DGA 1st ADs celebrated more than a decade of gatherings at Guild headquarters in Los Angeles during the Eleventh Annual 1st AD Invitational Luncheon on October 18. Hosted by the Western AD/UPM Council’s 1st AD Committee, this year’s event featured breakout panel discussions that explored the subjects of Moving Up in Your DGA Career and Second Units.
Following a luncheon/social mixer during which the attendees signed up for the discussion groups that would further explore the topics of the day, 1st AD Committee Co-Chair Mark Hansson (Animal Kingdom) was joined by Western AD/UPM Council Chair Victor Hsu (Transparent) and 1st Vice Chair Cleve Landsberg (Kingdom) in welcoming the attendees. They also introduced DGA Assistant Executive Director Steven Knauss, the executive assigned to work with the Council, and DGA Field Rep Faith Santilla, who serves as an advisor to the 1st AD Committee. Then 1st AD Committee member Kelly Cantley-Kashima (The Last Man on Earth) said a few words on the subject of “The Business of Being an AD,” which was noted as a possible future seminar topic.
After giving an overview of how the day would proceed, Hansson introduced the event’s co-hosts: Director Karen Gaviola (The Gifted); UPMs Richard W. Abramitis (Lucifer) and Dwight Williams (The Mayor); and 1st ADs Maria Battle Campbell (Stranger Things), Kris Krengel (Empire), Eric Jewett (Code Black), Louis Race (Can I Get a Witness Protection?), Linda Rockstroh (Of God and Kings), and Marty Eli Schwartz (House of Cards), each of whom began their careers as an Assistant Director and spoke about their own experiences during the introductions.
The attendees then separated into breakout discussion groups led by the co-hosts, where everyone contributed his/her own knowledge and experience to the explorations of the subjects of the day. Topics included utilizing networking tactics, traveling for Second Units, and acing the interview. Each group had a correspondent responsible for collecting the information that would be reported later when the groups reassembled in the Boardroom. Afterwards, the floor was opened to a broader discussion on what had transpired within their groups.
About the Committee
The AD/UPM Council West 1st AD Committee meets to plan events, exchange information, share ideas and address issues facing 1st AD members. In addition to Committee Co-Chairs: Alan B. Curtiss and Mark Hansson, the 1st AD Committee Members are: Tony Adler, David Bernstein, Nicole Burke, Kelly Cantley-Kashima, Steve Danton, Bruce Franklin, Katterli Frauenfelder, Jim Goldthwait, Warren Gray, Van Hayden, Kevin Koster, Larry Lerner, Linda Montanti, Michele Panelli-Venetis, Korey Pollard, Cynthia Potthast, Louis Race, Scott Robertson, Artist Robinson, Daniel Silverberg, Tracey Smith Baumert, Babu Subramaniam, and Carol Vitkay.