DGA Monthly

3 4 I D G A M O N T H L Y See more detailed descriptions and additional photos online at www.dga.org. DGA Events Roundup The 31st Annual Pan African Film and Arts Festival (PAFF) took place from February 9-20, 2023 with media that showcases the diversity and complexity of people of African descent. The DGA has served as a sponsor of the Festival for more than a decade. On February 10, filmmakers with projects in this year's PAFF attended a gathering at the DGA's Los Angeles Headquarters. Following welcomes from DGA Special Assignments Executive Jennifer Peat and PAFF Executive Director Ayuko Babu, DGA African American Steering Committee (AASC) Co-Chair and Western Directors Council Member Gina Prince-Bythewood spoke about community, finding your people through the work of creation and the role of the DGA in helping protect your vision. DGA Director-member Danny Glover — one of the co-founders of the Festival — remarked on the energy of the filmmakers, shared some defining moments in his career and expressed his enthusiasm for all of their projects. Afterwards, each attendee was invited to introduce themselves and their projects and AASC Co-Chair Princess Monique closed out the brunch with words of encouragement and invited the attendees to the courtyard for a group photo. DGA Hosts Filmmaker Brunch for the 31st Pan African Film and Arts Festival photos by Elisa Haber On January 12, the DDI hosted the conversational lab, How the DDI Mentorship Program Can Benefit You, where interested members had an opportunity to learn more about the process, experience, and impact of the program from the perspective of past participants: Directors Marcus Stokes, Jessica Lowrey, Kim Nguyen and Valerie Weiss during a conversation moderated by Television Diversity Task Force Co-Chair Michael Goi. During the discussion the panelists shared their experiences with the DDI Craft Workshops and offered advice to members thinking about applying to participate in the Mentorship Program. Stokes spoke about the importance of building a solid relationship with and taking the opportunity to learn from your mentor. Weiss referenced the importance of self-driven continuing education by consulting books and articles written by seasoned episodic Directors. Nguyen recalled how incredible the mentors who participate in the program are and added that proteges had the opportunity to network with mentors beyond their own. Lowrey shared how valuable the relationships developed with other Directors who participated in the program continue to be after the program and how helpful it is to have people who understand what you do that you can talk to. DGA Director Development Initiative Hosts Conversational Lab — How the DDI Mentorship Program Can Benefit You The 2023 Slamdance Film Festival — an annual event focused on emerging artists — took place in-person from January 20-26 in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah and virtually from January 23-29. The DGA is a longtime sponsor of the Festival. On the first night the festival held an orientation where DGA DGA Special Assignments Executive Jennifer Peat spoke with the filmmakers and discussed the economic and creative protections and community that DGA membership can provide and relayed that many filmmakers who are now DGA Director-members screened their early work at Slamdance such as Christopher Nolan, Lee Isaac Chung and Anthony and Joe Russo. On January 23, Peat traveled to University of Utah in Salt Lake City to speak again about the advantages of Guild membership with filmmakers attending the first- ever, in-person Slamdance Unstoppable Showcase, which features films made by filmmakers with visible and non-visible disabilities and is programmed exclusively by disabled artists. . Photos: Top: Slamdance filmmakers pose for a photo at the 2023 Orientation. Inset: DGA DGA Special Assignments Executive Jennifer Peat speaks about the advantages of Guild membership. DGA Interacts with Independent Filmmakers at 2023 Slamdance Festival photos by Lauren Desberg courtesy of Slamdance Image: (L-R Top Row) Directors Michael Goi (moderator), Kim Nguyen and Jessica Lowrey. (Second Row) Directors Marcus Stokes and Valerie Weiss. Photos Top: PAFF Filmmakers pose with DGA members at the Guild-sponsored event. Below: AASC Co-Chair Princess Monique, PAFF Executive Director Ayuko Babu and AASC Co-Chair Gina Prince-Bythewood; DGA Director-member/PAFF Co-Founder Danny Glover.

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