On March 23, the Asian American Committee’s (AAC) meeting featured the panel discussion, From Program to Pro.
In a conversation moderated by moderated by AAC Alternate Co-Chair Ian Truitner (Beyond the Trek), AAC Co-Chair Lily Mariye (The Walking Dead: World Beyond), Director Jude Weng (Black-ish) and Director Sharat Raju (The Walking Dead) — each of whom had participated in multiple diversity programs before getting their first break to direct a television episode — discussed their experiences and revealed how those programs can be used to the best advantage.
The panelists also covered topics including: how to get the most out of shadowing other Directors; being persistent and persevering; and the importance of networking with other Directors, crew members and studio executives. Following the moderated portion of the event, they took questions from the online audience.
See video from this event in the gallery below.
ABOUT THE PANELISTS:
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 Lily Mariye
Mariye’s directing credits include the feature film Model Minority; and episodes of Walking Dead: World Beyond, The Terror: Infamy, How to Get Away with Murder, Stumptown, Council of Dads, Chicago PD, MacGyver, NCIS: Los Angeles and Prodigal Son. She also earned a DGA Award-nomination in the Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children’s Programs category for her 2017 “Just Add Meddling” episode of the series Just Add Magic. A DGA member since 2015, Mariye has served as a co-chair of the Asian American Committee since 2018.
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 Sharat Raju
Raju’s directing credits include the documentary feature, Divided We Fall: Americans in the Aftermath; and episodes of The Walking Dead, The Walking Dead: World Beyond, 9-1-1, Criminal Minds, Lone Star, The Good Doctor, MacGyver, Designated Survivor, Scandal, Once Upon a Time, Mistresses and Grimm; and the award-winning documentary short, American Made. An alumna of the NBC, ABC and Sony Pictures Television’s directing programs and the American Film Institute, Raju joined the DGA in 2014. |
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 Jude Weng
Weng’s directing credits include the feature film Finding ‘Ohana; and episodes of Fresh Off the Boat, Black-ish, The Good Place, Young Sheldon, Life in Pieces, The Conners, Call Me Kat, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Crashing. An alumna of the American Film Institute’s Directing Workshop for Women, the ABC-Disney Directing Fellowship, the Warner Brothers Directing Program, and the HBO Writing Fellowship, Weng joined the DGA in 2015. |
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 Ian Truitner (moderator)
Truitner’s directing credits include the feature films, The Interview, Cutting Room and Beyond the Trek; and the movies for television, Polly and Marie, Agent G: The ATA Defender and GMOs Make Cats Explode. A DGA member since 2014, Truitner serves as an alternate co-chair of the Asian American Committee and also teaches after school film classes at Orange County and LAUSD elementary schools in underserved communities.
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About the Asian American Committee:
The Asian American Committee (AAC) was created as a networking group to provide a forum for interests and issues that concern Asian-American Guild members. Through outreach efforts in the entertainment industry that emphasize career development and skills enhancement, the committee provides a variety of networking opportunities as well as screenings, seminars and discussions with industry professionals. The current AAC Co-Chairs are Directors Kabir Akhtar, Kai Kim and Lily Mariye.