Will Smith. Oprah Winfrey. Halle Berry.
They're all successful, well-known, front-and-center stars in the entertainment industry.
However, being successful in the entertainment industry doesn't require one to be in front of the cameras. There are many behind-the-scenes gigs in entertainment that aren't highly visible, but are important, interesting, satisfying and lucrative nonetheless.
There are producers, directors, screenwriters, sound technicians, photographers, lawyers, agents, publicists, stylists, managers, set designers, editors, choreographers, stunt people, hairstylists, sound designers, costume designers and more — all keeping the well-oiled entertainment machine running.
Jackie Burke, Dion Peronneau, Kevin Michael Richardson and Shondalia White.
These aren't household names. They aren't as widely known by name or face compared to some high-profile celebrities. But each has an entertainment-related position behind the scenes that brings them both joy and satisfaction.
Burke has worked in the entertainment industry for 27 years. A line producer at E! News, Burke, an admitted television junkie since the age of 5, admits to having her "dream job."
"I'm doing exactly what I want to do," said Burke, who grew up in Westlake Village and graduated from the University of Southern California. "I love everything about television."
At E! News, a celebrity-fueled cable news program that covers virtually everything entertainment, Burke gets her fill. Not only must she watch various television programs on a daily basis to keep abreast of what's happening in entertainment, but she also gets to attend Hollywood soirees and rub elbows with industry insiders.
"My job is to know what's going on in the business," Burke said. "I need to know what's going on in TV, film and music. Luckily for me, I enjoy the pop culture."
As a line producer, Burke helms "the look of the show."
"I shape and oversee the assembly of the show," said Burke, who is occasionally the backup supervising producer. "I make sure there are no editorial mistakes. I want to make sure everything is factual and legal."
Before E! News, Burke's entertainment gigs included a stint as an intern and then a public relations assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers — where one of her duties included being in charge of the Laker Girls (including Paula Abdul) — "Entertainment Tonight," "Hollywood Close-Up," CNN, the KTLA Morning News, where she earned an Emmy, and more.
Her advice to anyone interested in stepping into the role of a line producer is to get a good education.
"A journalism background is crucial," said Burke, who typically puts in 10-hour days.
"Learn how to write and how to work in a television environment," she said. "Get some internships. Learn the basics. It's hard to get in this business without a college degree. Get some on-the-job training."
Burke, who doesn't like seeing herself on camera and doesn't like hearing her recorded voice, is "just fine" being behind the scenes.
"I always knew the real power was behind the scenes," she said.
Once Dion Peronneau began her career, she never looked back. She's the owner of the Dion Peronneau Agency, a company that represents hair, makeup and wardrobe stylists. Soon after opening her business 19 years ago, Peronneau found herself working with top music artists such as Whitney Houston, Bobby Brown, Destiny's Child, Chaka Khan and others.
A one-time emergency room medical technician at St. John's Hospital and former artist who hand painted original designs onto cruise wear, Peronneau's life took a different course when she quit medicine and began working as an assistant to the owner of Lily et Cie, an antique wardrobe house in Los Angeles.
Peronneau learned how to operate a business and met a number of entertainment professionals. From there, she became a master at networking. By 1990 she was ready to open her own agency.
Success was quick, and soon her $30,000 investment in Dion Peronneau Agency grew to six figures. She was well on her way, representing some of the busiest and most popular stylists in the industry. Her company has worked with top directors, entertainers and photographers, and the fruits of the company's labor can be seen worldwide.
"When I began there were nine agencies," Peronneau said. "Now there are 55."
"My advice for anyone wanting to own an agency is to work for an agency first," she said. "Create your own relationships. Make sure you know everything there is to know. After five years of successful profits, think about selling (or partnering) the business with a bigger competitor. Remember, the sky's the limit."
Kevin Michael Richardson hears voices in his head.
He hasn't lost his mind — those are just a cast of characters he's created over his decades-long career as a voice-over actor. Since 1989, he has worked on promos and documentaries, and created voices for cartoons and commercials.
This year, the naturally baritone Richardson voiced Rampage in the megahit "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen." His voice can also be heard in "Madagascar" as Maurice (the penguin), and as Jabba the Hutt and K'Kruhk in "Star Wars: The Clone Wars." In addition, he voiced The Joker on the WB series "The Batman."
The native New Yorker said that his love for voices and acting is the result of watching "The Flip Wilson Show."
"He was a big influence," said Richardson, who has created too many voices to remember. "I saw 'Geraldine' and 'Killer' and thought, 'This guy is having fun.'"
This fall, Richardson will voice the characters Cleveland Jr. and Lester in the animated comedy "The Cleveland Show," which also stars Sanaa Lathan and Reagan Gomez-Preston. The show will air Sundays at 8:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on FOX.
For those seeking a career in voice-overs, Richardson offers the following advice:
"Start playing with your voice," said Richardson, who studied diction and dialects. "Study, take lessons; then you'll know how good you are. Get involved in plays and start auditioning as much as possible. Get a good idea of what the business is about."
Richardson said he owes his success to three things: faith, persistence and patience.
Said Richardson: "It doesn't have to be in that order."
Shondalia White is a spunky 25-year-old originally from Flint, Mich., who after only three months in Los Angeles, landed a job many told her was out of her reach.
That was two years ago. Today, White is a CG (computer graphics) animation production assistant at Nickelodeon, a position that has her actively involved in the total production process from script to animation. Her duties include working on 2D (dimensional) animatics, character concepts, drawings and development. She also works on the 3D side, re-creating the designs in a 3D program, which is similar, said White, to the movie "Madagascar."
Her credits include "Tak and the Power of Juju," "The Penguins of Madagascar" and "Fanboy & ChumChum."
Although she doesn't get to actually draw any of the animated characters, White works directly with the creator, supervising producer, animation supervisors, FX supervisor, lighting supervisor and several others.
"To become an animator, a lot of it is natural talent," said White, who became interested in the field as a fan of cartoons during her childhood. "It's natural talent meets education."
White, who one day hopes to work for Nickelodeon as an animator, said she chose the production angle first to get a complete understanding of animation.
"This allows me to deal with everything from start to finish, like texturing, writing, lighting and everything," said White, who studied at Mott Community College in Flint, the Flint Institute of Art, and a weeklong program at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh.
White said there aren't a lot of African American women in animation.
"It's unfortunate, but it won't stop me," said White, who is learning to be a producer. "I feel like I've accomplished my goal in production. I learned how an animated show is created and how to run my own show. I'm on my way."
In the meantime, to quench her creative thirst, White creates her own short films.
She also writes books, such as "Leon the Talking Shoe," which she completed in 2006, and "Polka Dot," published in 2007, a book about a little girl going through the first stages of getting her menstrual cycle.
White has a weekend pastime, too, so every other Sunday you can find her performing a 25-minute improv routine at Improv Olympic West Theater (IO West). She was given access to free comedy training workshops after receiving the Annual Chris Farley Scholarship.
"My goals are to continue doing my films, work as an artist in the industry, and become an established voice-over actor," White said. "With hard work, persistence and faith you can do anything. I want to do it all."
Darlene Donloe is a writer for the L.A. Watts Times.
Photos from L.A. Watts Times
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