DGA Monthly

J U L Y 2 0 2 4 I 3 1 See more detailed descriptions, additional photos and video, where available, online at www.dga.org. DGA Events Roundup On May 22, the Special Projects Committee hosted their Classic Films Series debut with John Ford's 1940 feature, The Grapes of Wrath. The new series will screen iconic movies, followed by a discussion about the Director's contribution to the world of cinema. Special Projects Classic Film Series Subcommittee Chair Arthur Allan Seidelman welcomed the audience and spoke about the new film series and the impact of Director John Ford, who was known to direct films that told stories about a quintessential American theme, the search for a hero. "A hero standing tall and alone against the uncompromising universe," said Seidelman. "The lone figure walking down the road. Or a silhouette on the horizon, striding forward with courage toward an unforeseen goal. Those were his symbols. Those were his key figures. The delicacy of John Ford's work is no more apparent than in The Grapes of Wrath. Ford focuses our eyes and our hearts on humble souls, revealing the magnificence of their humanity as they struggle to survive. John Ford gave his soul to the motion picture screen and his vision to all of us. Picture the American West or the Dust Bowl and I guarantee you you'll be seeing through the eyes of John Ford. His vision became our vision." Following the screening in the Guild's Los Angeles Theater, Seidelman moderated a discussion where Director John Badham — who was influenced by Ford's work — and actress Constance Towers — who worked with Ford on the films The Horse Soldiers and Sergeant Rutledge — discussed his lasting legacy on cinema. Towers recalled how Ford liked to work and the advice he'd share with other filmmakers. "He was so well prepared. He knew exactly what he was going to shoot and that's what he shot. And I heard him say many times to other Directors, 'Don't get fancy. Let your camera tell the story. And let your actors do the action. And you'll have a perfect picture.'" Badham spoke about Ford's economy of style. "He never shot coverage unless it was absolutely necessary. As you saw in the film, these are long masters, where the camera hardly moves, but there'll be three and four people in a shot with no coverage unless it's something really important like between Tom and Ma, where they're having a very intimate conversation." Badham also discussed Ford's strength of vision. "He had a great sympathy for the characters. In this case [The Grapes of Wrath], he wasn't making a political statement, he was telling a story about characters caught in a situation. And he didn't think of it as political at all. He loved the people and the characters." photos: 1: Special Projects Classic Film Series Subcommittee Chair Arthur Allan Seidelman (moderator), Director John Badham and Actress Constance Towers discuss John Ford's lasting legacy on the world of cinema. 2: Director John Ford (1894-1973). Special Projects Classic Films Series debuts with John Ford's The Grapes of Wrath Director Yance Ford's new documentary, Power, delves into the origins of the dangerous militarization of American police forces and the implications of modern police violence in the United States. Taking us from 18th-century slave patrols to 19th-century strikebreakers, 20th-century Jim Crow to 21st- century police shootings, the film exposes the myth of good policing and asks the question, "Who is more powerful: the people — or the police?" In a conversation moderated by Director Kristi Jacobson, Ford discussed the making of the film and spoke about crafting the interviews. "I would go through all the questions and decide what I would ask and the arc of the interview. The whole thing had to have an architecture or else you have nothing to work with. In a three-hour interview, the first thing I would say to people is, 'You need to imagine that I am your worst student. I'm the kid who's been coming to class all semester not paying attention, I haven't done a single assignment and suddenly I've shown up and I need to know what's going on. That's how I want you to talk to me. Please don't assume that I know what 'settler colonialism' is. Please don't use words that I don't actually know the meaning of. Because you can use it and I think pilgrims, but I actually can't explain colonialism, so I need you to explain it to me.' That was really how we got through these interviews. Everyone really had the same first twenty-five questions and then different questions based on their expertise." Eastern Region Special Projects Documentary Series Screens Yance Ford's Power photo by Marcie Revens photo by Quintin Lundy 1 2 Photo: Directors Yance Ford (right) and Kristi Jacobson (moderator) discuss the making of Power, following the Eastern Special Projects Committee's Documentary Series screening in New York on May 16.

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