photos by Elisa Haber
On February 6, DGA members gathered in the Guildâs Los Angeles Theater to celebrate the world of film made for the smaller screen during the 2024 Meet the Nominees: Movies for Television & Limited Series event. Following a welcome by DGA Associate Executive Director Daniel Tenkman, the nominated Directors â Shawn Levy (All the Light We Cannot See), Tara Miele (Lessons in Chemistry, âIntroduction to Chemistryâ), Millicent Shelton (Lessons in Chemistry, âPoirotâ), Sarah Adina Smith (Lessons in Chemistry, âHer and Himâ) and Nzingha Stewart (Daisy Jones & The Six, âTrack 10: Rock ânâ Roll Suicideâ) â spoke about the making of their productions during a conversation moderated by Director Jon Avnet and illustrated by clips from their shows.
About the Panelists:
Unit Production Manager: Scott Elias In addition to his work on All the Light We Cannot See, Levyâs directorial credits includes the feature films, The Adam Project, Free Guy, This Is Where I Leave You, The Internship, Real Steel, Date Night, Cheaper by the Dozen, Big Fat Liar and the Night at the Museum franchise; the movies for television, Family Trap, Little Brother and Joint Custody; the pilots for Imaginary Mary, Pepper Dennis and In a Heartbeat; and episodes of Stranger Things, The Famous Jett Jackson and The Journey of Allen Strange. He was nominated for the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Childrenâs Programs for his 1998 The Secret World of Alex Mack episode âLies and Secrets.â Levy has been a DGA member since 1996. |
Unit Production Manager: Chris Hayden In addition to her work on Lessons in Chemistry, Mieleâs directorial credits include the feature films Wander Darkly, Starving in Suburbia, Gone Missing and The Lake Effect; the movie for television Lost Boy; and episodes of Batwoman, La Brea, Fantasy Island, Arrow and Hawaii Five-0. She also directed the viral video Meet a Muslim which she created to combat Islamophobia. Miele has been a DGA member since 2014 and serves on the Western Directors Council and was previously a Co-Chair of the Womenâs Steering Committee where she helped launch the DGAâs first peer-to-peer mentorship program for women, The WSC Squad. |
Unit Production Manager: Chris Hayden In addition to her work on Lessons in Chemistry, Sheltonâs directorial credits include the feature End of The Road; the pilots for the series Run the World and Awkward; episodes of The Morning Show, Truth Be Told, The Night Agent, P-Valley, The Equalizer, Locke & Key, Titans, Run the World, 9-1-1, Black-ish, Sorry for Your Loss, The Walking Dead, Manifest, Insecure, Preacher, Luke Cage, Empire, Star, Jessica Jones, Ballers, Supergirl, Shots Fired, Scandal, Rosewood, The Flash and The Bernie Mac Show; and over 100 music videos. She was the first African American woman to receive a primetime Emmy nomination for her âApollo Apolloâ episode of 30 Rock and won a Peabody Award for an episode of Men of a Certain Age. A DGA member since 2000, Shelton currently serves as the Fifth Vice President of the Guild and is a member of the Western Directors Council. |
Unit Production Manager: Steven Brown In addition to her work on Lessons in Chemistry, Smithâs directorial credits include the features Birds of Paradise, The Drop, The Midnight Swim and Busterâs Mal Heart; and episodes of Looking for Alaska, Hanna, Legion, Room 104 and Wrecked. She joined the DGA in 2014. |
Unit Production Manager: Michael Nelson In addition to her work on Daisy Jones & The Six, Stewartâs directorial credits include the feature Tall Girl; the movies for television Love by the 10th Date and With This Ring; the pilots for From Scratch, Cross and Me/We; episodes of Inventing Anna, Maid, Black Monday, Little Fires Everywhere, A Million Little Things, Station 19, Good Girls, For The People, Greyâs Anatomy, Step Up: High Water, Scandal, Major Crimes, How to Get Away with Murder, The Catch, K.C. Undercover, Pretty Little Liars and The Game; and over 100 music videos and ad campaigns for major brands. She has been a DGA member since 2013. |
![]() Avnet is widely known for his landmark work in film and television, having directed, written and/or produced more than 100 films, movies for television and episodic series. His directorial credits include the features Three Christs, Righteous Kill, 88 Minutes, Up Close & Personal and Fried Green Tomatoes; the movies for television Have a Little Faith, Bunker Hill and Between Two Women; and episodes of Sneaky Pete, Justified, Boomtown and Call to Glory. He was nominated for the 2001 DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television/Miniseries for Uprising and again in that same category for his 2007 mini-series The Starter Wife. A DGA member since 1984, Avnet currently serves as a member of the DGA National Board, on the Western Directors Council and as a Trustee on the Pension & Health Plan. After previously serving as Co-Chair on past DGA Negotiations Committees, he served as Chair of the DGA Negotiations Committee in 2023. |