On September 16, First Assistant Directors from the Eastern region joined members of the AD/UPM Council East’s 1st AD Committee for their inaugural brunch and discussion, Held in the seventh floor boardroom of the Guild’s New York offices the event, The 1st AD/Director Relationship, presented members of this category information on how to foster the best relationship with directors on features, episodic, and commercials via an in-depth panel discussion with an exclusive group of directors.
Following a welcome from 1st AD Committee Co-Chair Louis Guerra (Blue Bloods), Directors Laura Belsey (Arrow, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders), Ed Bianchi (Get Shorty, Boardwalk Empire), Michael Cuesta (American Assassin, Billions) and Constantine Makris (Orange Is the New Black, Law & Order) engaged in a discussion moderated by 1st AD Committee member Michael Steele (The Americans, Mr. Robot). The discussion covered subject including what the directors look for in their 1st AD on the set, how they want background performers directed, and how 1st ADs can effectively liaison between the director, the producers, the cast and the crew.
Following the moderated part of the discussion, the floor was opened to questions from the attendees.
ABOUT THE PANELSTS:
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 Director Laura Belsey
Belsey has directed the documentary Katrina's Children; episodes of Arrow, Blindspot, Bull, Chicago Med, Criminal Minds, NCIS New Orleans, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, Stitchers, Unforgettable and Law & Order SVU; and hundreds of commercials. A DGA member since 1993, Belsey was recently elected the Sixth Vice President of the Guild and also serves as a member of the Eastern Directors Council.
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 Director Ed Bianchi
A DGA member since 1973, Bianchi began his directorial career helming commercials and won the 1985 DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials for his spots Forward Pass (Diet Pepsi), Gauntlet (National Institute of Drug Abuse), Jump (Bounce) and Young Lawyers (American Express). His other credits include the features The Fan, Off and Running and The Two Mr. Kissels; and episodes of The Wire, Deadwood, Boardwalk Empire, The Killing, and The Get Down. Bianchi served as a DGA Eastern Directors Council Member from 2002-2004 and is currently an alternate of the Council.
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 Director Michael Cuesta
Cuesta’s filmography includes the feature films American Assassin, Kill the Messenger, Roadie, Tell Tale, 12 and Holding and L.I.E.; the movies for television Babylon Fields and Second Sight; the pilots for the series Elementary, Blue Bloods and The Oaks; and episodes of the series Billions, True Blood, Dexter and Six Feet Under. Cuesta was nominated for an Emmy Award and the 2011 DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series for his pilot episode of the series Homeland and nominated again for the DGA Award for his 2012 episode of Homeland, “The Choice.” He has been a DGA member since 1992.
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 Director Constantine Makris
Makris started his career as an award-winning cinematographer on shows like Law & Order before making his move to the director’s chair on that series and subsequently directing over 200 episodes of television. Some of his other directorial credits include episodes of the Law & Order spin-offs Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; as well as multiple episodes of Rescue Me, Warehouse 13, Royal Pains, Mistresses, Code Black, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders and Orange Is the New Black. A DGA member since 1993, Makris also served as an Eastern Directors Council Alternate from 2001-2004.
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 1st AD Michael Steele (moderator)
Steele began his career as 2nd AD a on John Carpenter’s classic The Thing and has mentored a multitude of Assistant Directors. Since joining the DGA in 1987, he has amassed three decades of credits as a 1st AD on projects including the features St. Vincent, 21 Grams, Zoolander, Flawless, The First Wives Club, Money Train, Prelude to a Kiss, Sleeping with the Enemy, Sea of Love and Roxanne; episodes of the series Elementary, The Americans, Treme, Mr. Robot, Brotherhood and Running Wilde; episodes of the mini-series The Night Of and Flesh and Bone; and the movie for television The Wizard of Lies.
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ABOUT THE COUNCIL AND COMMITTEE:
The AD/UPM Council East is the elected body that represents the nearly 1,700 Assistant Director and Unit Production Manager members of the Guild who reside and/or work in film, television, commercials and new media the East and Midwest regions. The Council’s First Assistant Director Committee is co-chaired by Louis Guerra, Karen Kane and Joseph Reidy. The Committee members are Tim Bird, Neil Daly, Charlie Foster, Jude Gorjanc, Mike Hausman, Shelly Keiser, John Lowe, Amy Lynn, Colin MacLellan, Patrick Mangan, Mark McGann, Howard McMaster, Jono Oliver, Rich Patrick, Tony Phillippe, Michelle Regina, Michael Steele, Rebecca Strickland, Chris Surgent, Chris Swartout and Shelly Ziegler.