On April 2, the DGA’s San Francisco Coordinating Committee (SFCC) welcomed members from all categories to the 2016 edition of their Annual General Membership Meeting and Reception. Bay Area Guild members assembled at San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel, where SFCC Chair John Morse welcomed the attendees and introduced the event’s special guest, DGA AD/UPM Council West Chair Marie Cantin, who was there to deliver a briefing on the state of the Guild.
Cantin spoke about a number of subjects including: how the new California Production Incentive is helping to bolster the number of local productions, plans for the upcoming DGA contract negotiations, how the Guild has stepped up the enforcement of the existing agreements by increasing the size of both the Contracts Department and the number of Field Representatives, and the services available on the DGA website such as video and podcasts of events.
On the heels of Cantin’s briefing, DGA Field Representative Gabe Kahsay gave a report from the national office. Then Morse followed with the SFCC’s Secretary Report, Treasurer's Report, and Screening Report. Other reports included a list detailing the productions occurring in the Bay Area given by Production Info and News Sub-Committee Chair Frank Simeone and a look at possible upcoming educational events delivered by Education/Mentoring Sub-Committee Chair Jani Vournas. DGA Associate Western Executive Director Lisa Layer was also on hand to answer questions and meet with the local members.
The official business concluded with the nomination of candidates for the SFCC Executive Committee.
About the Committee:
The San Francisco Coordinating Committeem (SFCC) was formed in 1978 to coordinate Guild activities in the Bay Area. The Committee hosts a number of educational presentations and networking events during the year, in order to fulfill its objectives of facilitating the exchange of ideas, maintaining contacts with other guilds and unions, and furthering professional opportunities for all Northern California DGA members. The current SFCC Officers are: John Morse, Chair; Kathleen Courtney, Vice Chair; Michael Jones, Secretary; and Jerremy Stewart, Treasurer.