Tyler Perry launched a new specialty division of his production company Tyler Perry Studios called “Maxscene.” According to the company, the label is “dedicated to expanding theatrical opportunities for filmmakers with distinctive voices.”

Named after Perry’s mother Maxine, the filmmaker said his new label aims to reflect her belief in her son and the studio he would go on to build.

“Everything I’ve built in my career carries my mother with it, and Maxscene is named in her honor,” Perry said. “My mother, Maxine, believed in me before anyone else did, and that belief is the reason I never stopped chasing this path. Maxscene exists to be that same source of belief for the next generation of storytellers. It’s about taking the confidence and encouragement she poured into me and paying it forward by championing filmmakers who need someone to believe in them, open the door, and help them reach the audience waiting on the other side.”

Head of Development & Acquisitions at Tyler Perry Studios Antoinetta Stallings will oversee the Maxscene division. Stallings previously served as VP of unscripted programming, where she launched the studio’s joint venture with Pantheon Media Group.

“I’ve spent my career working alongside filmmakers and watching incredibly talented storytellers struggle to find distribution for films that deserved to be seen,” Stallings said in a statement. “That’s why launching Maxscene is such an exciting and necessary moment. We’re creating a home where independent filmmakers can build a career, not just release a movie. Maxscene gives creators the resources, support, and a path to distribution so their films have every opportunity to reach the audiences who may not have otherwise discovered them.” 

Tyler Perry Studios is founded by Perry and is headquartered in Atlanta. The company has produced dozens of feature films and thousands of hours of television.