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Making it Live! A Live Television Musical Directors Panel

November 2, 2016

An Eastern Region Special Projects Committee Event

DGA Members curious about how those marvelous live television musical broadcasts are achieved were able hear from the Directors tasked with making it happen during Making it Live! A Live Television Musical Directors Panel. Hosted by the Eastern Region Special Projects Committee and held in the Guild’s New York offices boardroom on November 1, the event featured Directors Rob Ashford (The Sound of Music Live!), Thomas Kail (Grease Live!) and Glenn Weiss (Peter Pan Live!) discussing the joys and challenges of helming live televised musicals in a conversation moderated by Director Scott Ellis.

Illustrated by clips from the broadcasts of The Sound of Music, Peter Pan and Grease, the discussion covered topics that included: set design, how to creatively use the fourth wall, the decision process behind both camera coverage and the placement and number of cameras for a live event, the idea of rehearsing with the final television production in mind and the changes that occur from the rehearsal hall to the stage, and what each director would do differently if they could do the same show again and applying that lesson to their next live production.

Following the moderated portion of the panel discussion, the directors all took questions from the audience.

SEE VIDEO FROM THIS EVENT IN THE GALLERY BELOW
 
About the Panelists:

Rob Ashford
Director Rob Ashford’s credits include the televised productions of Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company's the Winter's Tale and National Theatre Live: Macbeth (both with Kenneth Branagh). He earned a DGA Award nomination for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Mini-Series for Peter Pan Live! (with Glenn Weiss) and DGA and Emmy nominations for his work on The Sound of Music Live! (with Beth McCarthy-Miller). Ashford joined the DGA in 2013.
 

Thomas Kail
A DGA member since 2009, Kail’s directing credits include the Emmy Award-winning production of Grease Live! (with Alex Rudzinski), the movie for television Critical Hours, and episodes of the series The Jack and Triumph Show, 2 Broke Girls and Storymakers. He was also nominated for a Tony Award for his direction of the Broadway production of In the Heights and took home the Tony Award for his direction of the Broadway production the smash hit Hamilton.

 

Glenn Weiss
A six-time DGA Award recipient, Director Glenn Weiss won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials in 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 for the 61st, 64th, 65th, 66th, 67th and 68th Annual Tony Awards. He was also nominated that category in 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2008 for the 55th, 56th, 59th, 60th, and 62nd Annual Tony Awards, as well as receiving a DGA Award nomination in the Movies for Television and Mini-Series category in 2014 for Peter Pan Live! (together with Rob Ashford). Weiss has also been recognized with 11 Emmy Awards and 31 nominations. He has been a DGA member since 1994 and is an alternate to the National Board.

Scott Ellis (moderator)
Director Scott Ellis’s credits include the upcoming live production of A Few Good Men for NBC, as well as the movies for television Sebastian Says, Bronx Warrants and Holding Patterns; the pilots for the television series Dr. Ken, One Big Happy and Undateable; and episodes of the television series 30 Rock, The Closer, Frasier, Modern Family, Nurse Jackie, and Weeds. Ellis has been a DGA member since 2000.

Pictures & Video

photos by Marcie Revens

View slideshow
Watch Highlight
FULL TALK: (44:43): Director Scott Ellis moderates a panel with Rob Ashford (The Sound of Music Live!), Thomas Kail (Grease!), and Glenn Weiss (Peter Pan Live!) on the craft of directing live television musical broadcasts.
Watch Highlight
HIGHLIGHT: Director Thomas Kail discusses the opening number of Grease Live! and the opportunities he sought to embrace the liveness of the musical, such as having the actors post pictures taken during the broadcast to Instagram and Snapchat.
Watch Highlight
HIGHLIGHT: Director Glenn Weiss describes the preparation necessary to create a visually immersive adaptation of Peter Pan Live! through staging and camera.
Watch Highlight
HIGHLIGHT: Director Rob Ashford talks about designing the sets and transitions of The Sound of Music Live!, so that the audience could be reminded of the theatricality of the musical.
Directors Glenn Weiss, Thomas Kail, Rob Ashford and Scott Ellis (moderator) at the Eastern Region Special Projects Committee’s event, Making it Live! A Live Television Musical Directors Panel.
Director Scott Ellis (moderator) introduces the panelists for Making it Live! A Live Television Musical Directors Panel at the DGA in New York.
Directors Glenn Weiss, Thomas Kail and Rob Ashford discuss the joys and challenges of helming live televised musicals during the Eastern Region Special Projects Committee’s event, Making it Live! A Live Television Musical Directors Panel.
DGA members gather in the DGA New York Boardroom for the Eastern Region Special Projects Committee’s event, Making it Live! A Live Television Musical Directors Panel.
Director Rob Ashford discusses his work on the DGA Award-nominated production of The Sound of Music Live!
DGA members learn about how Director Rob Ashford worked with Director Beth McCarthy-Miller on The Sound of Music Live!.
DGA members view a clip from Directors Rob Ashford and Beth McCarthy-Miller’s The Sound of Music Live!
Director Thomas Kail speaks about his work on the making of Grease Live!
DGA members learn more about Director Thomas Kail’s work on the Emmy Award-winning production Grease Live!
DGA members view a clip from Directors Thomas Kail and Alex Rudzinski’s Grease Live!
Director Glenn Weiss discusses his work on the DGA Award-nominated production of Peter Pan Live!
DGA members enjoy a tidbit from Director Glenn Weiss about his work on Peter Pan Live!
DGA members view a clip from Directors Glenn Weiss and Rob Ashford’s Peter Pan Live!
An audience member asks the panelists a question during the Eastern Region Special Projects Committee’s event, Making it Live! A Live Television Musical Directors Panel.
DGA members applaud the panelists and their work at the conclusion of the Eastern Region Special Projects Committee’s event, Making it Live! A Live Television Musical Directors Panel.
Director Glenn Weiss chats with an audience member following the Eastern Region Special Projects Committee’s event, Making it Live! A Live Television Musical Directors Panel.
Director Thomas Kail chats with audience members following the Eastern Region Special Projects Committee’s event, Making it Live! A Live Television Musical Directors Panel.

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