Directors Guild of America President Jack Shea announced today that the Guild will host a new series of 10 seminars collectively entitled Single Camera Directors’ Prep Program.
The Program, which begins Sunday, October 14, 2001, is sponsored by the Guild’s African-American Steering Committee in cooperation with executives at ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC, including Mitsy Wilson, Sr. V.P. Diversity Development, Fox Entertainment Group; Carmen Smith, V.P. Talent Development Programs & Community Initiatives, ABC Entertainment Group; Josie Thomas, Sr. V.P., Diversity, CBS Television; and Paula Madison, President & General Manager of KNBC & Sr. V.P. of Diversity, NBC Entertainment.
“The Single Camera Directors’ Prep Program provides twelve promising DGA women and minority members with instruction and insight by some of the entertainment industry’s most highly acclaimed one-hour drama directors,” said African-American Steering Committee Co-Chair and DGA Third Vice President Paris Barclay, who is serving as the coordinator of the Program.
DGA Members who have so far agreed to participate as guest speakers/instructors in the Single Camera Directors’Prep Program include:
- Michael Schultz (The Practice and Co-Chair, DGA African-American Steering Committee)
- J.J. Abrams (Alias and Felicity)
- Bob Butler (The Division)
- Thomas Carter (Save the Last Dance and UC:Undercover)
- Bill D'Elia (Ally McBeal)
- Jim Frawley (Thieves and Smallville)
- Lesli Linka Glatter (Citizen Baines)
- Todd Holland (Malcolm in the Middle)
- Laura Innes (ER and The West Wing)
- Michael Robin (NYPD Blue and Popular)
- Thomas Schlamme (The West Wing)
- Mark Tinker (NYPD Blue)
- Jesus Trevino (Resurrection Blvd.)
"Some of our most highly acclaimed members have freely offered their time, encouragement and skills to ensure that the Single Camera Directors’ Prep Program is a success,” said DGA President Jack Shea. “The Guild urges employers to take full advantage of this unique opportunity to increase their employment levels for qualified DGA women and minorities.”
Program applicants were required to submit a ten-minute clip of a narrative single-camera television show, feature, or short film demonstrating their talent, as well as a letter of recommendation from a DGA director. In addition, they were required to submit both a resume and a statement of why they wanted to participate in the program.
The twelve DGA members who will take part in the Single Camera Directors’Prep Program include Tanya Boyd, Henry Chan, Martha Cotton, Monty DeGraff, Karen Gaviola, Jenni Gold, Rachel Harms, Laura Medina, Linda Rockstroh, Keith Shaw, Millicent Shelton, and Joseph Torres, Jr.
“The ABC Entertainment Television Group is proud to be a sponsor of the DGA's African American Steering Committee Single Camera Directors' Prep Program,” said Carmen Smith of ABC. “We salute the DGA's efforts in providing this unique opportunity to their membership."
Added H. Mitsy Wilson of Fox Television, “We are pleased to work with the DGA and Paris Barclay on this key initiative.”
"We are thrilled to be working with the DGA on this very exciting initiative,” stated Josie Thomas, Senior Vice President, Diversity, CBS Television. “It will undoubtedly prove to be a significant benefit to the industry as we move diversity forward.”
Paula Madison of NBC added that, “We are happy to partner with the DGA on this important program. We believe that it will lead to greater diversity behind the camera.”
The Guild and the network vice presidents of diversity will actively follow-up with the directors who complete the program.
