With five years of viral success, Dennis Dortch, Numa Perrier, Brian Ali Harding and Jeanine Daniels have transformed their budding company into an entertainment powerhouse.
Black & Sexy began as a brand that would usher in creative content for the Now Generation. Aimed at young, progressive, well-versed African and African American consumers of entertainment, Black & Sexy’s goal was to create a truer representation of what was shown to persons of color. Their first venture was the 2008 Sundance Film Festival entrée, A Good Day to be Black and Sexy, which was directed by Dennis Dortch and distributed by Magnolia Pictures.
It has since gone on to become a cult classic, widely available through Reed Hastings’ Netflix streaming service, but the group did not stop there. The Couple, RoomieLoverFriends, Hello Cupid, and The Number, which also starred Issa Rae, were tasty offerings for those who wanted to see themselves and their stories.
Through the course of Black & Sexy TV’s existence, they have given us more than enough — from music to captivating tales. In hopes of doubling-down on their popularity, the company has shifted their model to a pay-per-view design, which would allow users to subscribe monthly for Black & Sexy TV starting February 2015. Whether you’re a newcomer or a longtime viewer, subscribing is important as interested parties will be able to have access to full length episodes, premium content, films, music and other perks.=
With viewers around the world all captivated by Dennis Dortch and Numa Perrier’s one-of-a-kind story lines, the group now has almost 100,000 YouTube subscribers and 8.6 million views. If you’re an appreciator of web series and innovative content online, then this is the destination that you should already have bookmarked. BlackEnterprise.com had a chance to speak with the duo about their humble beginnings, how they’ve diversified their business, and offers the latest news about The Couple‘s HBO plans and that Lorraine Hansberry biopic.
What did the group behind Black & Sexy TV feel was missing within the entertainment landscape?
Black & Sexy TV: It was more about what we had to offer to the perspective and also feeling like pioneers in a brand new landscape – the digital one – or as we like to call it, “The Wild, Wild West.†As filmmakers, we knew that we all shared similar sensibilities, and there was an audience who desired that type of content. We learned this from Dennis’ feature film debut, A Good Day to be Black and Sexy. That film was a reflection of the every day lives that we’ve experienced, and we knew that others could relate to it as well.
What were those formative meetings like when coming up with the first batch of content that the team wanted audiences to see?
BSTV: It was truly an exciting time. We started off creating content tied to the film in hopes of creating support for the DVD release. We would do short vignettes featuring characters and what happened to them after the movie. The next idea was to secure our brand by going directly to an audience through online. Our brain trust was in this nubile stage where, honestly, anything was possible. Keep in mind that this was 2009.
We started off doing skits just to cut our teeth on developing short-form content. Then, we discussed the possibility of retaining long-term engagement with serialized content. This was an early debate between the two of us. If you’re interested, Numa won [laughs]. That outcome allowed us to produce our first episodic series, The Number, which originally began as a skit, and The Couple.
Discuss with us some of the initial obstacles that the company has endured that others don’t really know a thing about.
Numa Perrier: [Laughs] Can we?! Thankfully, we can laugh about some of these things. Back when we were first getting off the ground, we had about seven subscribers and we made up four of those. The initial obstacle was proving doubters wrong and dodging all the salt that gets thrown at you along the way. All the while, we had to retain the vision and continue to work toward building something substantial.
Through blocking out all the noises, distractions and side-eye glances, we found out how important it is especially if one is going to stay in this thing seriously. Of course, there’s financial obstacles, but those can be talked about and serve as an interesting story to one’s growth. In the end, it’s really about the mental stamina and the determination to see your vision through that must be dealt with the most.
Dennis Dortch: Time management is also critical in one’s success. With a startup, there is always too much to do and yet you still have a life to maintain and key relationships – both personal and professional – to manage. We had to learn a lot about this the hard way, the way it actually happens to most people on the job. We sacrificed a lot to get to where we are now… even almost our relationship.
