On Wednesday, November 19, the DGA and The Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA) presented the panel discussion/networking mixer Being a Secure Filmmaker in an Insecure World: Financing & Selling Your Film in Today's Economy, in the Guild's Los Angeles Boardroom. The event was designed to relay information about the current trends to DGA Director members interested in mounting an independent production. The evening also served as an informal setting for these members to make contact with executives from independent production companies.

Following a check-in period where the invited DGA members signed up for breakout sessions, there was a brief panel discussion about how things are done in today's challenging economy with: The Film Department's President - International, Steven Bickel; Lakeshore Entertainment's Senior VP of International Sales Elisabeth Costa de Beauregard Rose; Future Films USA, LLC CEO Simon Horsman; Horwitz Entertainment Financial Services founder Lewis P. Horwitz; Falling Letters Films COO Howard Kaplan; Odd Lot International's EVP of Worldwide Distribution and Acquisitions Brian O'Shea; and River Road Entertainment's head of business affairs Deborah Zipser.

After the discussion DGA members engaged in break-out sessions with the panelists before everyone reconvened in the boardroom for a cocktail reception.