It was two short films—Crabgrass Manifesto and Something Close to Heaven—that got Jason Clodfelter’s foot in the proverbial Hollywood door. Veteran director Paris Barclay saw the films, produced by Clodfelter, and hired the USC School of Cinematic Arts graduate to work for him at John Wells Productions, where Clodfelter subsequently became director of development.

Later, after serving as Spelling Entertainment, Inc.’s vice president of development, Clodfelter joined Sony Pictures Television (SPT) as executive vice president, U.S. drama development and programming, in 2006. During his tenure at SPT, Clodfelter helped developed many of the studio’s high-profile dramas, including Bloodline, Damages, Drop Dead Diva, Justified and Masters of Sex.

In 2017, Clodfelter was named co-president of Sony Pictures Television Studios, the production side of Sony Pictures Entertainment’s television business, with Chris Parnell. Together, they oversee all creative aspects of the television studio, from drama and comedy development to reality and syndication to scripted and current programming.

A dedicated Trojan, Clodfelter served as a judge at USC Lambda’s Don Thompson LGBT Film Festival in 2013.