DGA Monthly

J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 6 I 7 1 Facebook: www.facebook.com/directorsguildofamericadga Instagram: www.instagram.com/directorsguild YouTube: www.youtube.com/@directorsguildofamericaDGA Membership Screenings Q&As listed in alphabetical order by Director. See more detailed descriptions, additional photos & podcasts online at www.dga.org. DGA Screenings Q&As The life and legacy of artist and activist Carl Bean who survived the oppression of racism and homophobia, and found his voice through song as a gospel singer in the New York gospel scene is explored in Directors Daniel Junge & Sam Pollard's documentary, I Was Born This Way. Following the DGA Special Projects Committee's Documentary Series screening in Los Angeles, Junge & Pollard spoke about the making of the fi lm during a conversation moderated by Director Jade Jenise Dixon and discussed how their previous co- directing experience informed their collaboration. Pollard shared, "I learned over the years as a fi lmmaker that what we do is a collaborative process on all levels, and it's also about give and take. It can't all be about Sam Pollard. It's got to be about Daniel Junge." Junge noted how he continued to be a good directing partner even when Pollard wasn't in the editing room with him and said to Pollard, "I always know, with you, if every frame isn't earning its worth on the screen, you've got to be brutal and cut it. So, I always had you in the back of my mind and that's why a lot of times he wouldn't see a cut until I had been brutally effi cient with it." Documentary Series Screens Daniel Junge & Sam Pollard's I Was Born This Way photo by Quintin Lundy Photo: Directors Jade Jenise Dixon (moderator) Sam Pollard & Daniel Junge discuss the making of Junge & Pollard's new documentary, I Was Born This Way. A devastating family tragedy leads to the creation of a literary masterpiece in Director Chloé Zhao's biographical period-drama, Hamnet. Based on the bestselling novel by Maggie O'Farrell, Zhao's fi lm tells the story of the relationship between William Shakespeare and his wife Agnes, who celebrate the birth of their son Hamnet, only to lose him at a young age. The ensuing heartbreak inspires Shakespeare to write his timeless play about a prince of Denmark. Zhao discussed the making of the fi lm during Q&As moderated by Directors Derek Cianfrance in New York and Barry Jenkins in Los Angeles where she revealed her methodology for keeping her actors in a creative mode. "I fi nd that whenever we cut, I lose tension and it's usually supplemented by revealing something else very surprising or in juxtaposition. That's the beauty of editing. But in this case, in this fi lm, pretty much in every scene we know what's going to happen. But what I was excited about is how can I contain the energy of two polarizing forces going at each other within a frame and let it build so that you feel when that explosion happens, it's like a blast towards the camera." Chloé Zhao discusses Hamnet photo by Shane Karns photo by Marcie Revens Photos: Director Chloé Zhao with moderators Barry Jenkins in Los Angeles on November 9 and Derek Cianfrance in New York on November 22. We are looking for a few good stills from your on set experiences for the DGA Monthly and our social media platforms. If you have photos of you and your fellow members at work on a current or classic project, please send them, along with details about the images to: Press@dga.org. And see photos from the making of Frank Darabont's classic The Shawshank Redemption on page 42. And remember to stay connected with the DGA by following us across social media to learn about events and Guild activities. Join the conversation by following our channels today! Follow Us On Social Media and Send Us Your On Set Photos

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