Hollywood's Top Publicist Reveals What It Really Takes to Make Stars | Shannon Barr

Hollywood's Top Publicist Reveals What It Really Takes to Make Stars | Shannon Barr

What does it actually take to shape the careers of Hollywood's biggest stars — and survive the chaos behind the scenes? Veteran publicist Shannon Barr pulls back the curtain on 20+ years in entertainment PR, from her early days at ICM to managing crises at 3 am, losing client John Singleton, and what it really costs to get the press you deserve. In this episode, Shannon covers: → How she got her start — and the friend named Caprice who changed everything → The toxic ICM boss she finally quit on (out loud, by accident) → Why braids cost her job opportunities and the racism she faced climbing Hollywood's ladder → What publicists actually do during a celebrity crisis (yes, the Will Smith slap comes up) → Why PR is a marathon, not a sprint — and what that means for your career → The real cost of hiring a publicist and why boutique pricing matters → Her 20-year relationship with Kenya Moore and why she fell in love with her instantly → The deeply emotional story of losing John Singleton and writing his final statement → How she represented Damson Idris, Isaiah John, and Malcolm Mays as emerging talent → What she wants her legacy to be as a star maker ️ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3iny4YTd9NfUBB51aWOpYr?si=8657ebed5b5049ed&nd=1&dlsi=316fca0df52b4a1e [https://open.spotify.com/show/3iny4YTd9NfUBB51aWOpYr?si=8657ebed5b5049ed&nd=1&dlsi=316fca0df52b4a1e] Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/naacp-inside-the-industry/id1894940807 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/naacp-inside-the-industry/id1894940807]  Watch the full playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaaTUaaxeh-IBd36D0P3FzFcu17Ij2S4T [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaaTUaaxeh-IBd36D0P3FzFcu17Ij2S4T]  Learn more about NAACP+: https://linktr.ee/NAACPPlus [https://linktr.ee/NAACPPlus] Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/naacpplus/ [https://www.instagram.com/naacpplus/] Follow Shannon Barr: https://www.instagram.com/sbarr06/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/sbarr06/?hl=en] Follow Ariana Drummond: https://www.instagram.com/arianad_pr/ [https://www.instagram.com/arianad_pr/]

From Interning at Hot 97 to the Met Gala with Rihanna — Entertainment Journalist Gia Peppers

What does it actually take to build a two-decade career in entertainment journalism — across NBC's Today Show, Hot 97, Essence, Access Hollywood, BET, and the Met Gala red carpet with Rihanna? In this episode of NAACP+'s Inside the Industry, host ArianaDrummond sits down with her close friend and NAACP Image Awards-nominated journalist, podcaster, and host Gia Peppers for one of the most candid, funny, and genuinely inspiring conversations in the series so far. Gia breaks down: → How she went from overnight shifts at CBS Radio News to   the Met Gala carpet — and what happened in between → What her dad's 23 years at NPR taught her about   storytelling before she ever stepped into a newsroom → How she co-created Black Girl Podcast before Black women   podcasting was even a thing — and what it feels like to have built a blueprint you don't always get credit for → What it was really like interviewing Rihanna, Kobe Bryant, and Vice President Kamala Harris → How to navigate microaggressions as a Black woman in media without losing your voice or your career → Why she did the New York to D.C. commute for four years straight while working at Hot 97, Essence, and hosting   for the Washington Wizards simultaneously → The pay equity conversation that changed how she thinks about negotiating forever → Why she's launching Creatives of Faith — and what it means to keep creatives on assignment from God → The state of Black media right now and what we all need to do about it → Why dragging the rooms you want to be in is her most unpopular industry opinion Plus — her most honest reflection on legacy, what she still wants to build, and the moment at her friend's funeral that made her decide to go all the way in on her dreams. This is the episode for every aspiring journalist, content creator, and Black woman trying to take up space in an industry that wasn't built for her. Host: Ariana Drummond, NAACP Director of Talent & Media Relations  Guest: Gia Peppers — Today Show, Hot 97, Essence, More Than   That with Gia Peppers, Healed Girl Era, Black Girl Podcast New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe so you never miss one. Watch more Inside the Industry: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaaTUaaxeh-IBd36D0P3FzFcu17Ij2S4T [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaaTUaaxeh-IBd36D0P3FzFcu17Ij2S4T]  Listen on Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/3iny4YTd9NfUBB51aWOpYr?si=8657ebed5b5049ed&nd=1&dlsi=316fca0df52b4a1e [https://open.spotify.com/show/3iny4YTd9NfUBB51aWOpYr?si=8657ebed5b5049ed&nd=1&dlsi=316fca0df52b4a1e]  Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/naacp-inside-the-industry/id1894940807 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/naacp-inside-the-industry/id1894940807]  Follow NAACP+: https://linktr.ee/NAACPPlus [https://linktr.ee/NAACPPlus] #InsideTheIndustry #NAACPPlus #GiaPeppers #EntertainmentJournalism#BlackWomenInMedia #BlackGirlPodcast #HealedGirlEra #ArianaDrummond#BlackCreatives #MediaCareer #BlackJournalism #ContentCreator#BlackWomen #TodayShow #Hot97 #Essence #MetGala

