DREAM JOB: ANTHONY MADDOX

ANTHONY Maddox always knew he wanted to work in film. Even before he graduated high school in Trenton, N.J., Maddox, now 33, had created a not-for-profit initiative to teach filmmaking to underprivileged kids. He took his first post-college job as an NBC page, but continued to produce films on the side. His first feature, “The Killing Zone,” won picture of the year at the Urban Film Festival, and soon after Maddox was tapped by Sean “P. Diddy” Combs to head up his Bad Boy Films.

But working for P. Diddy wasn’t enough. Today, Maddox runs his own production house, Madman Entertainment. Meet the man responsible for producing edgy content from the first red-carpet special for the Vibe Awards (on E!) to Showtime’s stand-up series “White Boyz in the Hood.”

What was your first production job?

It was a weekly music-video show called “Funk Video” that was filmed in Toledo, Ohio. I was in college in New Jersey at the time, getting my degree in film, when a friend who was a rapper called to see if I could take over for a producer that didn’t show up. I was probably the last person he phoned, but I didn’t care. I put together a production package, rented a car, signed out camera equipment from school, and drove 10 hours to Ohio. And I did that every weekend for the next few months.

Is that how you came to work for P. Diddy?

No, that came about later, through a friend who was head of marketing at Puffy’s company, Bad Boy Entertainment. He brought me in to help with an EPK (electronic press kit) for the company, and Puffy was very happy with it. When the opportunity came about to produce a behind-the-scenes DVD of Mary J. Blige’s “Love and Life” album, Puffy asked me to put together a budget. He said, “If you’re willing to do this at cost, there will be some great benefits in the long run.” Once it was finished, he offered me a full-time position.

Now you have your own company. What’s that like?

There are pluses and minuses. The challenge is that I don’t have Puffy’s name behind me. The upside, though, is that I get to create my own relevance in the space. We’re producing a film called “Knuckles,” about underground bare-knuckle fighting, which I love. It’s a true underdog story. We also created “White Boyz in the Hood” for Showtime, which brought white comedians into urban areas to perform.

I have great partners, and we all have our respective strengths. I’m pretty much the creative. I put it on myself to carry the brunt of the responsibility of creating exciting and cutting-edge content.

Has your work schedule changed?

It’s more flexible, which is nice, but the truth is that you never stop moving. I don’t think I’ve had one moment to reflect on what I’ve accomplished. There’s too much change in this business, and the minute you look back you lose focus on what’s in front of you. My days are spent thinking about what content I want to bring into this space, from feature films to television to online to mobile to podcasts, and finding new ways to keep my brand relevant.

Where do you find inspiration?

I listen to other people talk. I am that person who sits in a restaurant alone, listening to everyone else’s conversations, because you can’t get better content than what people go through on a daily basis.

What advice do you give people trying to break into film?

Always introduce yourself as what you want to be. When I wanted to be a filmmaker, I’d say, “Hi, I’m Anthony, the filmmaker.” It’s the best way to stick in people’s minds what you do.

My other advice is, don’t get caught up in the money factor. When I left college I was making a lot less than my friends, but I didn’t let that be motivation to pursue something else. I was willing to wait to reap the rewards later on.