DGA Monthly

2 0 I D G A M O N T H L Y On June 16, the DGA Diversity Department hosted a networking event designed to provide directorial team members of the DGA the opportunity to make connections and establish working relationships for the present and future. Held in the Guild's Los Angeles lobby, the event featured breakout sessions with entertainment professionals who have hiring authority. Following a welcome from DGA Executive in Charge of DEI Breannah Oppenhuizen, the participating First Assistant Directors and Unit Production Managers engaged in brief conversations with a group of visiting production executives that included: Bryan Bravo, Senior Manager, Outreach at Disney • John Michael Currie, Manager, Comedy Development at WB Discovery • David Galindo, Coordinator, Creative Talent Engagement & Development at Netflix • Cherie Harris, Program Manager, Creative Talent Engagement & Development at Netflix • Kaitlyn Herring, Senior Manager, Warner Bros. Discovery Inclusion Pipeline Programs at WB Discovery • Gus Hoffman, Vice President, Comedy Development at WB Discovery • Uzma Kang, Senior Manager, Creative Talent Development & Inclusion at Disney • Tim McNeal, Senior Vice President, Creative Talent Development & Inclusion at Disney • Naurice Minor, Coordinator, Creative Talent Development & Inclusion at Disney • Stephanie Modica, Manager, Drama Development at WB Discovery • Adam Moos, Senior Vice President/Head of Production Operation at Sony • Emma Platek, Production Executive at Amazon MGM Studios • Rosie Quintal, Manager, Creative Talent Engagement & Development at Netflix • Alex Riguero, Senior Production Executive at Amazon MGM Studios. Photos: DGA members and visiting production executives fill the Guild's Los Angeles lobby and engage in the breakout sessions during the Directorial Team Networking Event. See more detailed descriptions, additional photos and video, where available, online at www.dga.org. DGA Events Roundup On June 24, DGA members learned more about how Directors and their teams can work collaboratively on set to ensure voices are heard during the Director Development Initiative's (DDI) online workshop, How to Facilitate Inclusion on Set. In a conversation moderated by Director Phillip Rhys Chaudhary, Directors Olatunde Osunsanmi and Silas Howard, Director/1st AD Nandi Bowe and 1st AD Shawn Pipkin-West shared their experiences working across different shows and offered tips for how to promote a culture of belonging, respect, and collaboration on set so that all members of a production can be able to do their best work. Collectively, the panelists emphasized how important it is for everyone on set to feel that they have a role in promoting inclusion. For example, Bowe expressed how critical it is for those on set to feel safe and accommodated and provided some resources for how members might approach this topic. She recommended that an anonymous survey be sent out to all team members at the beginning of a production to give people the space to note specific accommodations they might need. Howard discussed the value of communication and modeling on set, and provided examples for how, through his work, he has taken an active role in promoting inclusion through advocating for authentic and accurate representation at all levels of production. Osunsanmi and Pipkin-West shared some of their unique experiences working in episodic television and highlighted the role of key collaborators, such as Producing Directors, Showrunners, and Producers, who have helped them speak out about issues and to foster a shared sense of accountability for creating a supportive and inclusive work environment. They noted best practices for how to work effectively with collaborators to engage in difficult conversations and shared resources for addressing challenges that may arise. Image Clockwise: Directors Olatunde Osunsanmi and Silas Howard, Director/1st AD Nandi Bowe, 1st AD Shawn Pipkin-West and Director Phillip Rhys Chaudhary (moderator). How to Facilitate Inclusion on Set A Director Development Initiative Virtual Lab DGA Hosts Directorial Team Networking Event A DGA Diversity Department Event photos by Elisa Haber

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