Apted, who joined the DGA in 1978, was elected to the Western Directors Council in 1997, the National Board in 2001, and was named 5th Vice President of the National Board in 2002. A filmmaker who has enjoyed success in two distinct filmmaking arenas — independent features/documentaries and major studio films — Apted has served on the DGA Independent Directors Committee since its inception and currently serves as its chairperson.
"The DGA is the keeper of the flame — protecting our creative rights as artists, our economic rights as workers, and our very livelihoods that are under constant threat by runaway production, piracy, and the theft of intellectual property made all the easier by the digital age," Apted said today after winning the nomination by acclamation. "I look forward to finding solutions to these problems and to continuing my work in attracting younger and more diverse filmmakers to the Guild."
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Martha Coolidge, who did not seek re-election as President, was elected 1st Vice President of the National Board.
"We are extremely grateful to Martha for stepping forward last year and agreeing to assume the presidency of the DGA when Jack Shea resigned," noted National Vice President Ed Sherin, who placed Apted's name in nomination. "She led us through the recovery of a de facto strike and the restructuring of our health care plan. We are fortunate to have someone of Michael Apted's talent, vision and character to assume leadership of the Guild as we continue to work on the tough issues that face us now and the new challenges that lie ahead."
Gilbert Cates, a former DGA president, was re-elected Secretary-Treasurer; Sherin was re-elected National Vice President.
Also elected were Second Vice President Steven Soderbergh, Third Vice President Paris Barclay, Fourth Vice President Max Schindler, Fifth Vice President Betty Thomas, Sixth Vice President Casey Childs, and Assistant Secretary-Treasurer Scott Berger. (A complete list of the new officers and board members concludes this release.)
In his thirty-five years as a director, Apted has helmed an extensive list of feature films and documentaries. His feature films include Coalminer's Daughter, Gorillas in the Mist, Thunderheart, Nell, The World is Not Enough, Triple Echo, Stardust, The Squeeze, Agatha, Continental Divide, Gorky Park, Class Action, Enigma, Enough and Tell No One.
His documentary credits include Incident at Oglala, Bring on the Night, Me and Isaac Newton, and the recent Married in America. But Apted's most widely recognized documentary directorial achievement remains his internationally acclaimed, multi-award winning sequels based on the original 7 UP documentary – 7 Plus 7, 21, 28, 35 and 42 UP – which have followed the lives of 14 Britons since the age of seven in seven-year increments.
COMPLETE LIST OF DGA OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS
- PRESIDENT - Michael Apted
- NATIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT - Ed Sherin
- SECRETARY-TREASURER - Gilbert Cates
- ASSISTANT SECRETARY-TREASURER - Scott Berger
- FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT - Martha Coolidge
- SECOND VICE PRESIDENT - Steven Soderbergh
- THIRD VICE-PRESIDENT - Paris Barclay
- FOURTH VICE-PRESIDENT - Max Schindler
- FIFTH VICE-PRESIDENT - Betty Thomas
- SIXTH VICE-PRESIDENT - Casey Childs
BOARD MEMBERS
- Burt Bluestein
- LeVar Burton
- Gary Donatelli
- Cheryl Downey
- Taylor Hackford
- Alex Hapsas
- Victoria Hochberg
- Jeremy Kagan
- Michael Mann
- John Rich
- Barbara Roche
ASSOCIATE BOARD MEMBERS
- Herb Adelman
- Yudi Bennett
- Anita Cooper-Avrick
- Stephen Glanzrock
- Kelly Hernacki
ALTERNATE BOARD MEMBERS
- John Badham
- William Brady
- Robert Butler
- Glenn Caron
- Lesli Glatter
- Rod Holcomb
- Randal Kleiser
- Vincent Misiano
- Donald Petrie
- Lee Shallat Chemel
- Carl Weathers
- Eames Yates
SECOND ALTERNATE BOARD MEMBERS
- David Hakim
- Tom Joyner
- Cleve Landsberg
- Kathleen McGill
- Tracey Smith
- Mark Traub
