June 18, 2022
As part of the DGA's decades-long commitment to pushing for industry inclusion, on Saturday, June 18 the Guild held a graduation ceremony for the West Coast participants of its 2021-2022 Television Director Mentorship Program. Held in the atrium of the DGA’s Los Angeles headquarters, the event was culmination of the program that paired members who aspire to expand their TV-directing careers (protégés) with veteran directors (mentors) who served as their professional guides to the working world of episodic television throughout the 2021-2022 season.
Participants in the structured, intensive career development program were matched based on their work experience, interpersonal chemistry and mutual craft interests to ensure a fulfilling experience. For nine months they were exposed to the latest technical skillsets and best practices in preparation for a career in directing episodic television. The Television Director Mentorship Program is part of the DGA’s Director Development Initiative, which focuses on education, networking and career development. The combined programs aim to set members up for success through professional development so that they can turn new opportunities into long-term careers. The West Coast protégé candidates were selected through an online application process which ran from May 30 - June 30, 2021.
During the ceremony, the attendees heard from Mentorship Program Consultant Ron Taylor and DGA Diversity & Inclusion Coordinator Ollie Ashtari-Larki who congratulated the 2022 graduating class. They also were able to receive in-person congratulations from mentors Allan Arkush, Leonard R. Garner Jr., Victor Gonzalez and Ken Whittingham, who were also in attendance.
The 2021-2022 Television Mentorship Program West Coast
Mentors and Protégés are as follows (in alphabetical order):
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West Coast Mentors
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West Coast Protégés
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The graduation for the East Coast program is scheduled for Saturday, July 23, 2022. The Director Development Initiative Television Director Mentorship Program takes place every other year.
About the Director Development Initiative:
The Director Development Initiative is designed to provide current information on the Director’s craft in order to further the Guild’s mission to increase the diversity of the industry.
The DGA has been pressing studios, networks, and producers to be more inclusive in hiring for four decades. The Guild’s efforts include: collective bargaining gains requiring television studios to operate TV director diversity programs; ongoing meetings with studios, networks and individual series regarding their hiring records; and publicized reports detailing employer hiring patterns. In addition, the Guild itself has initiated a variety of TV director mentorship and educational programs to support the career development of its members.
photos by Elisa Haber