The DGA’s Director Development Initiative (DDI), committed to providing resources and opportunities for members to enhance their skills and further their careers in the entertainment industry, has unveiled the 2024 edition of its Television Mentorship Program. This program is designed to offer professional development pathways for DGA members interested in pursuing episodic television directing.
Through this eight-month program, DGA members who aspire to be episodic television Directors (protégés) are matched with experienced episodic television Directors (mentors). The interactive setting exposes protégés to the latest skillsets in preparation for a career in directing episodic television.
“The DGA’s Television Mentorship Program is a testament to our dedication in developing the next wave of episodic Directors,” said DGA President Lesli Linka Glatter. “By pairing aspiring members with experienced industry veterans, we are empowering them to hone their craft and gain invaluable insights that will help them for years to come. I extend my gratitude to all of the mentors who have generously shared their expertise, helping to cultivate, nurture and support a vibrant and inclusive future of storytelling.”
The selection process for the 2024 program was highly competitive, running from August 2023 to March 2024. Over 200 DGA members applied, with over 75 experienced episodic Directors volunteering their time for the vetting process.
The 2024 Television Mentorship Program Protégés and Mentors and are as follows (in alphabetical order):
Western Region:
- Phillip Rhys Chaudhary mentored by Shaz Bennett
- Johnson Cheng mentored by Jeffrey Blitz
- Anna Halberg and Spenser Cohen mentored by Tessa Blake
- Jarrett Conaway mentored by Stephen Cragg
- Will Joines and Karrie Crouse mentored by Nathan Hope
- Juliana Curi mentored by Mary Lou Belli
- Samantha Dock mentored by Chris Long
- Courtney Franklin mentored by Alec Smight
- Claire Fowler mentored by Rebecca Asher
- Jeannette Godoy mentored by Iain B. MacDonald
- Rami Hachache mentored by Anna Mastro
- Gia-Rayne Harris mentored by Joanna Kerns
- Jean Lee mentored by Tucker Gates
- David Mahmoudieh mentored by Jaffar Mahmood
- Henry Mason mentored by Chris Long
- Anjali Nayar mentored by Ken Fink
- Lisbon Okafor mentored by Sharat Raju
- Tchaiko Omawale mentored by Michael Nankin
- Talia Osteen mentored by Greg Beeman
- Shawn Pipkin-West mentored by Pete Chatmon
- Jessica Rae mentored by Andrew Wolk
- Alvaro Ron mentored by Philip Sgriccia
- Molly Smith mentored by Robert Cohen
- James Takata mentored by Bethany Rooney
- Cynthia Wade mentored by Maggie Kiley
Eastern Region:
- Shari Carpenter mentored by Maggie Kiley
- Jon Delgado mentored by Andrew Fleming
- Quincy Ledbetter mentored by Nick Copus
- Allison Miller mentored by Timothy Busfield
- Arthur Muhammad mentored by Jeremy Podeswa
- Jamaal Parham and Bashan Aquart mentored by Pete Chatmon
- Amy Rice mentored by Jessica Lowrey
- Joan Schimke mentored by Elizabeth Rosenbaum
- Nikki Taylor-Roberts mentored by Geoff Shotz
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 Quintin Lundy (Los Angeles) and Marcie Revens (New York)
