Janine Lorente has joined the Directors Guild's professional staff as Executive In Charge of International Affairs.

Janine Lorente

Lorente will be based in the DGA's National Headquarters in Los Angeles and assumed the newly created position effective July 1.

"We are pleased that Janine Lorente will be bringing her unique expertise to the DGA's senior management team at a time when film and television production is increasingly becoming a global enterprise," commented National Executive Director Jay D. Roth. "She is a highly respected international expert on statutory rights for authors and film agreements, and her skills will strengthen the Guild's ability to protect the economic and creative interests of DGA members wherever they are working around the world."

Previously, Lorente was based in Paris as Director of the International Affairs and International Contracts Departments for SACD, the French Society of Authors and Dramatic Composers, positions she has held since 1997. She served as head of SACD's International Contracts Department from 1992 to 1997. Prior to that, she served as assistant to the SACD Executive Director and as a negotiator of film and television agreements for SACD.

As Director of the International Affairs and International Contracts Departments for SACD (which serves as the collecting society for French writers and directors), Lorente developed strategies that increased that organization's income from foreign sources by more than 50%. In addition to working with writers' and directors' organizations worldwide, she also dealt with representatives of parliaments and ministries in order to change existing laws. 

Gina Blumenfeld

DGA Names Gina Blumenfeld new Special Projects Executive

DGA National Executive Director Jay D. Roth recently announced the appointment of industry development and production veteran Gina Blumenfeld as DGA Special Projects Executive. As administrator of the Guild's Special Projects Department, Blumenfeld will oversee a wide range of educational and cultural activities for DGA members.

"Gina Blumenfeld will bring a fresh sense of vigor and professional insight to the important work of the DGA's Special Projects Committee," commented Roth. "She is widely respected within the industry for her skills in feature film and television development and production, and we are confident that those same talents will make her a valuable member of the DGA management team."

For the past two years, Blumenfeld has served as Vice President, Development & Production for Forward Pass, Inc., the production company headed by Michael Mann.  Previously, she served as Vice President, Development & Creative Affairs for Taylor Hackford.

In both positions, Blumenfeld had wide-ranging creative and administrative responsibilities, including the management of story acquisition and script development. She also supervised all activities related to literary properties and managed communications with writers, agents, producers and lawyers.

"Gina Blumenfeld has the kind of hands-on industry experience that will enable her to do an excellent job of planning and implementing the Guild's Special Projects agenda," said Robert Wise, Chairman of the DGA's Special Projects Committee.