DGA Monthly

On December 7, DGA members gathered online to hear about the strategic intricacies of modern election and campaign coverage during the Eastern AD/SM/PA Council and the Eastern Region Special Projects Committee joint event, The Road to 270: Behind the Scenes on Election Night and Related Coverage with Directors and Their Teams. During a conversation moderated by Director Lily Olszewski (Presidential Debate & ABC Election Night Coverage), Directors Sarah Carlson Brooke (Republican National Convention Pool Feed) and Glenn Weiss (Democratic National Convention & Election Night Live with Brian Williams), Associate Directors Dawn DiCicco (Republican National Convention Pool Feed) and Liz Sobel (Presidential Debate), and Stage Manager Anne Marie Kuehling (Presidential Debate) shared their unique perspectives about their experiences from behind the scenes at these events and valuable insights of how DGA members helped shape the fi rst draft of history during the evolving saga of a presidential election like no other. Olszewski discussed the overall drama and intrigue of the last election cycle, and the Director and Directorial team's role as storyteller writing the fi rst draft of history. She described the experience of negotiating the presidential debates with each candidate's team to make choices and compromises that both could agree to, and how everything, such as the podium height and angle, had to be perfectly even for each candidate. She and Sobel both discussed the experience of spending weeks preparing for a Republican presidential primary debate in New Hampshire that was then cancelled. Weiss revealed how the Democratic National Convention job resembled his work directing variety specials and awards shows, and also described his experience working on the fi rst election night coverage for a streaming service, Amazon's Election Night Live with Brian Williams. Brooke explained the process of how the networks pooled their resources and chose to send one team to cover the Republican National Convention and revealed how they have a committee that makes certain creative and journalistic decisions on all their behalf's. And DiCicco talked about the weeks she and Brooke spent in Milwaukee preparing for and covering the event, and the surreal experience of learning about the assassination attempt while on set prepping for the Convention. Kuehling described how as a Stage Manager for election events, she needs to do her job in the least disruptive way possible in order not to seem partisan. She noted that the candidates are 'in the zone' so she gives stage directions that are very specifi c and concise and doesn't converse any further. Image: (Clockwise) Directors Lily Olszewski (moderator), Sarah Carlson Brooke & Glenn Weiss, Associate Directors Dawn DiCicco & Liz Sobel & Stage Manager Anne Marie Kuehling. The Road to 270: Behind the Scenes on Election Night & Related Coverage with Directors & Their Teams An Eastern AD/SM/PA Council and the Eastern Region Special Projects Committee Event 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 The myPHP online benefits portal puts everything you need for managing your pension and health benefits at your fingertips. Visit www.dgaplans.org/myPHP to create your account today. Manage your DGA pension and health benefits online Register at: www.dgaplans.org/myPHP To register for myPHP, have your Plan ID number ready, and go to www.dgaplans.org/myPHP. Click Register to begin the registra on process. For registra on support, call (323) 866-2200, Ext. 409, or email myphp-support@dgaplans.org. A myPHP online benefits portal account lets you: • Check your es mated pension benefits • Check your Health Plan eligibility status • Verify your pension and health contribu ons • Get Plans' mail delivered electronically • Upload documents directly to the Plans Office with the online benefits portal Register at: www.dgaplans.org/myPHP To register for myPHP, have your Plan ID number ready, and go to www.dgaplans.org/myPHP. Click Register to begin the registra on process. For registra on support, call (323) 866-2200, Ext. 409, or email myphp-support@dgaplans.org. A myPHP online benefits portal account lets you: • Check your es mated pension benefits • Check your Health Plan eligibility status • Verify your pension and health contribu ons • Get Plans' mail delivered electronically • Upload documents directly to the Plans Office Register at: www.dgaplans.org/myPHP To register for myPHP, have your Plan ID number ready, and go to www.dgaplans.org/myPHP. Click Register to begin the registra on process. For registra on support, call (323) 866-2200, Ext. 409, or email myphp-support@dgaplans.org. A myPHP online benefits portal account lets you: • Check your es mated pension benefits • Check your Health Plan eligibility status • Verify your pension and health contribu ons • Get Plans' mail delivered electronically • Upload documents directly to the Plans Office Register at: www.dgaplans.org/myPHP To register for myPHP, have your Plan ID number ready, and go to www.dgaplans.org/myPHP. Click Register to begin the registra on process. For registra on support, call (323) 866-2200, Ext. 409, or email myphp-support@dgaplans.org. A myPHP online benefits portal account lets you: • Check your es mated pension benefits • Check your Health Plan eligibility status • Verify your pension and health contribu ons • Get Plans' mail delivered electronically • Upload documents directly to the Plans Office

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