Editing Directors Guild of America

{{Short description|Film and television trade union}}
{{redirect|Directors Guild|other uses}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox union
| name = Directors Guild of America
| logo_size = 150px
| location_country = United States
| members = 18,000
| leader_title = President
| leader_name = [[Lesli Linka Glatter]]
| founded = {{Start date and age|1936}}
| logo = Directors Guild of America.svg
| formerly = Screen Directors Guild (1936–1960)
| predecessor = Radio and Television Directors Guild
| headquarters = 7920 Sunset Boulevard<br />Los Angeles, California
| leader_title2 = National Vice President
| leader_name2 = Mary Ray Thewlis
| key_people = [[Paris Barclay]], secretary-treasurer
| website = {{url|www.dga.org}}
| footnotes = <ref name="Directors Guild of America">{{cite web |title=Directors Guild of America |url=http://www.dga.org/The-Guild.aspx |website=About |access-date=March 4, 2017 |archive-date=August 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230803084517/https://dga.org/The-Guild.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name = Robb>{{cite news |url=https://deadline.com/2021/09/lesli-linka-glatter-elected-dga-president-second-woman-to-hold-post-1234839193/ |title=Lesli Linka Glatter Elected DGA President; Second Woman To Hold Post |work=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |date=September 18, 2021 |access-date=September 19, 2021 |last=Robb |first=David |archive-date=September 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210919054321/https://deadline.com/2021/09/lesli-linka-glatter-elected-dga-president-second-woman-to-hold-post-1234839193/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}

The '''Directors Guild of America''' ('''DGA''') is an entertainment [[guild]] that represents the interests of [[Film director|film]] and [[Television director|television]] directors in the United States motion picture industry and abroad. Founded as the '''Screen Directors Guild''' in 1936, the group merged with the Radio and Television Directors Guild in 1960 to become the modern Directors Guild of America.<ref>{{cite web |first=Amy |last=Dawes |url=http://www.dga.org/Craft/DGAQ/All-Articles/1101-Spring-2011/Feature-RTDG-SDG-Merger.aspx |title=A More Perfect Union |work=DGA Quarterly |year=2011 |access-date=May 5, 2016 |archive-date=August 14, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814020203/https://www.dga.org/Craft/DGAQ/All-Articles/1101-Spring-2011/Feature-RTDG-SDG-Merger.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>

==DGA Awards==
{{Main|Directors Guild of America Awards}}
The DGA hosts the annual DGA Awards, an important precursor to the Academy Awards.<ref>{{Cite web |last=King |first=Susan |date=January 9, 2012 |title=Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese receive nominations for DGA Award |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/24-frames/story/2012-01-09/woody-allen-martin-scorsese-receive-nominations-for-dga-award |access-date=June 4, 2023 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US |archive-date=June 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604093448/https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/24-frames/story/2012-01-09/woody-allen-martin-scorsese-receive-nominations-for-dga-award |url-status=live }}</ref> In its 69-year history, the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film has been a near perfect barometer for both the Best Director, and in some cases, the Best Picture Academy Award. Only seven times has the DGA Award winner not won the corresponding Best Director Academy Award.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Feinberg |first=Scott |date=January 29, 2012 |title=With DGA Win, 'The Artist' and Its Artist Look Virtually Unstoppable at Oscars (Analysis) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/dga-win-artist-artist-look-285474/ |access-date=June 4, 2023 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US |archive-date=June 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604093448/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/dga-win-artist-artist-look-285474/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Honorees are awarded with a statue manufactured by [[Society Awards]].

==Credits==
The rule that a film can only have one single director was adopted to preserve the continuity of a director's vision and to avoid producers and actors lobbying for a director's credit, or studios hiring multiple directors for a single film or television episode.

The rule is waived only for directorial teams recognized by the DGA who have a history of working together and sharing a common vision. Examples include [[The Wachowskis]], [[Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris]], [[Hughes brothers]], [[Russo brothers]], [[Phil Lord and Christopher Miller]] and the [[Coen brothers]].<ref name=slate/> The Coens for years divided credit, with Ethan taking producing credit, Joel taking directing credit, and both of them sharing the writing credit (even though the two of them shared all three duties between themselves) until ''[[The Ladykillers (2004 film)|The Ladykillers]]'' in 2004.

An example of the DGA refusing to recognize a directorial team was [[Robert Rodriguez]] and [[Frank Miller (comics)|Frank Miller]] for ''[[Sin City (film)|Sin City]]''; they were rejected because they had never worked together before; Rodriguez quit the DGA so that Miller would share director's credit.<ref name=slate/>

For the film ''[[Bohemian Rhapsody (film)|Bohemian Rhapsody]]'', director [[Bryan Singer]] was fired due to frequent absences and clashing on the set, with [[Dexter Fletcher]] replacing him with two weeks left of filming. Singer still received director credit and Fletcher received executive producer credit.

