the world longs to experience black culture through the feature film medium. “There is definitely an interest in African American cinema around the world,” he says. “The world wants to hear from us, and up until this point, Hollywood has done an incredible disservice by not supplying those projects. They didn’t believe they would sell. So what we are attempting to do is fill that void, and supply to the people what they want.”
“I would be kidding myself if I thought this was going to be easy,” he explains. “But I’m very comfortable with the role that I have taken. I understand that the challenges are immense, but in the end, I believe in the work that we are doing.” –djr
