WarnerMedia Strikes First-Look Deal With American Black Film Festival Organizer Jeff Friday Media

WarnerMedia Strikes First-Look Deal With American Black Film Festival Organizer Jeff Friday Media

Jeff Friday Media, the company that organizes the American Black Film Festival, has struck a first-look deal with WarnerMedia.


The two-year exclusive arrangement will give networks including HBO, HBO Max, TBS, TNT, TruTV and CNN access to unscripted content ranging from documentaries, docuseries, and specials to reality TV and awards shows.


It will also give the WarnerMedia networks a first look at all documentary films submitted to the annual American Black Film Festival.


It comes after Jeff Friday Media signed a similar deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment in October 2020 that gives the studio first consideration for narrative feature films submitted to the festival.

HBO is a founding sponsor of the American Black Film Festival, which is now under the Jeff Friday Media banner and celebrates its 25th anniversary in November. The festival has helped launch the careers of Ryan Coogler, Issa Rae, Steven Caple, Jr., and Reinaldo Marcus Green.

The Turner networks have also sponsored writers’ development programs which have led to the placement of writers on such series as Claws.


“I am so proud of this unique deal with Jeff Friday Media, which takes our decades-long partnership to the next level. Together, we will provide even more opportunities for Black and Brown storytellers to reach a large global audience with a diverse array of tastes across leading platforms and networks,” said Michael Quigley, EVP, Content Acquisitions for TNT, TBS, truTV, HBO and HBO Max. “Jeff and Nicole Friday and their team have an incredible network of talent and relationships and are a great source for new and diverse creative talent and projects. I can’t wait for what we will accomplish together.”


“We are excited to continue our work with WarnerMedia in this expanded capacity that will allow us to develop original content with the talented community of filmmakers that we support for the HBO, HBO Max, CNN Films, CNN Original Series, and TNets audiences,” added Jeff Friday, CEO Jeff Friday Media and Founder ABFF Ventures LLC, and Nicole Friday, President, Jeff Friday Media and ABFF Ventures, LLC.  “We will use our production expertise and the vast pipeline that the American Black Film Festival provides us to amplify Black and Brown creatives and their brilliant storytelling. This partnership makes that possible as we continue our mission to show that diversity in Hollywood is imperative and makes smart business sense.”