Tribeca Film Festival Programmer Reveals Why Your Film Really Got Rejected

If your film has been rejected by festival after festival, this episode is going to change how you think about everything. In this episode of NAACP+'s Inside the Industry, host Ariana Drummond sits down with Kimberley Browning — veteran film programmer, festival director, and Senior Associate Short Film Programmer for the Tribeca Film Festival — to pull back the curtain on how film festivals actually work, what programmers are really looking for, and the costly mistakes filmmakers make that have nothing to do with the quality of their films. Kimberley breaks down: → How programmers actually decide which films get selected → Why most festival rejections have nothing to do with your filmmaking → The biggest mistake filmmakers make when building a festival strategy → Why you should stop obsessing over the top 10 festivals you can name → How to build a festival strategy unique to the film you actually made → What really happens after your film gets accepted to a major festival → How to qualify for the Oscars without spending thousands of dollars → The insider tip on completion dates that most filmmakers don't know → Why submitting a rough cut could cost you more than just this festival → How film festivals are evolving in the streaming era → What the rise of virtual festivals means for filmmakers worldwide → The one music licensing mistake that's killing independent films Plus — Kimberley shares the story of the film that helped a woman get clemency, why rejection letters are not commentary on your talent, and what she wants her legacy in this industry to be. This is the episode every filmmaker needs to watch before their next submission. Period.  Host: Ariana Drummond, NAACP Director of Talent & Media Relations  Guest: Kimberley Browning — Tribeca Film Festival, HBO, AFI, ABFF New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe so you never miss one. Watch more Inside the Industry: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaaTUaaxeh-IBd36D0P3FzFcu17Ij2S4T [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaaTUaaxeh-IBd36D0P3FzFcu17Ij2S4T]  Listen on Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/3iny4YTd9NfUBB51aWOpYr?si=8657ebed5b5049ed&nd=1&dlsi=316fca0df52b4a1e [https://open.spotify.com/show/3iny4YTd9NfUBB51aWOpYr?si=8657ebed5b5049ed&nd=1&dlsi=316fca0df52b4a1e]  Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/naacp-inside-the-industry/id1894940807 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/naacp-inside-the-industry/id1894940807]  Follow NAACP+: https://linktr.ee/NAACPPlus [https://linktr.ee/NAACPPlus] #InsideTheIndustry #NAACPPlus #FilmFestival #TribecaFilmFestival#IndependentFilm #Filmmaking #BlackFilmmakers #FilmFestivalStrategy#KimberleyBrowning #ArianaDrummond #ShortFilms #IndieFilm#FilmDistribution #BlackCreatives #OscarQualifying

Ted Lasso Writer Reveals What Hollywood Won't Tell You About Breaking In

What does it actually take to become a working television writer in Hollywood? In this episode of NAACP+'s Inside the Industry, host Ariana Drummond sits down with writer and producer Chuck Hayward — whose credits include Ted Lasso, WandaVision, and Dear White People — for one of the most honest conversations we've had about the realities of building a writing career. Chuck breaks down: → How TV writers actually get staffed on shows → The difference between a spec script and a pilot (and which one to write first) → What showrunners are really looking for when they read your script → How to handle notes without killing your creative vision → The mistakes that quietly stall careers — even for talented writers → Why the streaming bubble burst changed everything for writers → How to stay competitive when the industry is shrinking Plus, Chuck shares the writing philosophy that drives everything he does: more Black weirdos on screen. And why writing authentically — not to the market— is the only strategy that actually works long term. Whether you're an aspiring writer, a creative trying to break in, or someone already in the industry looking to level up, this episode is your blueprint. Host: Ariana Drummond, NAACP Director of Talent & Media Relations  Guest: Chuck Hayward — Ted Lasso, WandaVision, Dear White People New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe so you never miss one. Watch more Inside the Industry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnLI7v57zoc&list=PLaaTUaaxeh-IBd36D0P3FzFcu17Ij2S4T&pp=sAgC [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnLI7v57zoc&list=PLaaTUaaxeh-IBd36D0P3FzFcu17Ij2S4T&pp=sAgC] Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3iny4YTd9NfUBB51aWOpYr?si=8657ebed5b5049ed  [https://open.spotify.com/show/3iny4YTd9NfUBB51aWOpYr?si=8657ebed5b5049ed] Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/naacp-inside-the-industry/id1894940807 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/naacp-inside-the-industry/id1894940807] Follow NAACP+: https://linktr.ee/NAACPPlus [https://linktr.ee/NAACPPlus] #InsideTheIndustry #NAACPPlus #TVWriter #HowToBeAWriter#BreakingIntoHollywood #Screenwriting #TedLasso #WandaVision#BlackCreatives #EntertainmentIndustry #ChuckHayward #ArianaDrummond

He Started as an Intern - here’s What Changed Everything

DeVon Franklin rose from intern to executive producer in Hollywood—but how did that actually happen? In this episode of NAACP+ Inside the Industry, DeVon Franklin—producer behind films like "The Pursuit of Happyness," "Moneyball," and "The Karate Kid"—shares what it really takes to grow in this business, navigate opportunity, and build a career with purpose. We'll cover topics such as: - What it takes to stand out early in your career - What ownership means in today’s entertainment industry - Where the biggest opportunities are for creatives right now From studio systems to independent production, this conversation breaks down what it takes to create and lead projects at the highest level of filmmaking. About Devon Franklin: Devon Franklin is a producer, author, and former studio executive at Columbia Pictures. His work spans major box office films, faith-based storytelling, and independent production, with a focus on purpose-driven content and long-term impact. Subscribe to NAACP+ Inside the Industry for weekly conversations with leaders across film, television, and digital media. Follow NAACP+ ITI: @naacpinsidetheindustry Instagram: @naacpplus YouTube: @naacpplus