TOP NON-ENTERTAINMENT CAREERS IN ENTERTAINMENT.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO SING, ACT OR DANCE TO BE IN SHOWBIZ

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION! THE GLITZ AND GLAMOUR OF THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY lures thousands of people every year. Most plan to sing, dance or act their way into the spotlight. But there's more to a career in showbiz than just what's in front of the camera. From accountants to writers, there are numerous opportunities to satisfy that creative craving and command a sizable salary working behind the scenes in film, television, live theater or music.

The prospect of finding employment as something other than a performer within the business is excellent. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), overall growth in the motion picture industry is expected to increase by 32.7%, or 80,000 jobs, by 2006. Similarly, employment in music and theater is expected to grow by 34.9% over the same period.

With opportunities this abundant, African Americans shouldn't have a difficult time finding a "gig," right? Not necessarily. Of the 812,500 salaried employees in the entertainment industry, almost 250,000 work in the motion picture industry. But of that number, only 9% are African American says the BLS--most of whom are entertainers or have minor staff positions.

"Behind the camera, there aren't very many of us," says Mayme Clayton, executive director of the Western States Black Research Educational Center in Los Angeles. "In this industry there is always nepotism at work, and it makes it very difficult for blacks to even get in," she explains. The NAACP, for example, points to the scarcity of African Americans writing for television, and Hollywood's own Writers Guild of America admits that only 7% of TV writers and 5% of feature film writers currently employed are African American.

Nepotism aside, a large part of succeeding in the entertainment business is knowing where to look, how to network and what credentials you'll need.

Given the industry's growing influence and economic impact, we decided to take a look at some of the hottest behind-the-scenes jobs in the business. If you've got the interest and skills, whether you're just getting started or want to switch industries, here are eight promising non-entertainment career opportunities in entertainment.

LIGHTING DESIGNER

"Theater is the basis for everything in lighting. If people can get internships in theater, they can go into many other areas," says professor Cathy A. Perkins, head of lighting design at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Innovations in technology over the past 10 years have opened up many venues in which lighting designers work. They include theme parks, cruise ships and industrial productions sponsored by major corporations. A lighting designer works with the director, set, costume and sound designers of a production to bring out key moods through lighting but does not maintain the operations of the set.

Requirements:

Some designers hold a master's degree in fine arts for theater. But most work their way up in the lighting department of a production from lighting technician or electrician. To work as a lighting designer usually requires joining the United Scenic Artist's union.

Salary:

Salary varies widely, depending on the production (i.e., Broadway vs. off-Broadway; film vs. television).

Entry level: $300-$800 a week (regional theater)

Midlevel: $4,500-$6,000/production (regional)

Executive: $25,000 + weekly royalties from $900-$1,500 for a multi-set, long-running Broadway production.

Resource:

National Association of Schools of Theater
11250 Roger Bacon Dr., Suite 21
Reston, VA 20190
703-437-0702

ALLEN LEE HUGHES | Lighting Designer

Thespians and playwrights aren't the sole conveyors of mood in the theater. Just ask Allen Lee Hughes, 49, lighting designer for ballets, operas and Broadway plays such as Mule Bone, K2 and Once on This Island, which earned him his third Tony Award nomination.

After obtaining a bachelor's degree in liberal arts from Catholic University in Washington, D.C., Hughes pursued his interest in theater by working in production jobs in small theaters. He decided he enjoyed creating concepts through lighting and obtained a master's in fine arts at New York University. After that, networking with other theater professionals familiar with his work "led from one job to another," says Hughes.

"There is a fair amount of technical know-how needed in this profession. Some things I learned in school, but I am still learning because it changes daily."

CHOREOGRAPHER

Opportunities are growing rapidly for choreographers due to the explosion of hip-hop, pop and dance music acts, whose stage shows use several dancers. The trend to use dancers has caught on in commercials and music videos as well. But the highly competitive nature of this business makes it difficult to get into. Aspiring choreographers often work for free as dancers in the hopes of securing a desirable gig they can choreograph. Working as dance teachers or dance coaches to pay the bills in between jobs is not uncommon. Talent, excellent networking skills and a willingness to work long hours are a necessity.

Requirements:

There is no degree or formal training required to be a choreographer. However, the more diverse your knowledge of dance, the better. A resume which includes classes taken or training under a reputable dance instructor will suffice. Most positions are nonunion (i.e., tours, music videos). To work in TV or film, however, requires that you be a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) or the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA).

