The Heart of Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat: A Conversation with Head of Studio Luke Kelly-Clyne

Luke Kelly-Clyne is a producer, writer, director, and Head of Studio at Hartbeat, the multi-platform entertainment company founded by Kevin Hart and creating content and experiences at the intersection of comedy and culture. At Hartbeat, he oversees and produces a variety of film and TV projects, including Roku’s Die Hart series, E!’s Celebrity Prank Wars, and many more.

Before joining Hartbeat, Luke served as President at Propagate Content’s comedy studio, Big Breakfast where he was Executive Producer of the company’s slate of scripted and unscripted feature, TV, and digital projects.

From 2013-2016, Luke ran Native Content at CollegeHumor where he created and ran several of the brand’s most successful digital series. During this time, he was also a Freelance Contributing Writer to Weekend Update on Saturday Night Live.

Luke shares his insights working for Kevin Hart at Hartbeat.

Describe the creative remit of Hartbeat in terms of the types of projects it wants on its slate.

Hartbeat is all about telling stories that move culture forward, and partnering with the best talent – both in front of and behind the camera– to do so. Of course, we’ve got a comedy sweet spot across film, TV, and digital, and that’s what we’re most known for, but, as you’ve seen with projects like Fight Night, Deepfaking Sam Altman, Group Therapy and a lot of exciting digital creator-led work that’s to-come as part of our Tubi partnership helmed by our President Jeff Clanagan, we love expanding that comedy aperture to genre blend in really exciting ways.

Knowing Kevin for a while, what are some of the stories he’s told you during his breaking in years that changed the way he looked at his career?

A lot of these nuggets have been spoken about, so I don’t want to recycle too much of what can probably be found online, but the one thing that Kevin models every day is: optimism. And I don’t mean saying “Gee, I hope this works out!” I mean, relentless, in-the-face-of-every-challenge, obstacle-embracing optimism. The entertainment business is hard and it can be fickle, and he’s never wavered in his pursuit of achieving goals, no matter what the impediment. He doesn’t complain, he adapts. And that’s as inspiring as it is admirable.

What should newer screenwriters consider when building their own brands? 

Early on in your career, it’s important to pick a lane, both in terms of genre and format. First decide: what are you most excited about writing – comedy, sci-fi, drama, etc. – and then decide what format you’re most passionate about – new media, traditional film or TV. Then write a bunch in that chosen genre/ format combo.

Become excellent at it. Get some produced credits under your belt. Then, branch out once that’s done. Don’t try to be everything, everywhere, all at once. Creative dynamism is a virtue, but it can be distracting and, ultimately, counter-productive in the achievement of your goals when you’re just starting out.

What are some of the biggest misconceptions that screenwriters have about the industry?

Just because an idea is well-written doesn’t mean it’s going to sell or be successful. Hollywood is a business of art and commerce and, in order for a piece of writing to break through, it has to straddle a delicate line between being creatively dynamic and broadly appealing. Even in the arthouse/ indie space, marketability is a key metric for success. So, I’d say to screenwriters: Before you start writing an idea, understand the why of that idea. Understand what place it has in commenting on, progressing, or transforming culture.

How would you describe the major cultural and market shifts in the film/TV business? 

It’s an opportunity! The thing that drives me crazy about this business I love so much is when prognosticators and doomsayers greet a change in the industry as being negative, per se. Everyone in filmmaking (no matter what medium in which they work, no matter what role they fill) is drawn to being creative. Evolution is and should be exciting. Anything else would be stale, anything else would be status quo, predictable… decidedly not Hollywood.

What’s the single best advice you can give to writers to supercharge their careers?

I can’t pick just one, so here are three. Write every single day, no matter what, even if it’s a half of a page. Always have new material (don’t fall in love with one script). Last, and most importantly, don’t just write… produce. Turn something you’ve written into a watchable asset. Then do it again. A varied portfolio will set you apart…as more than a writing talent…as an entrepreneur and someone who really wants it.

by Staff Writer

From our in-house editorial team.