On April 11, new and veteran Associate Directors, Stage Managers and Production Associates received valuable information about the workings of their Guild during a Navigating the DGA orientation. Hosted by the Eastern AD/SM/PA Council, members gathered in the boardroom of the Guild’s New York offices to hear instructive and educational discussions about a variety of issues that affect these categories, delivered by Council members and DGA staff.
The orientation began with a welcome from AD/SM/PA Council East Chair Joyce Thomas, who prompted both the speakers and the attendees to introduce themselves. Thomas then spoke about the importance of attending the monthly Council meetings and laid out the plan for the evenings proceedings.
The first report of the night came from DGA Assistant Executive Director Michael Berger, who spoke about the operations, organization and procedures of the Guild. Berger also introduced the attending staff members such as DGA Field Rep Joseph Longo and DGA Contracts Coordinator Nicholas Grealy and explained how the Field Reps work in concert with the DGA’s Contracts Department to protect the membership.
Council Member and DGA Associate National Board Member Dennis W. Mazzocco’s report was a brief tutorial on the governance of the Guild, its Constitution and National Board, the other Councils and Committees and the DGA Staff. Going into more detail, Mazzocco explained how any member may bring an item to attention of the Council.
Council Second Vice Chair Patty Smith and Council members Kelly Hernacki and Bruce Martin covered DGA member responsibilities such as why members must work only for signatory companies, the importance of reporting their earnings and what to do when starting a new job. They also detailed member privileges such as how the Guild protects their economic, legal, and creative rights; the DGA publications, screenings and special events; and many of the other perks that come with a DGA membership.
Veteran Council Member and DGA National Assistant Secretary/Treasurer Scott Berger’s report presented information on the DGA-Producer Pension and Health Plans and explained how the Plans function and how members can employ these benefits.
AD/SM/PA Council East Secretary-Treasurer Terry Benson covered the history and accomplishments of the DGA PAC and stressed the importance of supporting the PAC in its ongoing mission to fight for the rights of DGA membership through legislative efforts.
In the final report, DGA Administrative Assistant Allison Diamond gave a live demonstration of the many services available online via the DGA website and showed how members can report work and pay dues online, see what’s going on at the Guild via the events section, and make use of the many forms and deal memos available in the contracts and employers sections.
The orientation ended with a Q&A session, moderated by Thomas, where the attending orientation participants could have their questions addressed by the Council members and DGA staff.
About the Council:
The Eastern AD/SM/PA Council is the elected body that represents the Guild members who reside in the Eastern region and work in television as Associate Directors, Stage Managers or Production Associates.