In the past, the DGA has also engaged in disputes with the [[Writers Guild of America]] (WGA) over [[possessory credit]]s, first used in the 1915 film ''[[The Birth of a Nation]]''. The WGA tried to limit possessory credits to writers, but has always been successfully opposed by the DGA, leaving directors free to try to negotiate such credits if they wish.<ref name="Possessory Credit Timeline">''Directors Guild of America Magazine'', [http://www.dga.org/news/v28_6/news_pc-timeline.php3 Possessory Credit Timeline] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080808140045/http://www.dga.org/news/v28_6/news_pc-timeline.php3 |date=August 8, 2008 }}, 28(6), February 2004</ref>

==Non-member directors==
Not all Hollywood directors are DGA members. Notable exceptions include [[George Lucas]] and [[Robert Rodriguez]].<ref name=slate /> [[Quentin Tarantino]] directed six feature films before becoming a DGA member, in 2012.<ref>[http://www.dga.org/News/DGAMonthly.aspx "Membership Report - West Coast Additions"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120328143934/http://www.dga.org/News/DGAMonthly.aspx |date=March 28, 2012 }} ''DGA Monthly Magazine'', January 2012</ref> Those who are not members of the guild are unable to direct for the larger movie studios, which are signatories to the guild's agreements that all directors must be guild members.<ref name="slate">{{cite news |last=Engber |first=Daniel |date=April 8, 2005 |title=Why Not Quit the Directors Guild? What Robert Rodriguez can and can't do |work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] |url=http://www.slate.com/id/2116501 |access-date=December 9, 2011 |archive-date=August 5, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110805122735/http://www.slate.com/id/2116501/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Leadership==
[[File:Directors Guild of America HQ.jpg|thumb|upright|Directors Guild of America building on [[Sunset Boulevard]].]]
[[File:DGA 110 W57 St jeh.jpg|thumb|DGA building, Midtown Manhattan]]

The following are the past Presidents of the Screen Directors Guild and the DGA:{{citation needed|date=February 2013}}
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* 1936–1938 [[King Vidor]]
* 1938–1941 [[Frank Capra]]
* 1941–1943 [[George Stevens]]
* 1943–1944 [[Mark Sandrich]]
* 1944–1946 [[John Cromwell (director)|John Cromwell]]
* 1946–1948 [[George Stevens]]
* 1948–1950 [[George Marshall (director)|George Marshall]]
* 1950–1951 [[Joseph L. Mankiewicz]]
* 1951–1959 [[George Sidney]]
* 1959–1961 [[Frank Capra]]
* 1961–1967 [[George Sidney]]
* 1967–1971 [[Delbert Mann]]
* 1971–1975 [[Robert Wise]]
* 1975–1979 [[Robert Aldrich]]
* 1979–1981 [[George Schaefer (director)|George Schaefer]]
* 1981–1983 [[Jud Taylor]]
* 1983–1987 [[Gilbert Cates]]
* 1987–1989 [[Franklin J. Schaffner]]
* 1989–1993 [[Arthur Hiller]]
* 1993–1997 [[Gene Reynolds]]
* 1997–2002 [[Jack Shea (director)|Jack Shea]]
* 2002–2003 [[Martha Coolidge]] – first female president
* 2003–2009 [[Michael Apted]]
* 2009–2013 [[Taylor Hackford]]
* 2013–2017 [[Paris Barclay]] – first black and first openly gay president<ref>{{cite news |title=Directors Guild Of America Elects Paris Barclay First Black, Openly Gay President |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/26/directors-guild-of-america-president_n_3504529.html |publisher=Huffington Post |first=Jacobs |last=Matthew |date=June 26, 2013 |access-date=April 17, 2020 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304064336/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/26/directors-guild-of-america-president_n_3504529.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
* 2017–2021 [[Thomas Schlamme]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Thomas Schlamme Elected Directors Guild President – Complete Election Results |url=https://deadline.com/2017/06/thomas-schlamme-president-directors-guild-dga-1202119586/ |access-date=July 5, 2017 |publisher=Deadline |date=June 24, 2017 |archive-date=July 6, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170706215142/http://deadline.com/2017/06/thomas-schlamme-president-directors-guild-dga-1202119586/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
* 2021–present [[Lesli Linka Glatter]]<ref>{{cite news |url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/lesli-linka-glatter-dga-president-1235067926/ |title=Lesli Linka Glatter Elected President of Directors Guild of America |last1=Littleton |first1=Cynthia |last2=Maddaus |first2=Gene |date=September 18, 2021 |access-date=September 19, 2021 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |archive-date=September 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210920091709/https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/lesli-linka-glatter-dga-president-1235067926/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
{{div col end}}

