On December 7, DGA members gathered online to hear about the strategic intricacies of modern election and campaign coverage during the Eastern AD/SM/PA Council and the Eastern Region Special Projects Committee joint event, The Road to 270: Behind the Scenes on Election Night and Related Coverage with Directors and Their Teams.
During a conversation moderated by Director Lily Olszewski (Presidential Debate & ABC Election Night Coverage), Directors Sarah Carlson Brooke (Republican National Convention Pool Feed) and Glenn Weiss (Democratic National Convention & Election Night Live with Brian Williams), Associate Directors Dawn DiCicco (Republican National Convention Pool Feed) and Liz Sobel (Presidential Debate), and Stage Manager Anne Marie Kuehling (Presidential Debate) shared their unique perspectives about their experiences from behind the scenes at these events and valuable insights of how DGA members helped shape the first draft of history during the evolving saga of a presidential election like no other.
Olszewski discussed the overall drama and intrigue of the last election cycle, and the Director and Directorial team’s role as storyteller writing the first draft of history. She explained that in prior years the debates were produced by the Commission on Presidential Debates, so the networks did not have any say in the staging, rules, or moderator for the events. In 2024, the campaigns struck deals directly with the networks, so ABC was able to control every aspect themselves leaving more freedom for her to craft the look of the show. She also spoke about negotiating with each candidate’s team to make choices — and compromises — that both could agree to and added everything, such as the podium height and angle, had to be perfectly even for each candidate.
Sobel was Olszewski’s AD for the debates and told an amusing story about them getting locked in a trailer without their phones and barely making it back to set in time. They both discussed the experience of spending weeks preparing for a Republican presidential primary debate in New Hampshire — including building a large set, rehearsing several scenarios of which candidates would show up, and what the format of the debate would be — all for it to be canceled.
Weiss described how the Democratic National Convention job resembled his work directing variety specials and awards shows, in that his role is to creatively execute the client’s vision and project their message and how — like awards shows — the DNC consists of high-profile figures appearing on stage one after another. He shared how the team was very aware that there were rampant online rumors that Beyonce was set to appear at the Convention and because they were not supposed to confirm or deny any information to reporters, many publications came to their own conclusions. He emphasized that communication between the Convention team and the pool feed team is key in situations like this, so that no one is anticipating something that will not happen. Weiss also described his experience working on the first election night coverage for a streaming service, Amazon’s Election Night Live with Brian Williams.
Brooke explained the process of how the networks pooled their resources and choose to send one team to cover the Republican National Convention and how the networks have a committee that makes certain creative and journalistic decisions on all their behalf. For example, the Convention team enhanced the stage with augmented reality and as the networks were not able to know what would be displayed on those screens prior to the event, they built the show in such a way that Brooke could give the networks a clean feed or the AR feed, and they could choose.
DiCicco talked about this being her first time working on pool coverage and being grateful to Brooke for the opportunity. She also talked about their weeks spent in Milwaukee preparing for and covering the event, and the surreal experience of learning about the assassination attempt while on set prepping for the Convention.
Kuehling described how as a Stage Manager for election events, she needs to do her job in the least disruptive way possible in order not to seem partisan. She noted that the candidates are ‘in the zone’ so she gives stage directions that are very specific and concise and doesn’t converse any further.
Click here for more on DGA members' involvement
covering the 2024 Presidential Election Events
ABOUT THE PANELISTS:
 Director Lily Olszewski (moderator)
In addition to her recent work on the Presidential Debate and ABC’s Election Night Coverage, Olszewski’s directorial credits include Good Morning America, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Watch What Happens Live, Anderson, Today, Donahue, The Jenny McCarthy Show, Latin Billboard Awards Red Carpet, Premios Fox, Time and Again with Jane Pauley, Quite Frankly with Steven A. Smith, MTV’s The Seven and Countdown with Keith Olbermann. A DGA member since 2015, she currently serves as the Sixth Vice President of the DGA, is a member of the Eastern Directors Council and serves as the Director Category Representative for the Focus on Women Committee. |
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 Director Sarah Carlson Brooke
In addition to her recent work on the Republican National Convention Pool Feed, Brooke’s directorial credits include episodes of Hoda & Jenna and NBC’s Meet the Press, where she leads all aspects of the broadcast’s production, including the crew, design, and technical operations. She also serves as a staff Director at NBC, where she directs network news pool events. Brooke previously worked for Fox News Channel, where she directed multiple programs, including The Glenn Beck Program and The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet. She has been a DGA member since 2005 and has served as a member of the Focus on Women Committee. |
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 Director Glenn Weiss
In addition to his recent directorial credits on the Democratic National Convention and Election Night Live with Brian Williams, Weiss' previous work has received 17 DGA Award nominations. He won the DGA Award in 2007, 2010-2014 and 2016 and 2022 for the 61st, 64th, 65th, 66th, 67th, 68th, 70th and 75th Annual Tony Awards, and in 2017 for The 89th Annual Academy Awards. He was also nominated in the Musical Variety category in 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2008 for the 55th, 56th, 59th, 60th and 62nd Annual Tony Awards and in 2019 for The 91st Annual Academy Awards and in 2021 for The 43rd Annual Kennedy Center Honors. Additionally, Mr. Weiss was nominated in 2015 for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Mini-Series, together with Rob Ashford, for Peter Pan Live! Weiss has also served on the National Board and the Eastern Directors Council as a first alternate and alternate respectively from 2015-2017 and recently served on the Guild’s Return to Work Committee. Weiss joined the DGA in 1994. |
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 Associate Director Dawn DiCicco
In addition to her recent work on the Republican National Convention Pool Feed, DiCicco’s Associate Director and Production Associate credits include episodes of The View, The View Live Election Special, NBC Nightly News, The Jerry O Show, Countdown to Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. She has been a DGA member since 2016 and has served as an alternate on the Eastern AD/SM/PA Council and on the 2023 DGA Negotiations Committee. |
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 Associate Director Elisabeth Sobel
In addition to her recent work on the Presidential Debate and ABC’s Election Night Coverage, Sobel’s credits include work as a control room Associate Director for special events at ABC News, as a staff AD for and as a tape and back up control room AD for the overnight news shows. Her resume includes special events such as the 2016 Elections, 2018 Midterm Elections, Presidential Debates, State of The Union Address, Democratic and Republican Debates, and 2020 Super Tuesday; and programs including Good Morning America, Nightline, World News Now and America This Morning. Sobel has been a DGA member since 1996. |
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 Stage Manager Anne Marie Kuehling
In addition to her recent work on the Presidential Debate, Kuehling’s credits include episodes of Live PD Wanted, Live Rescue, Live PD, Katie, Good Morning America and Whatever, You're Wrong; and specials such as David Blaine's Dive of Death and the 19th Annual International Emmy Awards. She was also part of Roger Goodman's DGA Award-nominated team for ABC 2000. Kuehling has been a DGA member since 1991. |
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About the Eastern AD/SM/PA Council:
The Eastern AD/SM/PA Council is the elected body that represents the Guild members who reside in the Eastern region and work in television as Associate Directors, Stage Managers or Production Associates.
About The Special Projects Committee
Special Projects is the educational and cultural arm of the Directors Guild of America, providing its members opportunities for creative exchange to advance their craft and celebrate the achievements of directors and their teams.