Santa Monica, CA . -- With projected annual revenues in June 1999 soaring to between $9-10 million, Xenon Entertainment Group has emerged from its humble beginning in 1986 as a $17,000 start-up to become the world’s leading marketer/distributor of uniquely broad-based films targeting an urban audience.
Recognizing the lack of distribution avenues for independently produced urban films, S. Leigh Savidge, CEO and founder of Xenon Entertainment, visualized a market niche and began building a film library by finding movies owned by African-American filmmakers. He went first to cult films of the seventies and acquired the mother of all African-American hero films, DOLEMITE, as the company’s first title. Since then, Xenon has gained, on a title-by-title basis, the largest collection of urban films in North America.
“Xenon’s growth is a glowing testament showing the global marketplace has an appetite for cinematic diversity. We have proved how small, nimble companies can fill that need,” explains CEO S. Leigh Savidge.
Although Xenon met with early resistance because people did not see the value of its mission, the company was already doing $2.7 million dollars in revenues after its second year. Savidge soon discovered that an abundance of African-American filmmakers are reluctant to work with major studios because their films tend to be “mainstreamed.” Therefore, Xenon provides filmmakers complete artistic control of their work and continues to consult with them through the marketing of films and videos. Xenon has developed excellent relationships with their filmmakers by managing their expectations fairly, conservatively and realistically. In the past year, a relationship with Las Vegas-based publisher Eastern Heroes/Hong Kong Connection has given Xenon access to an additional 100 video titles, including the mega-selling WU TANG COLLECTION series. Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Chow Yun-Fat and director John Woo are just some stars of the martial arts world in the Xenon/Eastern Heroes galaxy.
For more information about the Xenon Entertainment Group please contact Jim Llewellyn at (818) 995-1290.