Trae Dungy, resident guerrilla
Urban Home Entertainment
Tell us about your company.
We are a small company, handling large operations, and I often wear many hats. My current title is derived from a play on the idea of guerrilla warfare. A guerrilla is a person who is not afraid to use unconventional methods to accomplish a task. This may even mean doing things that others do not agree with. One of my many responsibilities involves the acquisition and negotiation of new feature films and projects. I specialize in creating opportunities for the catalog of films and filmmakers, as well as finding creative ways to showcase and market films. I feel like every productive team needs some guerrillas.
What inspired this career path?
I believe it was a combination of fortunate events — one being opportunity, another being necessity and the third being a passion to see certain types of films that have fallen to the mainstream wayside, but still have a large audience. There are quite a few films that get made that never get seen and never get to connect with their intended audiences. Distribution is a process, and this is the part of filmmaking that they don’t teach in school. We found a niche, we found a way to take that content and distribute it to the masses.
To date, what is your most proud professional moment?
One of my proudest professional moments would actually be the ability to work daily with my father. I gain so much insight from his perspective, and although we often deal with situations differently, I enjoy and am grateful for the learning process. It is both a professional and personal moment that I get to relive daily.
Who is an ideal client?
I have a long list of ideal clients. I look forward to working with Denzel Washington, Kevin Hart, Will Smith, Halle Berry, Eddie Murphy, Paula Patton-Thicke, Angela Bassett, Mario Van Pebbles, Reggie and Gina Bythewood, Gabrielle Union, Nia Long, Larenz Tate, Omar Epps. Our ideal client is anyone that has a story to tell.
Do you have any interest in producing your own film?
Yes, definitely. I started in this business as a filmmaker, and have a passion for creating as well. I also take pride in helping others foster their passions and seeing their visions to fruition through the process of distribution.
What advice do you have for someone who has a film and need a distribution deal?
The advice I would give a filmmaker would be to give me a call, shoot me an email, send me a screener. Have flyers and posters done that tell your audience where to find your trailer.
What does success look like for you?
Success for me is an evolving process. It evolves as technologies evolve and mature. I love being able to go anywhere that movies are and knowing that our films are represented. Success is knowing that I’ve helped to level the playing field for the little guy with the major hustle.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
In five years, I see myself doing a mix of distribution, producing, and marketing on an even larger scale. Our global audience is expanding, and I want to be there to share those international stories as well.
