DOREZ DOUGLAS   and   WILLIE BURTON    

  A Winning Duo in the Film Industry 

Dorez Douglas, a Detroit native and former gospel singer, is a writer/producer in Los Angeles, California.  Over the years, she has worked in theater, film and television.   

From 1990-2003, Douglas produced a number of plays, short projects, videos, and an independent film, “Beverly Hood” which is currently available on video.  Stars of the film include Kym Whitley and Destiny’s Child.  In the mid-1990’s, Douglas co-executive produced an animated special for ABC-TV.  The program, “Jirimpimbira: An African Folktale” was a critical and commercial success, receiving excellent reviews from TV Guide and Animation magazine, as well as a Parents Choice Award.  It featured the voices of Diahann Carroll, the late Paul Winfield, James Avery, Meshach Taylor, Dawnn Lewis and Jamil Smith.  

 In 1997, Douglas created the Entertainment Industry Training Program (EITP) as part of Concerned Citizens of South Central Los Angeles.  The program trained youth (13-18 years old) for jobs behind the camera and was co-sponsored by DreamWorks and Sony Pictures Entertainment among others.  EITP students were allowed to visit the set of such television shows as “413 Hope Street,” “Moesha,” “The Jamie Foxx Show,” “NBC News” and John Singleton’s film “Baby Boy.”  

Guest Workshop Instructors include Bruce Evans (NBC executive), Crystal King (Miramax), Judy Woodruff & Elaine Hogue (ABC News Correspondent and Producer respectively), Lewis Dix (Comedian & Actor), Meta Williams (Former Women In Film President) and various executives from DreamWorks and 20^th Century Fox.

 In 2003, Douglas left EITP because of scheduling conflicts.  She is currently co-producing a documentary with her partner, Academy-Award winning technician Willie Burton.  The film, “From Baton Rouge to Hollywood,” is the story of the first African-American to own a chain of movie theaters in the south.  Douglas is also Vice-President of her daughter, Anna Nicole’s, fashion company, Jahqoi.  Jahqoi specializes in unique plus-size clothing for women.    

  Born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and after graduating from high school, Burton moved to Long Beach, California to study Electronics.  He spent his first six months studying Electronics Assembly and Test Technician at West Coast Trade School.  Burton later enrolled in Compton City College where he continued to study Electronics Technology for one year then transferred to Long Beach City College where he continued his studies in Electronics Technology and Engineering for two years.  While attending Long Beach City College, he also studied Business and Real Estate. 

Burton applied for a job with The Department of the Navy in Electronics and worked at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard for three and a half years in Electronics Engineering where he worked on Sonar Systems.  While working in electronics for the government, he enrolled in a course in television Broadcasting at the University of Southern California, sponsored by CBS Television for one year, specializing in Audio.

 Having decided to make a career change, Burton entered the Motion Picture Industry in 1969 as a Sound Technician.  He started at the bottom as a Cable Man and within four short years moved up the ranks to the top position as a Production Sound Mixer. 

As a Sound Mixer, he assembled his own crew, which consisted of Marvin Lewis (who served as the first Boom Man) and Robert Harris (who served as his Utility Cable Man.)  Burton also manages his own sound equipment company named Sound Package. 

With over 30 years of sound mixing under his belt, Burton was first nominated for an Oscar in 1978 for “THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY”.  In 1983 he won the BAFTA (British Academy Film and Television Award) for “WAR GAMES”.  He received an Oscar for Best Sound in 1989 for the film, “BIRD”.  In 2005, he received The Cinema Audio Society Career Achievement Award.  Burton has also received Academy Award nominations for “WAR GAMES”, “ALTERED STATES”, “THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION”, and “THE GREEN MILE”.  He recently won the Academy Award for Outstanding Sound Mixing for his work on the film “DREAMGIRLS”. 

Burton is married and lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Jackie.  He is also the father of three adult daughters. 

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