Starting a new magazine is not unlike making a movie. It begins with the spark of an idea that evolves into a vision. Then it goes through months of development before finally making it into production and becoming a reality. In this case, it was Michael Apted and the Publications Committee who had the vision for a magazine that would talk straight to members about the process, the problems and the joys of filmmaking from the perspective of directors and their teams.

That’s where I came in. The good news was that I had a broad canvas to work from: feature films, television, documentaries, commercials–all of these will be part of the mix. We are as concerned with exploring topical issues as creative ones. For our first issue, we have an eye-opening story by James Ulmer about the piracy trail left by the film Ray. These days everyone talks about piracy; this brings the problem home in a real and tangible way.

While tackling current events, we will not lose sight of our rich history. “Wrangling With Waterfront,” an excerpt from member Richard Schickel’s excellent new biography of Elia Kazan, offers insight into the director’s creative process and how one of the greatest of all American movies almost didn’t get made. Some directors, like the remarkable Robert Altman, manage to be historical and contemporary at the same time. In the DGA Interview, a centerpiece feature of the Quarterly, writer Peter Rainier engages Altman, still going strong at 80. The fine work of directors in made-for-television movies also has a long history, which the Guild is preparing to celebrate in 2006. Jennifer Pendelton’s story traces the 40-year development and craft of this often under-appreciated genre. And speaking of under-appreciated, as you know, some of the hardest work on a movie set is done by 1st ADs, especially on the summer tentpole movies. Jack Egan visits with some of the best ADs in the business to find out what you do when your set starts melting or your main character disappears (literally).

Since directing relies so much on images, we want to reflect that in these pages. So in addition to first-rate writing, expect to see sensational pictures in our photo essay, which kicks off in style with a look at the great Stanley Kubrick at work.

Most of all, we hope that beginning with this first issue, the Quarterly will provide a forum for the exchange of ideas. I know we will not shy away from controversy (see Kenneth Turan’s Critic’s Corner or Wayne Kramer’s In My Opinion). We encourage you to share your thoughts, and go ahead, talk back to the magazine (we can take it).

Finally, I would like to take a moment to praise our team. The reason the magazine looks so darn good is because of the keen eye and cool temperament of our art director, Nancy Duckworth. If the stories speak to your professional interests, a lot of the credit goes to Director of Communications Morgan Rumpf for shepherding the project with his customary energy and intelligence. And, of course, we wouldn’t be having this debut without the guidance and support of National Executive Director Jay Roth and President Michael Apted.

So, without further adieu, let’s roll it….

Best, 

James Greenberg
Editor in Chief