A lively discussion on opportunities behind the camera for African Americans
LOS ANGELES – OneUnited Bank, the nation’s largest Black-owned bank, and the prestigious African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) presented “Money On My Mind: Film & TV Industry,” on Saturday, Jan. 31st from 4p.m.-7:30 p.m., at OneUnited Bank (3863 Crenshaw Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90016). The event, scheduled to coincide with the Association’s 6th Annual AAFCA Awards on Feb. 4th, featured a guest celebrity panel to discuss career and income opportunities behind the camera for African-Americans.
Panelists included:
• Bill Duke, director, producer and writer, known for his directing of TV series and feature films, including Miami Vice, American Playhouse: A Raisin in the Sun, Commando, and Sister Act 2: Back in the Business
• Tracy “Twinkie” Byrd, casting director for some of Billboard’s most iconic artists and some of Hollywood’s biggest films, such as Madonna, Prince, Katy Perry, The Blind Side and Jumping the Broom
• Chris Williams, actor, comedian, and familiar face in films including Friday After Next and Best Man Holiday, and at Caesar’s Palace and The Venetian
• Erika Bennett, Vice President of National Strategy at Allied Moxy, an Allied Integrated Marketing division focused on innovative campaigns geared towards the African-American consumer of its clients including Universal Pictures, Sony and ABC-TV
• Darrell Miller, Chairman of Fox Rothschild’s Entertainment Department and attorney to some of Hollywood’s biggest African-American stars, including Angela Bassett, Ludacris, and T.D. Jakes. Author of the new book 16 Minutes of Fame, an insider’s guide to maintaining success.
• Sharon Liggins, Director of Publicity for Universal Cable Productions and television, production studio, and agency public relations extraordinaire
OneUnited Bank owner and president, Teri Williams, and AAFCA President and Chief Operating Officer, Gil Robertson, moderated the panel.
This unique event brought a lively conversation focused on the myriad of opportunities that exist in television and film that may be unseen; for example, a set builder, lighting designer or a private nurse traveling from set to set. In addition to the wealth hidden behind the camera, Williams and Robertson discussed the increase in Black films that were both green lighted and experienced success at the box office.
OneUnited Bank’s partnership with the AAFCA demonstrates its commitment to advocating for long-term wealth building in the Black community through traditional and non-traditional channels. In many popular industries such as entertainment and sports, many young people overlook the “bread and butter” of that industry, the machine behind the glitz that provides thousands of unique career opportunities.
“One of the lessons learned from this economic recession is that we need to keep “money on our mind” in all areas of our lives, including looking beyond the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry to find alternative and wonderfully creative careers behind the camera that are an integral part of what is presented to the public on film and TV. It is amazing how many unsung careers there are in the “business of entertainment outside of being an actor”, said President & COO of OneUnited Bank Teri Williams. “The bank is steadfast in its commitment to helping urban communities find any and all growth opportunities. We are thrilled to present “Money On My Mind” during L.A.’s exciting annual awards season.”
