On April 21, DGA members heard how a strong breakdown is invaluable for Directors, helping them plan their days and maximize time on set when the Disability Committee (DC) meeting featured the conversation, Breaking It Down! – The Art of the Script Breakdown.

During a conversation moderated by Committee Co-Chair Matthew O’Shea, Director Christine Swanson and 1st AD Kevin Koster — who worked together on the series P-Valley — revealed how, spearheaded by the 1st AD, this process turns the page into a plan, mapping every detail required to execute a Director’s vision. They also pulled back the curtain on their process, offering real-world tips, tools, and techniques for crafting an effective script breakdown.

In a live demonstration, Koster shared his script breakdown an episode of P-Valley revealing step-by-step how he created it with the Director in mind. Swanson commented on how Koster’s breakdown helped her save time while crafting the episode.

ABOUT THE PANELISTS:

About the Committee

The mission of the Disability Committee is to examine a broad range of issues DGA members with disabilities face on sets, with the goal of developing recommendations to address these matters. In 2023, DGA President Lesli Linka Glatter, announced its creation as a provisional committee, whose members would lead work to destigmatize disability as a way to empower other members to feel comfortable with disclosing their disability identity and push the industry towards greater acceptance of Directors and Directorial Team members with disabilities. In 2024, the Committee was designated a permanent committee by the DGA National Board.

• Click here for more information on the DGA Disability Committee