July 1, 1997
DGA President Jack Shea announced today that the Directors Guild of America will present its first ever DGA Diversity Award as the culmination of its Summit on Diversity on Saturday, September 20, 1997. The award, which will honor a producer or employer in the industry who has demonstrated consistent commitment to and leadership in the hiring of women and ethnic minorities in DGA categories, will be given following the day-long clinics and panel discussions.
Nominations for the Diversity Award may be submitted by DGA members, studio, network and company executives and agents until July 11.
Those nominated will be asked to provide a summary of their achievements in the hiring of DGA women and ethnic minorities to an Awards Selection Committee, appointed by DGA President Shea.
"The presentation of the first ever DGA Diversity Award is a milestone in our decades-long fight for equality and fairness in industry hiring," Shea said. "I hope that in addition to being a great honor for its recipient, it will also serve as a wake-up call for the long list of employers who are not making progress quickly enough in this area."
The Summit on Diversity will explore how studios, networks, producers and directors have tackled the tough questions involved in creating diverse workforces and diverse programming. It will begin at 11am with two members-only clinics aimed at improving employment for DGA women and minorities, entitled "Interviewing Techniques" and "How to Work the System."
The afternoon will consist of two panel discussions. The first panel, entitled "Crossing Cultural Boundaries," will be moderated by former DGA President and current DGA Secretary-Treasurer, director/producer Gilbert Cates. Panelists, including directors Paris Barclay, Penelope Spheeris, Jesus Treviño and Wayne Wang, will discuss how they have handled specific challenges having to do with gender and ethnicity and what they have learned from those experiences that might benefit their colleagues in the industry.
The second panel will be moderated by DGA First Vice President, director Martha Coolidge, and will be comprised of high-level studio and network executives as well as agents. Topics of discussion for the panelists will include what they, as industry leaders, are doing to promote and encourage diversity, the obstacles they are facing and how they are combating them, what others can learn from them, and what the DGA can do to support them.
"Our mission is not to inspire producers and executives to hire people because they are African-American, or Latino, or Asian, or female, etc.," said Coolidge. "Our mission is to show the people doing the hiring that if given the chance, a woman can direct an action film, an Asian can direct a period piece set in 19th century-England, an African-American can direct a film that is not about gangs. For too long certain doors have been closed to certain people and we are asking for those doors to be thrown open to all people. We're not asking for favors or handouts, we're looking for equality of opportunity, and I think events like this one go a long way towards establishing a frame of reference for that equality."