Any DGA Directors here?

J

JonathanLB

Carbonite Member
This is kind of funny to post but I was just wondering if there are any directors here in the DGA. I'm trying to get my three signatures from existing DGA members (as directors) and then I'm basically set with my application. I handed it in today minus the signatures but with the check, just because I'm already behind in getting in the app, so now I still am waiting to hear from a few friends of friends in the DGA. I figured maybe someone here would be willing to sign! Who knows...
 
Got my three signatures, it wasn't easy but some help from friends of friends. Now just waiting on the DGA meeting and I will be in!
 
I'm in the DGA and its true about the three signature thing, it can be work. One of my signatories is Monty Hellman! They make you want to do it, what I mean is, its not easy, its not necessarily any set of rules like a checklist, and once you join you have to be participatory and run with the plan, otherwise theres no point.

But I do know this, unlike SAG, which is a membership driven organization, DGA is a royalties based one. So if a movie is being sold out there, anywhere anyhow, DGA wants to know about it and collect the royalty, SAG gets paid through dues. I've seen plenty of SAG movies on TV that aren't paying royalties, but you see very few DGA
 
haha

haha

Nice, yeah I'm excited to be "in" (unofficially) because it's a very powerful union and as a director I definitely wanted to join the DGA. I'm a non-union kind of guy to be totally honest, but the DGA is a worthwhile union and I'm happy to be part of it.

I have never met any of the three people who signed my form, but they are friends of friends and I described my experience to them, etc. It's fortunate that some people are willing to help out because I was freaking out about it, since to be honest most directors just don't know many other directors. As a producer-director, doing a lot of corporate work and music videos, etc., my list of contacts was people I'd hire, like videographers and DPs, grips, gaffers, editors, etc. I don't hire directors so don't really know many. At one point I had been trying to setup a production company with a number of other directors too, but they were for music videos and that's a non-unionized industry completely, so nobody there was DGA.

I have to admit it's pretty cool though, to think about back in the day when I was starting out and had done so little, and every director I met basically had more experience than me. And now where I am just 3 years after starting my journey, pretty sweet stuff! There's some cachet that goes with being a DGA director.
 
Correct

Correct

Yes, except for music videos -- those are out of the union's jurisdiction or they don't care about them, or whatever is the case, haha. You can do union or non-union music video shoots.

It's very easy for a project to be DGA, though, there's no good reason besides paperwork not to shoot DGA if you want good talent, mainly in the AD department. The best 1st and 2nd ADs are all going to be DGA, so it's not easy to put together a pro shoot without those elements. I wouldn't personally have any interest in working on a non-DGA project. That CBA gives you a lot of rights that I as a director would demand anyway, so if a company has a problem with being DGA, I have a problem working with them and would decline anyway even if it weren't for the DGA. The terms aren't like unreasonable, draconian terms, haha, you can pay a DGA director on a low budget feature just about minimum wage, haha.
 
Thanks

Thanks

Thanks... I just wish they'd send me the membership card already I'm getting impatient, haha, I really want it!
 
Congrats on getting into the DGA!

Tell us a little bit about your journey, the steps and lessons learned.

Thanks!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top