Longview native produces Jackson Family television show
December 12, 2009
Longview native-turned Hollywood producer Anthony McLemore is taking on one of the biggest challenges of his career - the Jackson family.
McLemore is the supervising producer/executive director of "The Jacksons: A family dynasty." Tackling reality television is challenging because it leaves little room for error, he said.
"You're constantly under the gun. Things are happening in the moment. It's not scripted. You can't go back and get it over again."
The show follows the lives of the Jackson family. At it's onset, the Jackson brothers are preparing for a 40th anniversary album of the Jackson 5 - a group that catapulted the brothers into the limelight. Right after the show wrapped it's first episode, pop star Michael Jackson - arguably the most known family member - died suddenly.
Working with the music icons was difficult after the singer's death, McLemore said.
"Of course with Michael's passing, we had to address it. Everything changed. The show really deals with them coming to terms with that and performing. It's funny and it's dramatic at times."
McLemore said producers worked to showcase the different personalities of family members.
"I think people see the Jackson family as Michael and they think of them as this monolithic family. There's one thought and one voice and it's really quite the opposite. You have a very layered family. What this series does is it shows people who they are, who they aren't and what they're about."
McLemore is a 1990 Longview High School graduate who got his start reporting news at an Abilene TV station. After graduating from Stephen F. Austin State University in 1995, he worked at TV stations in Tyler, Shreveport and Texarkana. He eventually left news reporting, moving to Dallas and taking a job as a producer.
"I'm very creative and my biggest issue (with news) was that I couldn't make every story a masterpiece," McLemore said. Producing allowed him more freedom.
In 1998, McLemore again packed his bags and headed for Hollywood. That same year, he won a Cable Ace award for production of the comedy sketch show HEP-TV and then in 2001 he produced the Daytime Emmy-nominated show Celebrity Homes.
Navigating the entertainment industry wasn't easy.
"The hardest thing to come to terms with working in the entertainment industry is (that) talent doesn't always ensure success. It's more than that," McLemore said. The rookie producer was surprised to discover how long the road to success stretched.
"It's an endurance race. It's not a sprint."
McLemore often returns and speaks to SFA journalism and broadcasting students about preparing themselves for a challenging field. It's important to be multifaceted, he said.
"The foundation from all the news years has helped me tremendously. It's all helped me get where I am."
In the future he hopes to develop his own show and start a production company. If ratings with the "The Jacksons" are good, McLemore hopes to remain as supervising producer/director for Season 2 of the show.
"Being successful in the entertainment industry means having dedication. If you're dedicated and you work hard eventually you will succeed. It's just a question of when."
"The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty" airs Today at 8 p.m. central on the A&E Network.