On February 9, 2013, the AD/UPM Council West’s Mentor Committee celebrated the ADs and UPMs of the award-winning and nominated projects that were honored during the 65th Annual DGA Awards. For the tenth time, this popular event played to a packed audience who gathered in the DGA’s Los Angeles Boardroom to learn what went into the making of these celebrated projects.
The subtitle for this year’s event was Overcoming Production Challenges Using New Technologies, and took a look at how these talented members used innovative methods to achieve their goals. The participating panelists were: 1st AD Ken Collins from Michael Cuesta’s DGA Award-nominated episode of the dramatic series Homeland, “The Choice”; UPM Kelly-Anne Lee from Mark Cendrowski’s DGA Award-nominated episode of the comedy series The Big Bang Theory, “The Date Night Variable”; UPM Michael Malone from Ang Lee’s DGA Award-nominated feature Life of Pi; 1st AD Adam Somner from Steven Spielberg’s DGA Award-nominated feature Lincoln and Lance Acord’s DGA Award-nominated Nike commercials “Jogger” and “Greatness”; 1st AD David Ticotin from Kathryn Bigelow’s DGA Award-nominated feature Zero Dark Thirty; 1st AD Mike Topoozian from Phil Kaufman’s DGA Award-nominated movie for television Hemingway & Gellhorn; UPM Mary Kane from Jay Roach’s DGA Award-winning movie for television Game Change; and UPM Sally Young from Bryan Cranston’s DGA Award-nominated episode of the comedy series Modern Family, “Election Day.” Also participating via Skype from New York and Germany respectively were UPM Ilene S. Landress from Lena Dunham’s DGA Award-winning comedy series pilot episode of Girls and 1st AD David Webb from Ben Affleck’s DGA Award-winning feature Argo.
Following welcoming messages from Mentor Committee Chair Randy Turrow and Co-Chair Peter E. Jackson, the panelists discussed their strategies and techniques for achieving the best in film and television in a conversation moderated by 2013 Frank Capra Award recipient and AD/UPM Council West Vice Chair Susan Zwerman.
After the discussion, members were able to mingle with and ask their own questions of the panelists.