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DGA QUARTERLY 11 PHOTO: DAN DOPERALSKI Dear Members: Directors have won the DGA's Feature Film Award multiple times throughout the ceremony's 70-year history. But only once has it been given to a filmmaker for two consecutive years, when Alejandro G. Iñárritu received the honor for Birdman (Or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) and The Revenant in 2015-16. It's not the only milestone for this gifted talent. He was the first Mexican director in Guild history to be nominated in the feature category (for 2006's Babel) and, of course, the first to claim victory. It might all seem too kudos-centric to bring up these feats, but the recognition is borne out of an almost dangerous commitment to his art, which he reveals in these pages. What the reader will discover is that Iñárritu's almost obsessive emphasis on prep and rehearsal leaves no room for error; and that his ability to bring out the best in his collaborators often results in high-water marks, both collectively and individually. But perhaps most important is his compassionate and unorthodox approach to narrative and drama, engaging viewers with characters who seemingly exist in a godless universe, and how their faith, endurance, love, and even survival are pushed to the absolute brink. Besides Iñárritu's keen observations, we have a wealth of directorial insight on a rich range of topics: from director Damien Chazelle waxing eloquent on the merits of Martin Scorsese's searing 1976 classic Taxi Driver; to a deep dive into the legacy of Robert Aldrich; to Rob Marshall's dissection of a key musical number from his DGA Award-winning Chicago (2002). In terms of more contemporary work, Spike Lee, Barry Jenkins and George Tillman Jr. explain their modus operandi in dramatizing the divisiveness of racism in their current features; Elma Garcia talks about achieving authenticity and her desire to "move the needle" in directing her artful commercial spots; live-television brahmin Glenn Weiss discusses the challenges inherent in directing the Oscarcast; and rising star Marielle Heller underscores her commitment to character in all phases of her film and TV work. There's much more, of course, but as Mr. Iñárritu suggests, it's better not to "show everything " too early and leave nothing for the reader to explore. And I do hope what you'll find will be engaging. Steve Chagollan schagollan@dga.org Steve Chagollan Editor in Chief Nancy Duckworth Art Director Jovita Dominguez Photo Researcher Brandon Kyle Goco Becca Nadler Editorial Assistants Tricia Noble Design Associate Carmel Dagan Copy Editor Mike Chapman Assistant Copy Editor Darrell L. Hope Editor, www.dga.org Contributing Writers Robert Abele, Ann Farmer, F.X. Feeney, Rob Feld, David Heuring, Karen Idelson, Robert Koehler, Margy Rochlin, T.L. Stanley Publications Committee Thomas Schlamme, Chair Michael Apted, John Badham, Paris Barclay, Cameron Crowe, Mark Frost, Pamela Fryman, Randal Kleiser, Donald Petrie, Gene Reynolds, Arlene Sanford, Kevin Sullivan Print Production IngleDodd Media (310) 207-4410 Advertising IngleDodd Media (310) 207-4410 DGA@IngleDodd.com www.IngleDoddMedia.com Editorial Offices 7920 Sunset Blvd., 5th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90046-0907 (310) 289-5333 • Fax (310) 289-2029 dgaquarterly@dga.org Subscription Information (310) 289-5333 NEWSSTAND DISTRIBUTION Curtis Circulation Company (201) 634-7400 DGA Q U A R T E R L Y E D I TO R' S L ETT E R