Numa, what were some nuances that you discovered when it came down to depicting love and intimacy between Black couples?
NP: For us, it’s not new. It has just been such a neglected area that it feels very new and fresh. Our intimacy, our sensuality, and the overall fabric of our relationship are all very familiar in our day-to-day lives. Our conversations and our stories serve as elements that our audience reflects on when they view them on the screen. We are in control of our own images and people can feel and respect that. When Dennis wrote the film it was about updating the slogan, “Black is Beautiful†or “Dark and Lovelyâ€. He really took that on as a mission statement and created one of the earliest independent films that approached this neo-realistic theming.
Please, if you will, describe the other person’s duties and responsibilities when it comes to creating and distributing content for Black & Sexy TV.
NP: Dennis is our Founder and Chief Creative Officer. He created the Black & Sexy brand and all of its underlying sensibilities. All final decisions rest on his shoulders. He oversees growth strategies and he’s the mechanics behind much of what the audience sees.
In addition to all that, he’s also very hands-on as a writer and director of episodic content. Plus, he is one of the strongest music curators on the planet! When you watch one of our shows, that’s his ear and his rhythm that you witness as he hand selects music for everyone’s listening pleasure.
We all took personality tests recently to better understand each other. He has the same type as [Apple Founder] Steve Jobs. So, in that regard, he’s our Steve Jobs. He sleeps very little and is always in strategy mode from how we can improve to developing new ideas for what we are doing.
DD: Numa is Co-Founder and Director of Programming and Development. Her responsibilities include identifying new talent, both in front of and behind the camera; developing new series; and serves as an instrumental part of Black & Sexy TV’s overall direction. She represents our key demographic, which is 75 percent African American women, ranging from 24-35-years-old.
She cultivates a vision for the company from a branding point of view and discovers the heart and pulse of our audience. She is an absolute leader in generating ROI, income and going after potential investors. She is the go-to-spokesperson for the Black & Sexy brand and the company as a whole.
On the next page, Black & Sexy talks about expansion and original content…
Numa, can you share a bit about what goes into casting for a Black & Sexy show?
NP: I really enjoy the casting process. It’s a very good feeling when you come upon a great talent who really breathes life into a role that never even existed before. For example, Shayla Hale, she’s our leading lady in Roomieloverfriends. We found her through the audition process. Her distinct charm is all her own and she holds her own against Andra Fuller, who plays Jay on the show. You could tell that they were great for one another and that magic happened in the very first reading they did together.
So, when that happens, you just have to go with it because it’s one of those destined things. Here’s a bit of trivia for you: Andra actually crashed the audition. He happened to be at another casting, which was taking place next door, and saw the line of Black actors waiting for us. He poked his head in and asked if he could read for the role, too. We said yes. The rest is history. Together Shayla and Andra’s chemistry make the show what it is today.
We cast using traditional casting calls in the industry trades. We utilize the talents of casting directors such as Natasha Ward, and we keep our eyes peeled for any other talents that are out there. While we do scour for talent in shorts, plays, showcases, YouTube videos – we also have a standard set for what type of performer we’re looking for. We gravitate to actors who come across as real people first and foremost and, in addition to that, are individuals, which is a big thing for us.
We really desire uniqueness, which is also a quality being authentic and being a real person. An understanding of improvisation and humor and the bravery to approach intimate scenarios are also winning factors for when we seek new talent.
Are there any plans to create opportunities for shows and performers outside of the Los Angeles area?
DD: We have considered this for both New York City and Atlanta, where a large part of our fan base resides. These also happen to be places that are full of great opportunities, not only for performers, but for productions as well. As we grow, our hope is that those considerations may become more real.
The team is open to collaboration if it creates tangible stories for Black & Sexy TV. With multiple shows that are smashing and smanging into one another – how do you plan out tropes and storylines before going into production?
DD: We identify the energy within the series early on, yet we’re not afraid to change direction in the middle of the series, if necessary. We have a bird’s eye view upon the Black & Sexy world. It’s an organic process and perspective from the character’s point of view and it enables us to seamlessly execute and cross over storylines and characters.
