Founded in 1986, Xenon Pictures is a pioneering force in independent film—celebrated for iconic partnerships with Rudy Ray Moore, Televisa, Melvin Van Peebles, and many others, and for creating the box office hit Straight Outta Compton. Founded in 1986 with $17,000 in startup capital, Xenon entered a marketplace dominated by a number of now defunct companies with names like Karl-Lorimar, Vestron,
Live Entertainment and Carolco. Over the years, the company has stitched together its business methodologies and philosophies by understanding what these and other companies did right, what they did wrong, and what an independent distributor must do to remain vital and maintain a sense of competitive advantage while competing in a marketplace dominated by major conglomerates with significantly greater resources, capacity and proprietary broadcast and retail infrastructure. Xenon is recognized in the industry for developing the nation’s first label for independent black cinema. In developing this market niche, the company acquired and produced a wide spectrum of content, including the work of ’70s masters Melvin Van Peebles (Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song) and Rudy Ray Moore (Dolemite), definitive biographies on Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahalia Jackson, films featuring hip hop stars like Snoop Dogg, Tupac and Dr. Dre, and contemporary films from important current directors such as Julie Dash (Rosa Parks Story) and Robert Townsend (Jackie’s Back). In August of 2002, Xenon signed a landmark deal with Mexican media powerhouse Grupo Televisa to develop and be the exclusive distributor for its domestic video brand, Televisa Home Entertainment. Working with a wide range of dynamic programming, such as classic television series, top-rated telenovelas, documentaries on major Latin stars, and theatrical features, Xenon has positioned Televisa to be the dominant brand in the Latin/Spanish-language genre.
