Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/438809
47 SAG -AF TR A | Special Issue 2015 | SAGAFTRA.org P U T T I N G I T T O G E T H E R "Every one of these artists and executives are of the highest caliber talent in their respective areas of expertise. Working so closely, we have developed a shorthand to find new avenues to make the SAG Awards bigger and better every year," said Connell, who has served as producer of the SAG Awards since its inception. "This team of people has become a second family to me." Connell works hand-in- hand with the SAG-AFTRA Awards Committee, including Chair JoBeth Williams, Vice Chair Daryl Anderson, and members Scott Bakula, Shelley Fabares and Woody Schultz. As Connell describes them, "each of these talented working actors oversees all aspects of the show." The talented and creative industry professionals that get the show up and running share Connell's sense of family. For weeks leading up to the show, they spend more hours together than apart, making sure that on Jan. 25, 2015, the lights will go on, the cameras will be set, and the presenters will know their lines. Such close proximity and pressure might be too much for a normal work environment, but at the SAG Awards, the familial atmosphere helps keep everyone grounded in a star- studded profession. Producer Gloria Fujita O'Brien humbly adds, "I'm always saying thank you for inviting me back." Returning for her 17th show, Fujita O'Brien serves as the behind-the-scenes fixer, having a hand in everything from timing show segments, to instructing presenters MICHAEL BUCKNER/WIREIMAGE Carefully arranged place settings await guests and nominees