May 22, 1995
DGA President Gene Reynolds and Walt Disney Network Television Division President Dean Valentine today announced the creation of the industry's first Directors Training Program to identify and employ minority directing talent at Disney on half-hour multi-camera tape and filmed comedies.
The groundbreaking program is the initial substantive result of a series of meetings initiated by the Guild with studios and networks to find ways to improve employment opportunities for women and minority DGA members. "The Directors Guild congratulates the Disney Television Division on the establishment of this innovative new approach to improving the industry's poor employment record of ethnic minority DGA members," commented Reynolds. "We look forward to the success of this program, and urge other employers to implement similar efforts to discover this largely untapped talent pool within the Guild."
Under the supervision of John Litvack, Senior Vice-President, Network Television for Walt Disney Television and Janet Blake, Vice-President of Writer Development & Special Projects for Walt Disney Television, the new 8-week Directors Training Program will consist of orientation, supervised observation, and hands-on experience culminating in a pay-or-play directing assignment.
"The Directors Training Program is a major step in providing access and building relationships with talented and under represented directors," stated Valentine. "I am thrilled at the prospect that this program will be as successful as the Disney Writing Fellowship Program which has made a serious commitment in recruiting and hiring minority writers over the past five years."
Qualified individuals who are members of an ethnic minority group may obtain an application package from the Director Training Program Administrator,Walt Disney Television at (818) 560-4000.
Application packages for the Directors Training Program may be submitted starting August 15, 1995 until no later than September 22, 1995. Final notification of selected candidates will take place in December, 1995. Tentative start date for the Directors Training Program is January, 1996.