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Spotlight on TV Series Directors

Spotlight on TV Series Directors

A DGA Focus on Women Committee Discussion

On June 30, the Focus on Women Committee (FOWC) meeting featured the discussion, Spotlight on TV Series Directors.

In a conversation moderated by DGA Alternate Board Member Mary Lou Belli (Elsbeth), DGA National Vice-President Laura Belsey (The Hunting Party) and DGA Award-winning Director Amanda Marsalis (The Pitt) discussed the ins and outs of directing episodic television and their respective career journeys.

During the conversation, Belsey recalled the difficulty she faced when transitioning out of traditional network television. “I was seen as, ‘You're a network Director,’ and I was like, ‘No, I'm not!’ It was almost harder to break out of being seen as a network Director. I was up for this show, Preacher. Director Michael Slovis, a dear friend of mine and a mentor, championed me for the first season. I didn't make the cut. He championed me for the second season, didn't make the cut. Third season, I finally made the cut. And fourth season, I did the penultimate episode. It was probably one of the most fun things I've ever done in my life. That that changed everything, and then from that, I got The Walking Dead.”

Describing the delicate balance a guest Director has to think about when joining a show Marsalis noted, “To be a good Director, you need to be very open and vulnerable. You have to connect with your actors and all the other artists that are on your show. But when you are showing up into a tribe, you want to protect yourself and almost close yourself off and observe. And it's this delicate balance of you learning everything, and not closing yourself off, but also staying open. It's a very specific skill set.”

ABOUT THE PANELISTS:

Laura BelseyDGA National Vice-President Laura Belsey
Belsey’s directorial credits include the documentary Katrina’s Children; episodes of The Hunting Party, American Horror Story, Shadow and Bone, Moonhaven, S.W.A.T., The Walking Dead, Arrow, Blindspot, Bull, Chicago Med, Criminal Minds, NCIS New Orleans, Stitchers, Unforgettable and hundreds of commercials. A DGA member since 1993, Belsey serves as the Guild’s National Vice President, the presiding officer of the Eastern Directors Council and as a member of the Focus on Women Committee. 
 

Amanda MarsalisDirector Amanda Marsalis
Marsalis’ directorial credits include the feature, Echo Park; the pilot of Naomi; and episodes of Cape Fear, Ozark, Westworld, and The Umbrella Academy, Ransom Canyon and Invasion. Her directorial credits also. She recently won the 2025 DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series for her episode of The Pitt, “6:00 P.M.” Marsalis joined the DGA in 2017. 
 

Mary Lou Belli Director Mary Lou Belli (moderator)
A two-time Emmy Award winner, Belli has been directing television for over 30 years in many genres from sitcoms to procedurals to documentaries. She is the co-author of four books: The NEW Sitcom Career Book, Acting for Young Actors, PERFORM: Acting for the Screen and Directors Tell the Story which she co-wrote with fellow DGA member Bethany Rooney. She was recently nominated for her 3rd Primetime Emmy for Comedy Directing for The Ms Pat Show where she also serves as Executive Producer. A DGA member since 1987, Belli currently serves as alternate member of the DGA National Board, and has served on the Western Directors Council, as a co-chair of the Women’s Steering Committee and as a mentor for the Women’s Steering Committee’s WSC Squad Mentorship Program. 
 
About the Committee:

Originally a sub-committee of the Eastern Directors Council, in 2020 the Focus on Women Committee (FOWC) was designated an official and permanent committee of the DGA National Board for women members residing in the Eastern Region. The Committee would like to remind members that while their events are designed with a special focus on women Directors, all DGA members are welcome to attend.



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