Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1497702
2 0 I D G A M O N T H L Y Membership Screenings Q&As listed in alphabetical order by Director. See more detailed descriptions & additional photos online at www.dga.org. DGA Screenings Q&As Director Zach Braff's drama, A Good Person, tells the story of Allison, whose life falls apart following her involvement in a fatal accident. She is brought together with Daniel, a grief-stricken father who is also dealing with the aftermath of that incident. On March 26, after the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles, Braff discussed the making of the film during a Q&A moderated by Director Zoe Lister-Jones, and revealed that it was inspired by multiple personal losses of his own and his desire to add comic relief to the story. "I wanted to make the movie I wanted to see. I knew it was going to break my heart but also make me laugh, so that's what I set out to do. It all came from real life experiences." Braff also spoke about working with his directorial team — UPM James Price, 1st AD Neil Daly and 2nd AD Nicolas Weigand-Suminski — on the logistics of the scene where actress Florence Pugh cuts her own hair. "I went to my brilliant ADs and my line producer and we all huddled. They were all like, 'Are you out of your mind?!' This was in the fall of 2021, really in the thick of COVID-19, so we didn't have any wiggle room. But we figured out some tricks that didn't involve wigs and we made it work. That is really her chopping her own hair off." Photo: Director Zach Braff (right) discusses the making of A Good Person with Director Zoe Lister-Jones (moderator). Zach Braff discusses A Good Person photo by Shane Karns Director Kyra Sedgwick's comedic romance, Space Oddity, tells the story of Alex, a young man who bewilders his family after he gives up on life on Earth and begins training for a one-way trip to Mars. But an unexpected romance may force him to choose between an uncertain journey to the stars or an even more uncertain journey of the heart. On April 8, after the DGA membership screening in New York, Sedgwick discussed the making of the film during a Q&A moderated by Director Bennett Miller. During the conversation, Sedgwick spoke about overcoming challenges that arose on the set while making the film. "Every time we had to pivot, I could see that great things came out of it. So I was like, 'Pivoting's not so bad.' It doesn't feel good in the moment, it feels really scary. But if you trust that something good might actually come out of it, just embrace the 'I don't know.' You spend so much time planning as a Director but the truth is if you really live in a world, as I do, of 'I don't know,' in some ways it's kind of great because you don't know what's good for you." Photo: Director Kyra Sedgwick (right) discusses the making of Space Oddity with Director Bennett Miller (moderator). Kyra Sedgwick discusses Space Oddity photo by Marcie Revens A young woman navigates life with her unusual family in Director Matt Smukler's comedic-drama, Wildflower. Based on a true story about his extended family that inspired a documentary of the same name, Smukler's feature version centers on Bea, the daughter of two intellectually disabled parents and a set of relatives that can't quite agree on the best way to help. On March 18, after the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles, Smukler discussed the making of Wildflower during a Q&A moderated by Director Will Speck and spoke about how the project transitioned from a documentary to a narrative feature after filming consistently for six years. "This was meant to be a companion piece for my niece to help her to get into college, but through a comedic lens it became more accessible in regard to sharing this with a bigger audience." He also spoke about the challenges of making the shift in format. "It was a real balancing act – whether it was my family or not – it really was a celebration of love and family for me. This family that loves to live and laugh. So, I wanted to do the best to bring that out for everyone to see. It was a real inspiration." Photo: Director Matt Smukler discusses the making of Wildflower with Director Will Speck (moderator). Matt Smukler discusses Wildflower photo by Elisa Haber