==DGA Director's Finder Series<!--'DGA Director's Finder Series', 'DGA Directors Finder Series', 'Director's Finder Series', and 'Directors Finder Series' redirect here-->==
The Director's Finder Series (or Director's Finder Screening Series), inaugurated in December 1998, provides for the screening of [[independent film]]s with no U.S. distributor, and no previous TV or other distribution. Selected by a [[lottery]], the films are screened in DGA theatres in Los Angeles and New York City to an audience of DGA members and invited potential distributors. Many films have been picked up by distributors via the series that may not otherwise have been spotted.<ref>{{cite web |title=DGA Independent Filmmakers Brochure |website=DGA |url=https://www.dga.org/The-Guild/Committees/Special/Independent/IDC-Brochure-main.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2021 |archive-date=June 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210607065955/https://www.dga.org/The-Guild/Committees/Special/Independent/IDC-Brochure-main.aspx |url-status=live }} [https://www.dga.org/-/media/Files/TheGuild/Committees/DGAIndieBrochure2018.ashx?la=en&hash=B0119FAC7EA4353B31F8D8EBE21A3521556AE682 PDF] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210607065956/https://www.dga.org/-/media/Files/TheGuild/Committees/DGAIndieBrochure2018.ashx?la=en&hash=B0119FAC7EA4353B31F8D8EBE21A3521556AE682 |date=June 7, 2021 }}</ref> The series was initiated by the DGA's Independent Directors' Committee, chaired by [[Steven Soderbergh]], initially for U.S. films only, but later expanded to include Australian, Irish, British and New Zealand directors, via the International Association of English-Speaking Directors Organisation (IAESDO). By 2007, the series had screened more than 75 films.<ref name=garrett/> The DGA has collaborated with organisations such as the [[Screen Directors Guild of Ireland]] (SDGI)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sdgi.ie/finders-series-winner-2018 |website=SDGI |title=SDGI Announces KATIE as Winner for Finders Series 2018 |date=2018 |access-date=June 7, 2021 |archive-date=June 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210607071458/https://www.sdgi.ie/finders-series-winner-2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and the [[Australian Directors' Guild]] (ADG), which nominate one film to participate.<ref name=garrett>{{cite web |title=Peter Garrett To Attend Directors Guild Awards |website=Australian Stage Online |date=October 11, 2007 |url=https://www.australianstage.com.au/20071010749/news/sydney/peter-garrett-to-attend-directors-guild-awards.html |access-date=June 7, 2021 |archive-date=June 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210607070005/https://www.australianstage.com.au/20071010749/news/sydney/peter-garrett-to-attend-directors-guild-awards.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Australian entries, selected for the Finders Series Award by the ADG from a shortlist of four,<ref name=garrett/> include ''[[Boxing Day (2007 film)|Boxing Day]]'' (2007), directed by [[Kriv Stenders]]; and after a five-year lapse,<ref>{{cite web |title=ADG announces the Directors'{{sic |nolink=yes}} Guild of America Finders Award 2012 |website=[[IF Magazine]] |date=February 27, 2012 |url=https://www.if.com.au/adg-announces-the-directors-guild-of-america-finders-award-2012/ |access-date=June 7, 2021 |archive-date=June 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210607062924/https://www.if.com.au/adg-announces-the-directors-guild-of-america-finders-award-2012/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Tony Krawitz's documentary ''[[The Tall Man (2011 film)|The Tall Man]]'' (2012),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://mumbrella.com.au/film-maker-tony-krawitz-heads-to-us-as-part-of-directors-guild-of-americas-finders-series-122106 |website=Mumbrella |title=Film-maker Tony Krawitz heads to US as part of Directors'{{sic |nolink=yes}} Guild of America's Finders Series |date=October 17, 2012 |access-date=June 7, 2021 |archive-date=June 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210607065956/https://mumbrella.com.au/film-maker-tony-krawitz-heads-to-us-as-part-of-directors-guild-of-americas-finders-series-122106 |url-status=live }}</ref> and in 2014 [[Catriona McKenzie]]'s ''[[Satellite Boy]]'' was selected for the series.<ref>{{cite web |title=Catriona McKenzie |website=Sydney, City of Film (Screen NSW) |publisher=New South Wales Government |date=December 31, 2019 |url=https://www.screen.nsw.gov.au/people/film-and-television-industry-advisory-committee/Catriona-McKenzie |access-date=June 7, 2021 |archive-date=September 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927235849/https://www.screen.nsw.gov.au/people/film-and-television-industry-advisory-committee/Catriona-McKenzie |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Irish entries include [[Terry McMahon]]'s ''[[Patrick's Day (film)|Patrick's Day]]'' (2014)<ref>{{cite web |title=Patrick's Day wins Screen Directors Guild Finders Series Award |website=Cineuropa |date=August 26, 2014 |first=Naman |last=Ramachandran |url=https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/262062/ |access-date=June 7, 2021 |archive-date=June 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210607065956/https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/262062/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and Ross Whitaker's ''Katie'' (2018).<ref>{{cite web |title=Ross Whitaker's Katie named Screen Directors Guild Finders Series Award-winner for 2018 |website=Scannain |date=October 18, 2018 |url=https://www.scannain.com/irish/industry/screen-directors-guild-finders-series-winner-18/ |access-date=October 17, 2022 |archive-date=October 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221019094512/https://www.scannain.com/irish/industry/screen-directors-guild-finders-series-winner-18/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Organized labour}}
* [[Alan Smithee]]
* [[Runaway production]]
* [[Stage Directors and Choreographers Society]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{Official website}}

{{DGA Presidents}}
{{Authority control}}
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[[Category:Directors Guild of America| ]]
[[Category:Entertainment industry unions]]
[[Category:Trade unions established in 1936]]
[[Category:Trade unions in California]]
[[Category:1936 establishments in California]]