A career as a rock star or television star is unattainable for most hopeful teens who dream of being in the spotlight. While many dream of being the next *NSYNC or Backstreet Boys sensation, this may be a little far-fetched. However, teens dont have to give up their dream, at least not completely. Few star-struck teens actually realize how many careers are available in the entertainment production industry.

Large numbers of people are needed to put on concerts, make film movies or animate cartoons. These are the people who work behind the scenes to make great entertainment. Careers in this industry are as varied as the people that work in them. There are a few careers available that many may overlook, such as: free lance illustrator, dance choreographer, set designers, writers, or 2d animation specialists. Below are just a few of the many fields available in the entertainment production industry and a short summary of what they do.

Illustration

An illustration artist can mean many different things. In the traditional sense illustration artists draw pictures for books, magazines and other publications. They also work with computer graphics, designing web pages, doing character creation for animation studios and even making their own cartoons. They are versatile artists whose primary medium is digital graphics such as flash, photoshop, and other such programs.

Dance

Dance provides more opportunities than just backup dancer for a music group. Jobs range from choreographer (the person who makes up the routines) to the person who makes the costumes and dance equipment. Since dance comes in many genres, the field is diverse. Without dancers entertainment would not have the appeal that it has now. However, without the entertainment production staff like teachers and choreographers, those dancers would not have made it very far.

TV/Movies

Television and movie stars are glamorous and popular. What most people dont realize is that it takes the work of many people to make that actor great. Movie and Television stars are very talented, but they need people to write their scripts, shoot the film, do their makeup, build the sets, and so on. Most people who work in television work in entertainment production rather than just acting.

Books and Print Media

The most well-known job in the field of print media is an author. To bring a book to the shelves an author needs editors, publishers, layout designers, and book reviewers. The author writes the book, and then it goes through reviews, revisions, and printing. Each of these steps requires a talented professional. There are many diverse opportunities available in print media.

Music

Music production has two sides. One could work for companies that distribute music such as radio stations, online music stores or even event planners for concerts. Conversely, one could work for a music recording studio that actually produces new music. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Working on the distribution side can be rewarding for those who love to listen to music or like music trivia. Working on the production side is more suited for those people who like being on the cutting edge of music. Plenty of opportunities exist for people who dont have musical talent but still have a passion for it.

Animation

Animation is a diverse field that employs more than just artists. Animation studios typically have writers, animators, software designers, and sound engineers. Animation is most often, distributed through the internet and TV. Studios often employ people who know how to work with these types of mass media.

In addition to the jobs listed here, many others exist that are not related to entertainment production but are still in the entertainment industry. Examples of these are accountants at a TV studio, CEO of a publishing company, IT specialists for TV stations and the list goes on. Aspiring teens dont have to give up their dream of working in the entertainment industry when they dont make the cut for American Idol or loose the school talent show. Working in entertainment productions is a question of desire rather than talent. If a person wants to work in entertainment production, there is a job for them whatever their interests are. They just have to be creative and then work hard.