February 3, 2013
Los Angeles – Directors Guild of America President Taylor Hackford announced today that Secretary-Treasurer Michael Apted and Fifth Vice President Thomas Schlamme have been appointed co-chairs of the next DGA Feature Film and Television Negotiations Committee. The DGA National Board approved the appointments at its board meeting on Sunday.
“As we look ahead to the next round of negotiations, we are carefully examining the creative and economic issues faced by our members working in film and television,” said Hackford. “As part of that process, we have asked Michael Apted and Thomas Schlamme, two of our most prominent and experienced feature and television leaders and working members, to serve as the co-chairs and lead our negotiations and they have graciously agreed. We are extremely fortunate to have the benefit of their wisdom, negotiating prowess and many years of professional and Guild experience to spearhead our negotiations.”
“While we don’t know yet when negotiations will begin, we are preparing well in advance, as we always do, with extensive up-to-the-minute research and a robust and thorough staff and member process to determine our key priorities, so that we will be ready when the time is right,” said Apted.
“The Guild’s core mission is to protect and extend the creative and economic rights of our members – directors and members of the directorial teams – no matter what challenges we face,” said Schlamme. “Michael and I will work closely with the Negotiations Committee members and the Guild’s professional staff to ensure the best and strongest possible outcome for our members. We will be working closely with Creative Rights Committee Co-Chairs Steven Soderbergh and Jonathan Mostow, who have already begun work with their committees.”
The DGA’s current three-year contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) expires on June 30, 2014.
Michael Apted, who served as Guild President for three terms from 2003-2009 and in that position oversaw the Guild’s negotiations in 2004 and 2008, currently serves as DGA Secretary-Treasurer. He was first elected to the DGA National Board in 2001 and to the Western Directors Council in 1997. A veteran feature and documentary film director, Apted joined the DGA in 1978 and became active in Guild service as one of the founding members of the DGA’s Independent Directors Committee. In addition to his feature and documentary work, Apted has directed extensively in television.
Thomas Schlamme has served as Guild Fifth Vice President since 2009. A DGA member since 1978, Schlamme was first elected to the National Board in 2005 and to the Western Directors Council in 2003. Best known for directing and executive producing some of the most renowned television series in modern television history, he has been one of the key members of the Guild’s Television Creative Rights Committee and served on the Negotiations Committee in 2008 and again in 2011, when he led the television subcommittee. In addition to his television work, Schlamme has also directed several feature films.
The Guild expects to appoint the full Negotiations Committees, made up of directors, assistant directors, unit production managers, associate directors and stage managers working in all genres, later this year. National Executive Director Jay D. Roth will continue to serve as the Guild’s chief professional negotiator.