First Assistant Directors gathered online and in the DGA’s Los Angeles Boardroom on September 28 for Understanding Financial Strategies for Uncertain Times and Tips for Filming in Unfamiliar Territory. Hosted by the Western AD/UPM Council’s 1st AD Committee, this year’s event aimed to provide members with financial wellness education and encouragement, as well as tips on how to film on location when you find yourself in a different state or country.
Following opening remarks from Committee Co-Chairs Mark Hansson and Alan Curtiss, the Committee’s staff liaison, DGA Director of Commercial Contracts Winona Wacker, introduced the speakers of the first presentation on specific financial strategies.
The Entertainment Community Fund’s Director of Financial Wellness Rebecca Selkowe, J.D., AFC, and Director of Social Services Tina Hookom held a mini workshop on subjects such as Finding Your Financial Starting Point, Your Relationship with Money, and other related topics. The workshop included hands-on financial planning work like using a monthly debt calculator to stay on top of owed assets and tracking non-traditional income sources.
Following the financial strategies workshop, Western AD/UPM Council Chair Linda Montanti and 1st AD Committee Members Kelly Cantley-Kashima, Kevin Koster and Donald Sparks shared pointers for 1st ADs during the second panel, Tips for Filming in Unfamiliar Territory. The panelists revealed changes and programs they have had to work with in foreign countries and out of state locations including: safety supervisors in Australia, regulations for schooling for child actors in Atlanta, preparing for weather in southern states, company moves in Latin America and Morrocco, scheduling around European holidays, and how to pay taxes correctly outside of Los Angeles and the U.S.
About the Committee
The Western AD/UPM Council’s 1st AD Committee meets to plan events, exchange information, share ideas and address issues facing 1st AD members. In addition to Committee Co-Chairs: Alan B. Curtiss and Mark Hansson, the 1st AD Committee Members are: Tony Adler, David Bernstein, Nicole Burke, Xochi Blymer, Kelly Cantley-Kashima, Steve Danton, Bruce Franklin, Katterli Frauenfelder, Jim Goldthwait, Carol Green, Van Hayden, Kevin Koster, John Mattingly, Linda Montanti, Chemen Ochoa, Shawn Pipkin-West, Korey Pollard, Cindy Potthast, Daniel Silverberg, Tracey Smith Baumert, Donald Sparks, Babu Subramaniam, Sunday Stevens, Carol Vitkay and Bob Wagner.