The DGA’s African American Steering Committee (AASC) hosted a conversation with Director Tina Mabry following their regular monthly meeting in the Los Angeles Boardroom on July 17. A DGA Award-winning director, Mabry was on hand to discuss her career and the need for diversity in the industry.
In a conversation moderated by Director/AASC Co-Chair Jeff Byrd (The Quad), Mabry spoke about how her journey to becoming a director was inspired by the films and television shows she watched while growing up in her native Mississippi. She detailed her struggles to complete her first film, Mississippi Damned, and the gratitude she felt for the mentorship of director Gina Prince Bythewood, to whom she says she owes a large part of her career. Mabry also discussed her belief in the mission of the DGA as well as the importance of inclusion behind the camera and the benefits it offers to others.
In addition to her first feature Mississippi Damned, Mabry's filmography includes episodes of the series Futurestates, Queen Sugar, Dear White People, Queen of the South, Insecure; and the short Brooklyn's Bridge to Jordan. She took home the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children's Programs for her 2016 project An American Girl Story - Melody 1963: Love Has to Win. Mabry has been a DGA member since 2016.
ABOUT THE COMMITTEE:
The African American Steering Committee (AASC) was born of a desire to address the specific needs of the African-American members of the Directors Guild. One of the primary goals of the Committee is to establish a productive line of communication between African-American members and the creative community. The Committee meets monthly to plan events throughout the year celebrating the achievements of African-Americans, as well as forums with industry executives to proactively address what can be done to hire more African-Americans.