August 14, 2013
Realizing a need for a diverse pool of properly trained Assistant Directors in the industry, in 1965 the Directors Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers established the Directors Guild-Producer Training Plan, Assistant Directors Training Program (ADTP). The ADTP’s purpose is to provide equal access to men and women of diverse backgrounds to participate in an industry sponsored program that trains people to become Second Assistant Directors in the motion picture and television industry. The ADTP has branches in both Los Angeles and New York.
Both programs feature on-the-job training, along with seminars and special assignments. Trainees become employees of a wide variety of feature films, TV series and commercials where they will work under the supervision of DGA AD/UPM members until completion of the program.
The ADTP recently announced the names of those newly accepted to the program. The new West Coast film and television trainees are Gregory Bell, David Buchwald, Randy Dudley, Gordon Freeman, Cody Gallo, Hsanni Henry, Chalis Romero, Amber Koehler, Narbeh Nazarian, David Shark, William Terry, and Heather Wagner. The new East Coast film trainees are Stephanie Capizzo, Mike Dearborn, Mike Kuzenka, Eugenia Logie, Ryan Tuller, and Nick Weigand-Suminski, and commercials trainees Abbey Hansen, Tamra Mueller.
Congratulations are also in order to West Coast ADTP graduates Sally Brunski, Adam Cuthbert, Kathleen Doise, Sylwia Dudzinska, Colin Duffy, Luke Maxcy, Gabriella Poli, Leah Sargent, Deandra Short, Christina Thompson, and Anna Vogt; and East Coast ADTP film graduates Jake Brown, Ayesha Corn, Cheryl Olzsowka, Jack McKenna, Josh Muzaffer, and Deanna Urciuoli; and East Coast Commercial graduates Steve Bruno, Tate Nova, and Josh Voegelin. All these graduate trainees are now qualified to join the Guild as 2nd ADs.
photos courtesy ADTP