At the core of Wrapped Productions is a team of executives with successful track records in the entertainment industry. The team covers: entrepreneurial experience, promotion, art direction, television production, music production, and product branding & promotion. Collectively, these individuals have over 65 years experience and will use their ability to leverage high-level relationships within all areas of the entertainment industry – sports television, talent relations, television distribution, music production, and new media. Additionally, the core team is complemented by a networked support group of consultants, performers, and technicians.
Louis Gosset Jr. - Executive Producer
Louis Gossett, Jr. is one of the most sought after and busiest actors working in theatrical feature films and television today. With over 50 years of stage, television, and film credits, Louis’s talents have garnered him every acting accolade including an Oscar for an electrifying performance as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in “An Officer and a Gentleman”, an Emmy for the role of Fiddler in “Roots,” multiple Golden Globes, and People’s Choice Awards.
Besides being one of the most talented and versatile actors working in Hollywood, Gossett maintains a strong commitment to helping others by giving back to the community both as a spokesperson and as a behind-the-scenes leader with the formation of the Eracism Foundation, geared to empowering and educating the youth of America. Louis’s belief in this philosophy is one of the reasons he’s come aboard to executive produce and narrate “The Untold Truth.”
Gary Ballen - General Manager
Hailing from Cleveland and then later Columbus, Ohio, Gary has been involved in various facets of the entertainment industry all of his adult life. In the early years he spent as a performer, concert promoter and sound company owner and in 1978 he moved from Ohio to Los Angeles to manage a leading video and rehearsal studio in L.A, working with various groups like Chaka Kahn & Rufus, Toto, The Knack, , Three Dog Night and The Jackson’s to name a few. In 1980 he landed a job with pop group Air Supply where he spent the next 3 years touring the world as production manager, merchandising manager and tour manager.
In the late 80’s Gary organized the production and toured with the infamous west coast rap group N.W.A. and Eazy-E. Following the tour he worked for Eazy ’s Ruthless Records where for the next 6 years, sold approximately 22 million records. As general manager of the company his responsibilities ranged from A & R, office management, budgeting and overseeing tours, scheduling recording dates and overseeing press, marketing and TV appearances.
In 1995 Gary opened an artist management company representing Flesh-N-Bone from the multi-platinum act Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, harmonica & saxophone virtuosos Jimmy Z (Etta James, The Eurhythmics, Rod Stewart) and record producer Damon Elliott (Destiny’s Child, Pink, Jessica Simpson, Beyonce, etc.) Damon scored, wrote and recorded songs for a number of feature films including, Austin Powers: Goldmember, Men in Black, First Daughter, The Mask 2 and Fat Albert.
John Rittenour - Creative Director
John Rittenour was born in Baltimore, MD. in 1958 and resides in Kansas City, MO. as an entertainment producer/consultant with specialized background in project management. Along with having performed as an artist nationwide for over 33 years, John brings his experience as a musician, business agent, talent developer, project manager, and producer to the project. For the past five years John has been involved in leading his own entertainment companies (ONE SOURCE ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, 621 ENTERTAINMENT, and WRAPPED PRODUCTIONS) that has developed and produced projects in music, stage, TV, film and youth arenas.
At this time John is focused on writing, producing, developing content for mass distribution, and Executive participation in high level projects. His two current projects are; DCM Entertainment Group, an R&B/HIP-HOP label based out of Atlanta, Georgia and Nashville, Tennessee; and The Negro Baseball Leagues Museum documentary.
Gregg Champion - Film Director
After finishing his studies in Broadcast Journalism at Arizona State University, Gregg jumped into the world of broadcasting – television, radio, film, and the web. He has over ten years experience working as a producer and director with companies such as; XTRA Sports Radio, FOX Sports, NBC, CBS, DreamWorks, ESPN, and 20th Century Fox. He has worked in all facets of television production for such shows as Ally McBeal, The X-Files, Later, Best Damn Sports Show Period, Winning Lines, The Sports List, Beyond The Glory and 54321.
