Toni Bullock on Her Life in the Entertainment Industry, and the Path to Her Success

When I first connected with Toni, I was amazed at her willingness to share her story and kindness towards me. With her stamp as a producer in the entertainment industry, Toni was kind enough to tell readers how her journey began, and how she stays calm, cool, and collected in a busy world.

Would you like to share your academic journey?

Toni Bullock: I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and went to public school most of my life until the last two years of High School when I transferred to a college preparatory school in Connecticut. Upon graduation, I started my undergrad degree at Hamilton College, a liberal arts college in upstate New York. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to major in but I was drawn to Psychology because I was interested in the mind and how we connected and were influenced by our surroundings. Because it's a liberal arts college, I believe they expected me to get a graduate degree in Psychology, but I was always interested in media and entertainment. When I was 16, I persuaded WNYC (the NPR radio station in NYC) to have an internship program. I was the youngest intern at the company. I worked in the Integrated Marketing department in events. From there, I tried to learn everything in the radio from set and production to sales and marketing. I realized that I liked radio, but I liked to do a bit more.

My sophomore year at Hamilton I worked at Time Inc. in their STARZ Business Program. The program covered everything in the magazine world from Editorial to Advertising and Sales. I worked there for two summers for ALL YOU MAGAZINE and INSTYLE and INSTYLE WEDDINGS. I learned a lot and enjoyed that I can visually see the progression of my hard work but wanted more. After graduation I was wondering if I was going to continue psychology. I was a Theater minor as well and that was when I decided to write my dissertation on how advertisers persuade an audience. It was my fist paper that I incorporated my working world experience with my academic career.

A few months into my senior year, there was a grad school convention at Hamilton -- Syracuse University representatives were there. I was always interested in Syracuse and their Newhouse School of Communications, so I talked to the representative about their grad school program. I did extensive research – talked to a few alumnus, went to school and interviewed some of the teachers in the program before I applied.

When I applied I didn’t believe I was getting in (I applied at the last minute and had to study for the GRE’s that Fall). It was a long winter, but by the time Spring came around, I found out that I got into Syracuse. It was ecstatic! I started that summer after graduation and majored in their Television, Radio and Film program. It was intensive year program where I learned everything from the business side to script writing. We also had a “field trip” to Los Angeles where that introduced me to the West side and later influenced my move to California. I met great people and it was an experience that I would never forget.

Most people change their profession, is this something you always wanted to do?

TB: I really didn't know what I wanted to do. I have family members that were in the entertainment world, but I didn't really know anyone that was a producer. As a kid, I would watch Sesame Street, Reading Rainbow, etc and I knew I loved the world of television. I would even go to talk shows in New York and I would even ask the background workers questions and try to meet up with them, just for an informational interview. I was always interested in that world of being behind the scenes. I didn't know exactly where my strengths were to be honest. That's why I started with radio. And I kind of liked radio but it’s just talking. I really like visuals so I moved over to magazines. But I understood at the time that the industry was changing. I thought TV was a perfect move. At Syracuse, I took a TV business class and production class and from there I knew I loved the television world.

It's really important for people to know that even though you don't know what you want, it's important to at least know the area you want to focus on. So, try different aspects of it. Just reach out to people who already work in the fields that you are interested in. When you figure out what other people do, you start to realize what you don’t want to do and that helps minimize the options. You will eventually see what your strengths are and that will help you focus on what you're good at.

What were some obstacles?

TB: When I started working in the industry, I did not have a big network. Try to find a mentor. A mentor is not somebody you go to and say “Hey, I want you to be my mentor!” I feel like a lot of people try to do that, but it does not work that way. It's a natural relationship that you build with someone. Reach out to people that you admire, learn what they do and keep in contact. Do not reach out just because you are looking for a job. Mentors like when you keep them up to date with your process and if the advice they gave you worked out. Check in quarterly and it's okay if you do not get a response every time. Trust, they saw the email.

Was there a stepping stone that launched your career?

TB: A pivotal moment in my life was when I started working at Discovery Studios. It's an in-house production company for Discovery Communications. Discovery Communications holds some of the biggest networks like OWN, TLC, DISCOVERY, FOOD, TRAVEL and HGTV. At the time, that I was working there, we were allowed to produce content for any network (even outside our brand). I felt like it was a great bootcamp for me because I was learning how to sell shows to different audiences. I would brainstorm ideas from an article I read, to trends I saw on social media. As a Development Assistant, I had great mentors that allowed me to write my own pitches, take pitch meetings, interview talent and work on sizzle reels. At the time, this was very unusual in our industry. I even got to be at network pitches for shows that I put together. I would never take that experience for granted because you want to be in those meetings and see how to pitch a show idea and hear the feedback. I also had access to building my network with other players in the industry at the agencies and other production companies. From there, whenever we would sell a show, I would have the privilege of working on it in the field. So, I learned a little bit of both development and production. I got my hands in everything which helped me decide what I want to do next because I got a taste of everything.