Salary:

Entry level: $100 (without an agent) to $500 per day

Midlevel: $750-$1,200 per day

Executive: $1,500-$2,500 per day

Resource:

Stage Directors and Choreographer's Foundation
1501 Broadway, Suite 1701
New York NY 10036
212-302-5359

MAKEUP ARTIST

In the visually driven world of television, music videos and film, much emphasis is placed on an entertainer's "look." And there's no one more influential in determining that look than a makeup artist. Overall employment in the field of cosmetology is expected to grow by just under 10% by 2006.

Whether the desired look is high fashion or a ghoulish mask, makeup artists assist an actor or performer in creating his overall character through cosmetics. They work not only with their subject, but consult a project's director, photographer/cinematographer, writer and/or lighting designer to achieve the desired effect.

Requirements:

Although no formal certificate is required, evidence of some training from a beauty school or an apprenticeship with an experienced artist is desirable in compiling a resume and portfolio to showcase your skills.

Video productions and concert tours generally use nonunion workers. Television or film makeup artists must belong to the Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Union.

Salary: (union minimum)

Entry level: $29/hour

Midlevel: $37/hour

Executive: $55-$60/hour (although much higher fees are commanded)

Resource:

Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Union--Local 706
11519 Chandler Blvd.
N. Hollywood, CA 91601
818-984-1700 or 213-877-2776

NZINGHA | Makeup Artist

Although cosmetology is often viewed as an occupation to fall back on, Bronx-born makeup artist Nzingha has turned her love of putting on faces into a lucrative career. Nzingha quit her college studies to become a teacher in her early 20s to attend beauty school full time. She had a flair for doing makeup and was determined to pursue it professionally. She began by making up models for small haircare publications. But her big break came when she filled in for a friend scheduled to work with Freddie Jackson on a music video. "The production company saw my work on him, loved what they saw and started to book me too," she says. The popularity of hip-hop and R & B music has created a lot of opportunities for Nzingha. "The music industry is opening up a market for different aesthetic viewpoints. People are starting to realize there is a black market."

MIXER/RECORDING ENGINEER

Technophobes need not apply for a position as a mixer or sound engineer, for which technical aptitude and knowledge of the latest industry technology is essential. People in these fields can work in both the recording and film industries. For those who relish using their technical know-how in an artistic way, this career might be just right. A mixer/sound engineer is responsible for operating the sound board in a recording studio or merging the tracks selected for a recording on film or video. Engineers work closely with the producer, and sometimes the director, to create the desired sound. Opportunities in this field are expected to rise steadily into the year 2006.

Requirements:

College or technical school background in sound engineering or recording technology preferred; a degree in film doesn't hurt. However, those with six months or more of hands-on experience in a studio are hired just as frequently for entry-level positions in a recording studio or off a post-production team for a film. Many nonunion opportunities exist in this career (e.g., music videos and concert tours), but they often pay less than union jobs.

Salary:

Entry level: $12,000/year (nonunion); $30,000 (union)

Midlevel: $1,450/week (union)

Executive level: $125,000-$500,000/year (union)

Resource:

National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
3402 Pico Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90405
312-392-3777

FILM EDITOR

Good film editors are always in demand because it takes both technical finesse and a feel for audio and visual aesthetics in this position. Using current digital editing technologies, a film editor unites all the audio and visual elements of a film according to what a director wants to convey or what a script demands. Career advancement is based on experience, so credits count.

Requirements:

To get in on the creative side, classes in editing, a film degree or experience are necessary to gain an entry-level position as a production assistant. You may have to work as an apprentice for little pay, but after you've worked 100 days, you're eligible to join the union. On the management side, you'll generally need a college degree. An MBA, strong business skills or a law degree with a concentration in communications or entertainment doesn't hurt. It is more common for producers to come from the management side on feature films than television.

Salary:

Entry level: 5909.10 per week (apprentice editor); $1,224 per week (assistant editor)

Midlevel: 52,105.74 per week (on-call film editor)

Executive level: "A" list film editors don't work for scale; they can write their own ticket.