Most recent, Gregg co-created Mania TV! – The first live internet television network and served as Vice President of Programming and Development. Currently, he serves as Co-Executive Producer for celebrity talk show The Bronx Bunny Show which will be STARZ Entertainment’s first venture into original programming in …And he continues to produce and direct commercials, media kits, and viral videos for such clients as Gap, Nike, General Motors, and Mountain Dew.
Jay Shanker - Legal
Jay Shanker is a veteran entertainment industry attorney whose practice encompasses all aspects of entertainment, online and new media law. The Oklahoma native joined McAfee & Taft in 2005 after practicing law in Los Angeles for nearly 25 years. Jay's business affairs and legal expertise extends to the development, production and distribution of television and motion picture programming (including international co-productions), recorded music projects, live stage and events, book publishing, online and interactive media, and fine arts representation.
During his career, Jay has represented public, private and not-for-profit companies, along with individual producers, directors, writers, actors, musical artists, industry executives and entrepreneurs. His individual clients have over the years garnered prestigious international awards in every major creative media, including Oscar, Emmy, Grammy and Clio award recognition.
Jay is co-author of “Entertainment Law & Business,” published by Juris in 2005. He was also editor of “Law and the Television of the ‘80s,” published by Oceana in 1982, and a contributing editor for “Entertainment Industry Contracts,” first published by Matthew Bender in 1986. He currently serves as an adjunct professor of law at both the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma City University, and has lectured on entertainment industry legal matters at UCLA, USC and the American Film Institute (“AFI”) in Los Angeles and New York.
Larry J. Durham - Administrative Coordinator
Being born in Charlotte, N. Carolina raised in Kansas City, Missouri, the home the Kansas City, Monarchs, and where the Negro Baseball Leagues was created. Larry and his brother Roger would go to Municipal Stadium at 22nd & Brooklyn Ave. to watch the Monarchs play, now realizing that he was witnessing a piece of American history.
Larry’s entertainment business grew to work with Charles Wright of The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, Ike & Tina Turner, Johnny Nash, and Kansas City's R & B group Bloodstone, Sly & The Family Stone, The Temptations, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Three Dog Night, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Al Green as well as many more of the industry's most influential music makers.
Making and keeping appointments, scheduling recording sessions, coordinating road tours and the logistics involved in getting ten to twenty artists, musicians, technicians, and drivers from venue to venue, or country to country in a timely orderly manner, is how some of his organizational skills were acquired and honed.
Being associated with the NegroLeaguesBaseballMuseum, of which Friend Mr. Don Motley is the Director and one of its creators, has been his most proud moment, next to having known John "Buck" O'Neil.
Sean Lee - Editing / Web Design
Sean Lee hails from Toronto Canada, he is a very talented and creative multi-media designer. He is easy to work with creatively and on the same page... Bottom line, he get's it!
Sean has been a big part of the team since the beginning and always goes 'the extra mile' to get the job done.
Craig A. King - Music Supervisor & Producer
Back at the university, there was a casting call for Ray Charles and Quincy Jones for an organist, Craig got the job and thus begins a productive and illustrious career in the music industry. Having worked on and produced on many 5 star projects with artist like Kanye West, Ludacris, Queen Latifah, Aaliyah, Will Smith, and The Simpson’s Bartman.
Craig was born in Nashville Tennessee and played at his church as the main organist. At Howard and many others as noted in his discography, Craig has become the producer’s producer. Craig has passionately given his intent to lend all of his skills and resources to this documentary in order to make the musical soundtrack not only unique and original, but what the in tuned audiences worldwide are accustomed to want to hear. His current success recording and touring with Kanye West and Ludacris’ hit album, “Release Therapy” makes him the best choice in the best place, at the right time.
Damon Elliott - Music Producer
Writer/producer Damon Elliott was born and raised in the music and entertainment business. From creating music for several new films to making records with the likes of Pink, Jessica Simpson, Eminem, Mya, Destiny’s Child’s Beyoncé Knowles and Kelly Rowland and his mom Dionne Warwick, songwriter/producer Damon Elliott has had one busy career. Now he's adding his touch to the Executive Production Team of Wrapped Productions in the building of The Untold Truth – Negro Baseball History Franchise.