Who is your support system?

TB: Make sure that you have your circle of people that you trust. I was watching the show, Entourage, and I feel like the underlying message of the show is that you have this group of people that you trust and people that you're going to grow up in the industry with. And coming from New York and moving to Los Angeles was very hard for me because New York is a very straightforward place. People say exactly what's on their mind. And also, LA can be very superficial at times, but once you find yourself a group of friends, you’re at home. Your circle is going to be honest. They're not going to be competitive with you and they’re not going to be jealous. They're going to tell you, “You know what? You got this interview. This job is perfect for you.” Or they're going to tell you, “You know what? You're doing too much.” You need people who are going to be honest with you. It’s like you’re family. They’re going to give you the truth because they know you from the beginning. You want people in your circle that can inspire you, but those that help you stay grounded and push you to achieving more goals.

For the younger generation, we get overwhelmed with opportunity. How do you manage to find focus despite temptations?

TB: I'm trying to figure that out as well. I'm like everybody else. I get caught up and feeling like I'm not doing enough but I have to remind myself that I’m still in a competition with myself. I often ask people more experienced than me how do they find their peace in this industry when things are thrown at them constantly. Sometimes you are thrown on a detour, but that's okay as long as you try to figure out a way to focus. I remember in the beginning when I did casting, development and production, people had me in a box. Today, I feel like all of those experiences has helped me in terms of knowing how to cast for a show, develop the talent for a sizzle and produce a scene on a sold show. So, now when I take a job whether it's on my career path or maybe a short detour, I look at it and ask myself “what is the lesson to be learned here”. Everything is a stepping stone. And finally, it's all about mental health. I was talking to some Executive Producers the other day, who told me that they meditate daily. Even if it’s for 5 minutes. Every morning, I try and go hiking with my friends then we'll go running. Things like that will help to start your day and clear your mind. And when you do those kinds of things, you feel you can tackle the day. Keeping your mental health clean and keeping yourself healthy helps you stay focused. And it’s easy to get caught up in what others are doing, but everyone has a different story. Don’t compare someone else’s Instagram highlights to your life. What is your story?

What's your professional position and what advice would you give young people of color?

TB: Currently I am a producer on RED TABLE TALK on Facebook and a Field Producer on BLACK WOMEN OWN THE CONVERSATION on OWN (airing August 24th). Both positions are different for me because I've never done talk shows before, I have worked on a lot of reality shows. On RED TABLE TALK, I love the three generational perspectives and how Jada, Willow and Gammy have strong different perspectives and each topic. The show is super relatable because it's great and honest conversations, like what I have with my family at the Thanksgiving table.

Toni and her team organized events for her company, "Callsheets 2 Cocktails"

BLACK WOMEN OWN THE CONVERSATION, is a four-part series created by Ozy Media hosted by Carlos Watson. In each episode, we have 100 black women coming to a townhall to discuss topics like Motherhood, Love, Beauty and Mental Health. Honestly, it’s been a long time coming and I feel honored to be in a room and help produce shows like this. This show gives black women from all ages and walks of life a voice on topics that affect us every day. I enjoy creating content where you feel like it's an open honest educational conversation.

But as for advice, I would say own your craft. Hone in on it and own it. This industry is going to be hard and very different from other career paths. I believe if you don't give up, don’t lose focus, then you will be successful. It takes time for some people, but you have to believe in yourself more than anybody else does. Because there is going to be a lot of doubt. And there's a lot of down time. You just have to decide what other jobs are going to keep you afloat while you’re not working on what you want. Also, focus on yourself and your personal goals. Time moves by very quickly (especially in LA where it’s always summer) and you don’t want to look back and say did I accomplish everything I wanted to out of this life. For me, I currently own a company called Callsheets 2 Cocktails – a women in entertainment networking event series, where I host brunches, networking mixers and panels twice a year in NY and LA. This is a great hobby for me outside of work that I enjoy! And finally, enjoy the ride. I’ve been blessed to meet wonderful people and travel to ends of the Earth to create TV. Working in entertainment can be a bumpy ride but it’s definitely worth it!

Be sure to keep in touch with Toni on her website!

https://tonibullock.com/home