We all have degrees of separation between us and often know the same people though we may or may not be aware of it yet. The background stories of both parties add to the layers of the new story, often time blowing people’s minds wide open in the conversion.
YouTube continues to be a great place for original programming, yet Hollywood is actively looking at Black & Sexy TV series to bring onto the mainstream. Is there any update to HBO developing The Couple for cable subscribers?
BSTV: We’re still in development. HBO takes their time and we’re okay with that.
What are some of the most rewarding perks that you both have experienced in the six years since first releasing A Good Day to be Black and Sexy?
BSTV: Each other [laughs]. Joking. Not really. No, really. Really [laughs]. We’re a couple. We’re a family business. Our children act in our series. That right there is a perk! But, there are other perks, such as we have our own business. We don’t work a traditional 9-to-5. We’re 24/7, Black & Sexy TV, and we are serving the community. We are able to be creative and make money at the same time. We eat off of our art.
We also have a really great team that came together because of the movie. Our creative partners and fellow co-founders, Brian Ali Harding and Jeanine Daniels, are living, breathing perks. The film brought us all together at different points in our lives for different reasons. It’s not easy to find a creative and cohesive group such as ours, but just like magnets, we were all attracted to each other with the film at the center.
Alongside our brain trust, our entire support team including editors, producers, assistants, and writers are simply incredible. Seeing all this growth while providing jobs in this industry is all very rewarding! It’s also very encouraging when our viewers recognize us on the streets and tell us to keep going.
The company recently changed their model to include a pay-per-view for special viewing events and season finales. What inspired this method and how do you see this move impacting your development as a business?
DD: The first inspiration was the need to
generate regular revenue. The original mode for our company was to have our audience supporting us via crowdfunding, which was not sustainable. Numa originally had the idea for us to start selling season finales of our series. We brainstormed and found that the timing was right because the market for self-distributing independent films online was becoming extremely popular. Companies like VHX, Vimeo, Chill, and others were building and marketing platforms that were an alternate to YouTube.Selling the season finales was part of a long-term plan to pave the way for monthly subscriptions. Every time we have released a pay-per-view event we have learned from our audience what works and what doesn’t work. We now have five under our belts and we are slated to launch our monthly subscription service February 2015. We are continuing to work with VHX on developing this. Internally, we’ve been billing ourselves as the “Black Netflix,†although we are very broad and niche, it’s about having curated content at your fingertips.
In addition to your credits with Black & Sexy TV, you are also a writer, an actress and artist in your own right. Can you talk about your own personal aspirations and share with us the progress for the Lorraine Hansberry biopic?
Thank you for asking, Kevin… I’m in a really good place where I feel I have found how all these parts of myself fit together. We are often told to just do one thing, but that’s never been me. I’ve been an entrepreneur and an artist since I was a child. Finding ways to make money from my creativity has almost been an instinct of mine since childhood when I was writing custom poems and selling them to my classmates at nine-years-old.
My personal aspirations are very much in line with the network – to continue playing the roles that excite and suits me as an actress. To continue writing and nourishing writers for our platform and exhibit my visual art to the Black & Sexy audience it great and can serve as an introduction for those who aren’t aware. Regarding the Lorraine Hansberry project, the script is still in early development, so there’s not a lot to report, but I’m looking forward to having more updates soon.
With such a healthy audience and an array of avenues to develop future projects – could we ever see a Black & Sexy licensed program created for a streaming service like Amazon or Netflix? How big can these ideas of telling original stories geared towards African Americans truly become?
BSTV: There are many opportunities with third party companies in our field and we are exploring them. Our priority is always how to continue to grow the company that we own and created. We know that our stories are relatable worldwide. We know that our culture has and will always be a leader. We know that this is the avenue where we want to continue to invest our time, talent, and resources. We know without a doubt that it is substantial and sustainable.
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