1st ADs are the operational backbone of a set, balancing creative vision, logistics, labor, safety, and time. On April 20, veteran 1st ADs Dwight Williams, Randy Fletcher, Carol Green and Warren Gray shared how their leadership, problem solving, and mentorship helped shape modern film and television production during the African American Steering Committee (AASC) meeting in-depth discussion, First Assistant Directors Who Helped Shape the Industry.
During a conversation moderated by Director/AASC Events Subcommittee Co-Chair Abdul Malik Abbott, these pioneers revealed how by focusing on real experiences rather than abstractions they not only navigated an industry with limited access and systemic barriers but also built pathways for others to follow.
Green spoke about what a 1st AD does and how she became rose to that position in her career. Fletcher and Gray shared stories from their experiences working with Directors Spike Lee and Ernest Dickerson and praised 2018 Frank Capra Achievement Award recipient Dwight Williams for training them and showing them what it takes to be a 1st AD.
ABOUT THE PANELISTS:
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 Randy Fletcher
Fletcher’s 1st AD credits include features such as Nick Cassavetes’ The Notebook, Marcus Nispel’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Denzel Washington’s Antwone Fisher, Antoine Fuqua’s Training Day, Boaz Yakin’s Remember the Titans, George Tillman Jr.’s Soul Food, Beeban Kidron’s To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar, Abel Ferrara’s The Addiction, Ernest Dickerson’s Surviving the Game, Bulletproof and Juice, and Spike Lee’s Chi-Raq, Malcolm X, Jungle Fever, Mo’ Better Blues, School Daze and Do the Right Thing and Lee’s television special Katt Williams: Priceless: Afterlife; and movies for television such as Lynne Littman’s Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters’ First 100 Years and Steve James’ Passing Glory. Fletcher has been a DGA member since 1992.
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 Warren Gray
Gray’s 1st AD credits include Henry Chan’s feature Gas; and episodes of Grace and Frankie, The Kids Are Alright, Ned and Stacey, Halt and Catch Fire, Stuck in the Middle, Real Husbands of Hollywood, The Brink, Jennifer Falls, Crash & Bernstein, Mighty Med, Dexter, Reality Show, Georgia, Southland, Big Time Rush, Bones American Body Shop, Related and The Bernie Mac Show. Gray’s UPM credits include Russell Solberg’s feature Payback; and episodes of The Company You Keep, Ned and Stacey, Reality Show and The King of Queens. Gray has been a DGA member since 1972.
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 Carol Green
Green’s 1st AD credits include features such as Keenen Ivory Wayans’ Scary Movie 2 and Victor Salva’s Powder; movies for television such as Leslye Headland’s Randall and Hilda Are Not a Couple and Allan Arkush’s XXX’s & OOO’s; Arkush’s mini-series The Temptations; and episodes of Mayans M.C., Twenties, P-Valley, American Horror Story, Franklin & Bash, House of Lies, Medium, Private Practice, Ugly Betty, House, Crossing Jordan, Snoops, Profiler, The Client, NYPD Blue, I’ll Fly Away and Parenthood. Green has been a DGA member since 1981.
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 Abdul Malik Abbott (moderator)
Abbott’s directorial credits include specials such as the annual AAFCA Special Achievement Awards and AAFCA TV Honors; videos including C.O.R.E. - Autism Family, C.O.R.E. - Frontline Worker and C.O.R.E. - Teacher; an episode of Kid’s Crew; and numerous music videos and shorts. Abbott has been a DGA member since 2003, served as a Co-Chair of the African American Steering Committee from 2012-2014 and currently serves as the AASC’s Events Subcommittee Co-Chair.
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About the African American Steering Committee:
The African American Steering Committee (AASC) was born of a desire to address the specific needs of the African-American members of the Directors Guild. One of the primary goals of the Committee is to establish a productive line of communication between African-American members and the creative community. The Committee meets monthly to plan events throughout the year celebrating the achievements of African-Americans, as well as forums with industry executives to proactively address what can be done to hire more African-Americans.
