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DDI LAB

Understanding the Director's Creative Rights

A Director Development Initiative Virtual Lab

Creative Rights are fundamental to the realization of the Director’s artistic vision, and it is often one of the most important contractual provisions negotiated during every contract negotiation cycle. But many Directors do not have a clear understanding of their Creative Rights and how the DGA can support them in securing those rights on set. On October 22, DGA members interested in learning more about their rights were able to do so via the Director Development Initiative (DDI) virtual lab, Understanding the Director’s Creative Rights.

This session featuring Director Tessa Blake in conversation with DGA Associate Western Executive Director Daniel Tenkman, walked members through the basics of Creative Rights in television directing, dispel common misconceptions around how these rights exist on set, and highlight recent changes negotiated in our current contract.

During the discussion, Blake and Tenkman reviewed the basics of Creative Rights in Television directing, summarizing the history of how creative rights were first negotiated and how they continue to be advocated for today. Additionally, they provided attendees with key details about Directors’ core creative rights and offered examples to illustrate what creative rights look like in action (i.e., when translated from words on the page in the contract and applied to members’ work on set).

To conclude, they highlighted recent changes to creative rights from the last negotiation, engaged in an audience Q&A, and encouraged members to seek Guild resources and assistance when they have creative rights questions.

DGA Members can watch the full video from
Director Development Initiative events by clicking here.
ABOUT THE PANELISTS:

Tessa BlakeDirector Tessa Blake
Blake’s directorial credits include episodes of Matlock, Baywatch, 9-1-1, 9-1-1: Lone Star, NCIS: Tony & Ziva, The Rookie, The Rookie: Feds, Doctor Odyssey, Station 19, A Million Little Things, Quantum Leap, Walker, American Horror Story, Riverdale, The Blacklist, NCIS: New Orleans, Bull, Veronica Mars and iZombie. A DGA member since 2015, Blake currently serves as a member of the National Board, an alternate on the Western Directors Council, and as a member of the Diversity Task Force, the LGBTQ+ Committee and as Co-Chair of the Television Creative Rights Committee. 
 

Daniel TenkmanAssociate Western Executive Director Daniel Tenkman
Tenkman is responsible for protecting and promoting the creative and economic rights of Directors working in episodic television. His core responsibilities also include oversight of Contracts staff responsible for late script enforcement, the television Director auditing program, the first-time episodic Director orientation, Producer/Directors seminars and events, and regular enforcement of the DGA Basic Agreement, including television Director waivers and pursuing unpaid compensation. Tenkman joined the DGA in 2005, as part of the Special Projects department and was promoted in 2010 to Independent Filmmaker Events Manager. In 2011, Tenkman was promoted to Special Assignments Executive and then in 2014 to Assistant Executive Director.
 
About the Director Development Initiative:

The Director Development Initiative is designed to provide current information on the Director’s craft in order to further the Guild’s goal to increase diversity and inclusion in the industry. The DDI Lab series is an ongoing initiative that hosts regular workshops virtually and in person.


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