DGA Monthly

M A Y 2 0 2 5 I 2 7 On March 11, the Asian American Committee's meeting discussion, From Script to Directors Vision to Action Team: Creating the Best Possible Collaboration, featured Directors/2nd Unit Directors/Stunt Coordinators J.J. Perry and Garrett Warren, Stunt Coordinator/2nd Unit Director Monique Ganderton, and Actor/ Stunt Coordinator Roger Yuan. In a conversation moderated by Director Ron Yuan, the panelists discussed best practices for planning and executing high-impact, safe, and cinematic stunts including subjects such as ensuring that a Director can execute stunts in a safe and protective manner and the importance of Directors knowing their non-negotiables so that they can pivot if time or budget constraints necessitate cutting a stunt. (L-R) Director J.J. Perry, Stunt Coordinator Roger Yuan and Director Garrett Warren (Inset) 2nd Unit Director Monique Ganderton and Director Ron Yuan (moderator). From Script to Directors Vision to Action Team An Asian American Committee Discussion On March 19, the LGBTQ+ Committee's meeting featured the panel discussion, Directing Your First Feature: Resilience Required. In a conversation moderated by Director A.V. Rockwell, Director Rachel Morrison discussed the process of making her directorial debut feature film, The Fire Inside. Morrison revealed that after her work as an award-winning cinematographer, she was unsure what project to take on as a first-time feature Director. Then Barry Jenkins and Elishia Holmes came to her with the story of Claressa Shields, a high school junior from Flint, Michigan who became the first American woman to win Olympic boxing gold. After two days of shooting, the project was shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic with uncertainty if the film would ever be completed. However, Morrison refused to let the project die, and despite all odds and obstacles, came back two years later to finish the film. (L-R) Directors Rachel Morrison and A.V. Rockwell (moderator). Directing Your First Feature: Resilience Required An LGBTQ+ Committee Meeting Discussion "We all need that voice in our ear," was the final assessment of Associate Directors Katie Miller McGuire and Clara Yang during the Focus on Women Committee (FOWC) conversation, Real Time - The Most Important Voice in My Ear. The March 26 online discussion, moderated by FOWC Alternate Co- Chair Glenna Meeks, covered topics including the importance of having strong communication (the voice in the ear) in today's control rooms. Yang broke down how Associate Directors relate to the Director and described herself as "the voice in everyone's ear" relaying the information the other Associate Directors give her to the Director within seconds. Miller McGuire elaborated on the process sharing information from different locations and explained the involvement from other DGA members in the control room and stated that the "voice in the ear" is a drumbeat during this chaotic process. (L-R) Associate Directors Katie Miller McGuire and Clara Yang and FOWC Alternate Co-Chair Glenna Meeks (moderator). Real Time - The Most Important Voice in My Ear A Focus on Women Committee Discussion The March 26 Latino Committee meeting featured the discussion, The Direction of Storytelling: A Conversation with Acapulco Director, Co-Creator, and Executive Producer Austin Winsberg. In a conversation moderated by LC Co-Chair Eli Gonda, Winsberg recounted his journey from screenwriter to series creator, executive producer and Director. He noted how after, Lionsgate approached him with the original iteration of Acapulco, he then brought on Eduardo Cisneros and Jason Shuman to co- create the series with a dedication to Latinx representation. Winsberg observed that the heart of the show is the authenticity found through hiring staff who represent the culture and avoiding harmful stereotypes historically pushed by American entertainment. (L-R) LC Alternate Co-Chair Alejandro Brugués, Director Austin Winsberg and LC Co-Chair Eli Gonda (moderator). A Conversation with Director Austin Winsberg A Latino Committee Discussion Committee Events Roundup See more detailed descriptions, additional photos and video, where available, online at www.dga.org.

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