On May 30, nearly three dozen East Coast-based independent filmmakers gathered for drinks and hors d'oeuvres at the Guild’s New York Office when the Independent Directors Committee East (IDC, East) hosted a mixer event. The informal evening gathering was designed for these directors to strengthen ties, establish new ones and discuss amongst peers their experiences and the challenges of working in the arena.
The attendees were welcomed by IDC, East Co-Chairs Dan Algrant and Mary Harron, who reiterated the reasons the Guild exists and how this community is more powerful – creatively and economically – when it works together. They also spoke about how the Committee is looking for ways to engage this community and encouraged the attendees to contribute ideas about how it can accomplish that goal and invited them to get involved.
Following the welcome, Algrant and Harron introduced the other IDC, East members in attendance and encouraged conversations with them all. The mixer was also attended by DGA Assistant Executive Director Mary Hatch and Field Representative Jennifer Peat, who serve as staff liaisons to the IDC, East.
About Committee
The Independent Directors Committees seek to help the Guild develop policies, programs and activities that better serve the needs of DGA Members who work in the independent and low budget film arenas, reach out to independent film directors who are not yet members of the Guild to raise their awareness of the benefits of DGA membership, and educate independent film producers about the DGA’s low budget agreements and encourage them to make use of those agreements. The IDC was established in 1998 in Los Angeles. The IDC, East was created in 2002 in New York. In addition to IDC, East Co-Chairs Dan Algrant and Mary Harron, the members are: Darren Aronofsky, Anna Boden, Neil Burger, Raymond DeFelitta, Griffin Dunne, Ryan Fleck, Alex Gibney, Mary Lambert, Marc Levin, Alison MacLean, Joshua Marston, Jim McKay, Mira Nair, Dee Rees, Nancy Savoca and Rosemarie Troche.