Resource:

The Motion Picture Editors Guild
65 West 46th St.
New York, NY 10036
212-302-0700

KEITH DABNEY | Film Editor

When Keith Dabney started college at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, the mass communications major never dreamed he would win three Emmy Awards, travel the world shooting documentaries on athletes and coaches then work as an assistant film editor on the Star Trek: Voyager series. But a Federal Communications Commission mandate in the early 1970s that required networks and their local affiliates to bring more minorities into the business proved to be Dabney's inside track to a varied and well-paying 25-year career on the production side of film. "I wanted to work behind the scenes and although I had no experience, I learned on the job. In smaller markets, there are no unions, so you get to learn and do a lot.

Working as an editor and cameraman made me more marketable and allowed me to make more money."

PRODUCER

Jobs for producers are expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2006. Of the 800 television stations in the U.S. that broadcast local news, 3,000 people are employed as news producers, according to the Radio-Television News Directors Association, not including cable and network news. "Producers are really in demand," says Bob Papper, professor of telecommunications at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. "A news director in a large market may get 125 tapes for reporter [jobs] and only five applications for producers."

Producers are responsible for pulling all aspects of a production together, whether the work be for film, music, news, television or theater.

Requirements:

Since there are several types of producers, from the creative to business side of a production, various educational backgrounds may be useful. A bachelor's or master's degree in journalism with a focus on TV, radio or film production is just as useful as an MBA in management or finance with a focus on media. Similarly, a fine arts degree is appropriate for theater.

Salary:

Depends upon the industry.

Entry level: 518,000-522,000/year (assistant)

Midlevel: 530,000-$40,000 per year

Executive: 565,000+ (executive producer/head writer)

Resource:

Radio-Television News Directors Association
1000 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 615
Washington, DC 20036
202-659-6510

MEDIA BUYER

A media buyer usually works within an advertising firm to negotiate advertising time or space for all forms of media from TV and radio m print and outdoor billboards. Many are now "unbundling," or branching out to open their own firms however. Currently, ad sales are growing steadily, and there is a strong job market with advertising agencies. Some self-employed media buyers charge clients a percentage to handle their business. Television buys for 30-second national and syndicated commercials can vary. At an ad firm, an individual buyer usually gets a salary rather than a percentage of the buy and, most likely, a commission.

Requirements:

A bachelor's degree in mass communications with a focus on public relations is desirable. Internships in the media industry (e.g., PR or advertising firm, TV or radio station) will help.

Salary:

Entry level: $17,500-$30,000 (assistant media buyer)

Midlevel: $45,000-$90,000 (media director)

Executive: $70,000 and more; can also make between $70,000-$100,000 in commissions

Resource:

American Association of Advertising Agencies
c/o Martha Brown, Communications Manager
405 Lexington Ave., 18th Floor
New York, NY 10174-1801
212-682-2500

SIBRENA STOWE | Media Buyer

In the music business, publicity can make or break an artist. Luckily, record labels can hire a media buyer like Sibrena Stowe to negotiate with networks and radio stations for optimal commercial time. Stowe Communications, a three-year-old media buying and public relations firm, was incorporated after an injury forced Stowe to leave her job as an independent contractor with Gellwick Advertising in New York. "I didn't want to be employed by somebody and have them put a cap on how much money I could make. [Working independently] I make my own hours, get my own accounts and am my own boss," says the 30-year-old. She secured her first accounts from Universal Records and Kedar Entertainment, and has been buying media placements for record labels ever since, generating sales of $500,000 to $2.5 million quarterly. "I know the urban market," says the Philadelphia native.

COSTUME DESIGNER

Head of the wardrobe department, a costume designer acquires and/or designs clothing for the cast members of a film, television or theatrical production. Besides setting a budget for the project, the designer reads drafts of the script, meets with directors and producers, and is on the set during production to handle any last-minute changes. A costume designer can easily work 12-hour days. It is highly desirable--and, in some instances, mandatory--to be a member of one of the costumer's unions to get work as a designer.

Requirements:

A bachelor's degree in textiles, fashion or merchandising is helpful but not necessary with equivalent work experience. The easiest way to obtain experience while making yourself eligible to join a union is to work as an assistant to a costumer on a union production.

Salary:

$1,679/week minimum; higher salaries negotiated

Resources:

Motion Picture Costumer's Local 705
1427 N. LaBrea St.
Hollywood, CA 90028
323-851-9062

Costumer Designers Guild Local 892
13949 Ventura Blvd., Suite 309
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
818-905-1557

--Additional reporting by Dawn M. Baskerville and Marjorie Whigham-Desir3