DGA Monthly

See more detailed descriptions, additional photos and video, where available, online at www.dga.org. See more detailed descriptions, additional photos and video, where available, online at www.dga.org. See more detailed descriptions, additional photos and video, where available, online at www.dga.org. DGA Events Roundup Location Scouting is a foundational part of the production process in which Directors collaborate in choosing locations that aid in their visual storytelling and best fit the needs of the scenes. On September 26, more than 100 DGA members learned how Directors approach location scouting in episodic television during the Director Development Initiative (DDI) online workshop, Location Scouting: A Breakdown of the Process for Choosing Locations. Director Tazbah Rose Chavez (Reservation Dogs) moderated a conversation with Directors Andrew Fleming (Emily in Paris), Lucy Liu (New Amsterdam) and Joe Menendez (Star Trek: Picard) where they explored the important factors one should account for throughout the process, shared their experiences and tips for collaboration, and discussed how to balance the realities of production logistics, such as cost, budget, and time, with achieving their creative vision. Liu noted that Directors should "be open, flexible, and more fluid" when scouting locations and expressed her belief that a location is not just about choosing a place that "serves the visual aspect but it is also about the sensory experience." Fleming, Liu, and Menendez each discussed how a location should serve the story and gave tips for how to choose locations that work for the entire scene, are realistic and are considerate of the needs of production cast and crew. Fleming also noted how taking numerous pictures of locations can help Directors assess whether a location will suit their needs. Together, they shared ways that Directors can work together with key collaborators on set, such as the Location Scout, Location Manager, 1st Assistant Director, Director of Photography, Production Designer, and Line Producer, with Menendez and Fleming highlighting how it is the Director's job to be able to articulate the visual images in their head and to be able to translate this to choosing a good location—"making the abstract real." Image: Clockwise: Directors Andrew Fleming, Lucy Liu, Joe Menendez and Tazbah Rose Chavez (moderator). Location Scouting: A Breakdown of the Process for Choosing Locations A Director Development Initiative Conversational Lab Since 1992, the Directors Guild of America has hosted annual symposiums featuring its nominees for outstanding theatrical feature fi lm directing. In Directors Close Up, fi lm and television director Jeremy Kagan compiled the most insightful and entertaining responses from sessions conducted between 1992 and 2005, and then again in Directors Close Up 2 for those conducted between 2006 and 2012. In this all new sequel, Directors Close Up 3, Kagan shines his spotlight on nominees from the 2013–2020 seminars as directors discuss their work on some of the most brilliant fi lms in the last several years. From script development through pre-production to production and post- production, the directors offer personal insights into every step of the creative process and reveal their candid takes on the best and worst aspects of their profession. Featuring materials from their productions — including storyboards, script notes, sketches and on-set photos — Directors Close Up 3 will be of interest to both professional and aspiring directors, as well as fi lm fans who will enjoy this inside look into making movies. DIRECTORS CLOSE UP 3 Interviews with Directors nominated for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film by the Directors Guild of America Moderated and edited by Jeremy Kagan Available for purchase at the DGA Store on www.dga.org Ben Affl eck · Wes Anderson · Kathryn Bigelow · Damien Chazelle · Bradley Cooper · Alfonso Cuarón · Garth Davis · Guillermo del Toro · Clint Eastwood · Peter Farrelly · Greta Gerwig · Paul Greengrass · Bong Joon Ho · Tom Hooper · Alejandro G. Iñárritu · Barry Jenkins · Ang Lee · Spike Lee · Richard Linklater · Kenneth Lonergan · Tom McCarthy · Martin McDonagh · Adam McKay · Steve McQueen · Sam Mendes · George Miller · Christopher Nolan · Jordan Peele · David O. Russell · Ridley Scott · Martin Scorsese · Steven Spielberg · Quentin Tarantino · Denis Villeneuve · Taika Waititi

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