BUCKHEAD’S RODERICK MCCLURE LIVES A CHILDHOOD DREAM AS A MOVIE PRODUCER!
Growing up in Alabama, Roderick McClure spent a lot of his free time watching movies. While courting his future wife, Teri, going to the movies was a dating ritual. And it still is: The Buckhead couple cut back on the streaming habit developed during COVID and now make a point of heading to a theater to catch the latest films.
But McClure does much more than merely watch movies. He’s turned a long-time fascination into a career. “I always knew one day I’d become a filmmaker,” he says. “I also dreamed of leaving Birmingham and moving to Atlanta to start a business. There were plenty of challenges, but the goal was always to be self-employed, start a business, make some money and produce movies.”
The couple settled in Atlanta in the 1980s, but it wasn’t until last year that McClure achieved success in the film industry. He first worked in corporate America for companies such as Minolta, Panasonic and Pitney Bowes before launching his own document management company, a venture he sold 10 years ago. After a brief detour in the ministry, he created Rodfather Productions using the nickname friends and family gave him for his Godfather-like drive to get things done.
“Once I decided to pursue film, it was a matter of finding the right script and the right team,” McClure says. “I did, and production started in September on Both Eyes Open.”
After a brief theatrical release, the thriller was bought by STARZ and shot to the top spot on the site’s most-popular list. The company’s second venture, the romantic comedy Funny Feelings, is scheduled for release this summer. A few series and a kids’ animated cartoon project are also in the works.
Part of his success, McClure says, is a combination of location and timing. “We love Atlanta and what’s happening with the state offering film incentives and people from the West Coast moving here,” he says. “It also has phenomenal opportunities for small film companies to fill the gaps while larger companies are struggling in an evolving market. There’s an insatiable need for more content, especially Black content, and we’re looking to produce more.”
That shouldn’t be a challenge, given that McClure says his phone rings constantly with opportunities from writers and producers who want to collaborate following the success of Both Eyes Open. One of his two daughters, Morgan, and son-in-law Joshua Ferrell work alongside him to handle the business, which he describes as “a big family party” with an indie edge.
“One thing that sets us apart is that we have the resources to operate independently of networks, and we can produce multiple projects annually,” he says. “It usually takes three, four or five years to raise the capital to produce a film, but we have the personal capital to crank out these projects. That makes us a gamechanger.”
Having those resources now is the result of a long-term wealth building strategy the couple put in place years ago, McClure says. And he credits his wife of 35 years for supporting the investment in his movie aspirations.
“She gave me the green light to pursue my dreams,” he says. “We’re a dynamic duo.”
RODFATHER PRODUCTIONS
@rodfatherproductions
