The Directors Guild of America (DGA) hosted the first international two-day conference on directors’ rights for Directors Guilds of Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland and New Zealand. The meeting, held last week at the DGA’s Los Angeles headquarters, focused on the creative and economic standards and the working conditions and challenges facing the guilds’ memberships.
Calling the meeting “historic for the DGA, its members and for all the organizations and countries represented,” DGA President Jack Shea suggested there has never been, “a more urgent need to strengthen the ties that bind our artistic communities together. Not only do we share a common language, but more and more we deal with the same international corporations. Yet, there are disparities in the way directors are treated, which is why it is so important that we start working on establishing some kind of international minimum standards.”
Although a diversity of cultures was represented at the meeting, many of the issues addressed were universal. “It’s really inspiring to see we’re on the same issues, not isolated,” said Screen Directors Guild of New Zealand (SDNZ) Executive Officer Shonagh Lindsay. “I want to take this back to New Zealand and show them the passion,” for resolving the issues.
DGA National Executive Director Jay Roth stresses the importance of this first-in-a-series of meetings designed to ensure the economic and creative rights of directors around the globe. “All of the participants understand that the strong lines of communication and cooperation we’ve established here will positively impact the rights of our respective members for the future.”
The delegates from the five countries and six international guilds invited to attend the talks included:
- Australian Screen Directors Association President Donald Crombie and Executive Director Richard Harris;
- Directors Guild of Canada President Alan Goluboff, Secretary Treasurer Manny Danelon, British Columbia District Council Chair Crawford Hawkins, Directors Representative Mark Voizard and Executive Director Pamela Brand;
- Directors Guild of Great Britain director Piers Haggard and Chief Executive Malcolm Moore; Great Britain’s Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematograph and Theatre Union Assistant Secretary General Martin Spence;
- Screen Directors Guild of Ireland director Trish McAdam and Executive Director Catherine Punch; and
- Screen Directors Guild of New Zealand director Grant Campbell and Executive Officer Shonagh Lindsay.
DGA President Jack Shea, National Executive Director Jay Roth, and International Affairs Executive Janine Lorente represented the DGA throughout the meetings.
“Coming here has been a very positive experience,” said DGC President Alan Goluboff, who praised the DGA for bringing a, “huge benefit to its membership. There’s much to be learned from the DGA,” he said, adding that, “the DGC also has much to offer.” He said he looked forward to the two Guilds working even more closely together, saying that the guilds “have a future in developing and strengthening our industry.”
The DGA also hosted a reception honoring the visiting international directors and other dignitaries including Alan Rocher, Australian Consul General and Colin Robertson, Canadian Consul.
DGA representatives attending the reception included DGA Secretary-Treasurer and former President Gil Cates, past DGA Presidents Gene Reynolds and Arthur Hiller, Vice President Martha Coolidge, DGA National Board members Dan Petrie, Sr. and Taylor Hackford, and DGA Western Directors Council member Joan Tewkesbury.
The DGA represents more than 12,400 members working in the U.S. and many foreign countries. Their creative work is presented in theatrical, industrial, educational and documentary films, and in television (live, filmed and taped), videos, commercials and multi-media productions.
