On February 13, the DGA Disability Committee meeting was preceded by the online discussion, Persistence of Vision: A Conversation with Director Brandon Sonnier.
In a conversation moderated by Director/1st AD Nandi Bowe (Statistically Speaking), Sonnier — who unexpectedly joined the disability community after experiencing a life-changing, on-set accident while working as an executive producer on the series LA’s Finest — discussed his journey as an amputee and how he is buoyed by a strong work ethic, a loving family, a supportive work partnership, and his sense of humor.
During the conversation, Sonnier shared his craft and his career accomplishments and revealed how he navigates his new normal with an eye toward advocacy and advancement of the disabled community. He also discussed how everyone has a role in creating safe environments on set, including the Director, and how important it is for everyone to be on the same page about safety protocols.
Sonnier’s directorial credits include the feature films Blues, The List and The Beat; and episodes of Panhandle, Hightown and L.A.’s Finest. He has been a DGA member since 2007.
See video from this event in the gallery below.
About the Committee
The mission of the Disability Committee is to examine a broad range of issues DGA members with disabilities face on sets, with the goal of developing recommendations to address these matters. In 2023, DGA President Lesli Linka Glatter, announced its creation as a provisional committee, whose members would lead work to destigmatize disability as a way to empower other members to feel comfortable with disclosing their disability identity and push the industry towards greater acceptance of Directors and Directorial Team members with disabilities. In 2024, the Committee was designated a permanent committee by the DGA National Board.