When Pete Allman decided to go back to school it was so that he could brush up on editing and web design in order to better communicate with editors and with people making movies. Today, he and other students are producing the campus’ new show “Talk Back at West L.A. College.”
The first five shows include West L.A. College President Nabil Abu-Ghazlaeh, Tom Hallick, who starred as “Brad Elliot” on ”The Young and Restless,” Kutrell Prescott, one of the top students of the STEM program and a who also represents Perk.edu, an app students can use to receive benefits such as food etc. Also on the show will be Sy Richardson, a known character actor and director, from “Pushing Up Daisies,” “Repo Man,” “Straight to Hell,” “Walker,” “Kinjinte” among many others, as well as Professor Michael Arata, the Chair of the Fine Arts Department.
“WLAC student Pete Allman met with an academic dean and me, the public relations director, to discuss his ideas,” Public Relations/Advertising West Los Angeles College Michelle Long-Coffee said. “Based on viewing his previous work from his years in Las Vegas, I anticipate that Pete will produce some great material about the college, its programs and people. I look forward to seeing it. After screening the finished videos, the college may post them on our official YouTube channel with credit and thanks given to Pete as the creator. The Associate Student Organization is also enthusiastic about this project and may find a way to showcase it after they see the final product.”
Pete Allman started his career in entertainment as a singer in clubs but has since produced more than 300 half hour television shows, upon his return to Las Vegas in 1989. The half-hour shows include Las Vegas Hollywood Report, CMX Sports and Entertainment, Uplifting Thoughts with Pete Allman, were all produced, directed and hosted by Allman. Allman has also produced films, three of which are, ”Brando Unauthorized,” the story of Marlon Brando and his son Christian Brando living in his Fathers shadow; “Killer Priest,” the story of Priest connected with the One World Government, Theory, and “Vatos Locos,” about the gang related drug cartels between the Asian and Hispanic gangs. Today he is producing, alongside cameramen Robert Evans, who edits and is director of photography, and cameraman Ernest Morre, both whom are students involved with the campus’ first talk show.
“I am producing a TV show because it will inform students and outside people about what West L.A. College is doing,” Allman said. “It will be a half-hour show and the first topic will be how to break into show business and how to memorize and do what you have to do to be on a soap with Tom Hallick.”
This project is not part of a class, but instead is his independent effort for which Allman was able to obtain permission to film on campus for the purpose of producing several episodes. Given that the independent student project is not financed or produced by the college, representatives for WLAC were clear that the show does not necessarily represent the views of the college administration.
“West is interested in helping its students to explore their talents and generate products that can help them grow and showcase their skills to potential employers and/or investors,” Long-Coffee said. “Pete’s past experience and project description suggests that he could create a product that would be great for his personal portfolio and that could also be beneficial to the college.”
For Allman, the production of the show was not just an opportunity to inform the WLAC community and its surrounding neighbors but it helped introduce several students to TV production in an early phase of their education.
“I am very happy with the work the students have accomplished,” Allman said. “Raymond MacDaniel, the former President of The Associated Student Organization has been hard working in all phases of these half hour shows. He’s also done a good job of interviewing. Alissa Contreras and Tamarae Mason the other host have also done well as first time interviewers and host.”
Despite Allman’s real-life experience, going to college was not an easy transition and it came with several challenges that turned into important learning experiences.
“It was very hard because I am 66 going on 67 and I had never been to college,” Allman said. “It’s not the rules so much but being able to memorize and being able to retreat all that information such as editing and web design.”
“I want Culver City to know what West L.A. is doing because it is a great school and has great professors,” Allman said.
“Talk Back at West L.A. College” can be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/user/westlacollege and www.youtube.com/peteonthescene later in August.
Allman can be followed on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/CelebrityScene, or at his website: http://www.celebrityscene.com.