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AUGUST UPCOMING EVENTS
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Saturday, August 9
6:30 p.m.
DGA Theater 1
To RSVP, please log-in as a
member at www.dga.org/Events
and click on Upcoming Events.
DGA African American Steering Committee presents:
A Tribute to Director Neema Barnette
Please join us for an evening of insightful conversation with Director Neema Barnette,
moderated by Director Julie Dash. The event will include notable industry guest speakers
who have worked with Barnette and have been influenced by her work including: Directors
Dubois Ashong and Ayoka Chenzira; Producers Jean Firstenberg, Sandra Evers-
Manly and Kimberly Ogletree; Actress Loretta Devine; Editor David Beatty;
Production Designer Cecil Gentry; Script Supervisor Dawn Gilliam; and more...
Speakers subject to availability. Additional information regarding guest speakers
may be posted on www.dga.org closer to the date of this event.
Abbie Brewer: 740-707-6284, ABrewer@dga.org
Meghan Brophy: 212-258-0816, MBrophy@dga.org
Bart Daudelin: 212-258-0809, BartD@dga.org
Beth Dubber: 310-289-2077, BDubber@dga.org
Jon Drew: 310-279-7693, JDrew@dga.org
Michael Mintz: 646-256-6264, MMintz@dga.org
Jennifer Peat: 310-289-5305, JPeat@dga.org
Emily Pierceall: 213-321-9791, EPierceall@dga.org
Alexis Soto: 323-382-1058, ASoto@dga.org
Brett Wise: 570-447-4823, BWise@dga.org
DGA CONTACT INFORMATION
OFFICES
DGA National Headquarters
Los Angeles 310-289-2000
New York 212-258-0800
DGA Website www.dga.org
REPORTING HOTLINES
Safety: 310-289-5326
Racial Harassment: 310-289-2006
Sexual Harassment: 310-289-2006
Contract Violations: 310-289-5300
FIELD REPS
For contact information for Guild departments please visit www.dga.org/The-Guild/Departments
Director Neema Barnette
Director, Writer, and Producer Neema Barnette has engaged audiences with an
extensive body of compelling socially and politically charged work, that defies the narrow
stereotypes of African Americans. For over thirty years, she has earned the respect of
peers and critics alike, winning countless accolades. As a young theater Director, at
24 Barnette was accepted into the Women's Directing Workshop at AFI. Soon after
she made history by becoming the first African American woman to direct a sitcom with
an episode of What's Happening Now. She made history again when then Columbia
Studios Chairman Frank Price made her the first African American to receive a three-
picture directing deal from a major studio.
An active DGA member since 1984, Barnette broke into televison directing on the
anthology series NBC Special Treat with the episode "One More Hurdle." She has
directed over 75 hours of television including 10 movies for television as well as the
theatrically released features Civil Brand, Woman Thou Art Loosed on the 7th Day and
Spirit Lost. She was nominated for the 1992 DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial
Achievement in Dramatic Shows – Daytime for her CBS Schoolbreak Special episode
"Different Worlds: A Story of Interracial Love." She also won the 2024 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Directing in a Comedy
Series for an episode of the series Grand Crew.
Beyond directing, Barnette has also lent her talent to directing UCLA undergrads for 15 years, an adjunct professor at USC for seven
years, and is a permanent faculty member at her alma mater, AFI.
