As part of the DGA's decades-long commitment to push for industry inclusion, the Guild has conducted the Television Director Mentorship Program that pairs members who aspire to expand their TV-directing careers (protégés) with veteran directors (mentors) who serve as their professional guides to the working world of episodic television. The structured, intensive career development program, which has been executed in 2018, 2019, and 2020, has now added 34 graduates from the East and West Coast sessions in 2022. On Thursday, October 20, the Guild held the first graduation ceremony for the East Coast participants; the graduates of the West Coast program were recognized at a separate event in June, 2022.
“Through mentorship and in-depth training from seasoned episodic Director members, we have created opportunities for members across all DGA categories to deepen their skills and provide a robust pipeline of diverse talent for our industry,” said DGA President Lesli Linka Glatter. “My personal thanks to our terrific mentors who have so willingly supported the Guild’s commitment to providing opportunities for the next generation of storytellers.”
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.
Breannah Oppenhuizen, Diversity & Inclusion Program Executive for the DGA, stressed the Guild’s long-term commitment, “The DGA looks forward to continuing the DDI Mentorship program with the release of the application for its 2023 cycle slated for early next year. The newest iteration of the program will reintroduce career development workshops as a key secondary component in addition to the craft workshops and monthly learning events.”
Graduating Protéges and Mentors – 2022 Cycle
East Coast Graduation – October 20, 2022:
- Lloyd Lee Choi mentored by Rob Hardy
- Jennifer Derwingson-Peacock mentored by Michael Pressman
- Yor-El Francis mentored by Norberto Barba
- Melissa Haizlip mentored by Seith Mann
- Kris Lefcoe mentored by Andy Cadiff
- Eduardo Letamendi mentored by Michael Smith
- Seyi Peter-Thomas mentored by Laura Belsey
- Lydia Dean Pilcher mentored by Michael Slovis
- Sarah Pirozek mentored by Timothy Busfield
- Susanna Styron mentored by Nicole Kassell
West Coast Graduation – June 18, 2022:
- Steve Acevedo mentored by Mel Damski
- Amy Aniobi mentored by Todd Holland
- R. Dianne Bartlow mentored by Mary Lou Belli
- Daniel Bydlowski mentored by Leonard R Garner Jr.
- Anna Chi mentored by Jet Wilkinson
- Alycia Cooper mentored by Ken Whittingham
- Stephanie Cristancho mentored by Michael Goi
- Miguel Cruz mentored by Jaffar Mahmood
- Patrick Cummings mentored by Jeffrey Blitz
- Rylee Ebsen mentored by Mark Cendrowski
- Sean Frank mentored by Carl Seaton
- Eli Gonda mentored by Bill D’Elia
- Cellin Gluck mentored by Viet Nguyen
- Corey Grant mentored by Victor Gonzalez
- Joy Lane mentored by Lee Rose
- Annetta Marion mentored by Kabir Akhtar
- Carmen Marrón mentored by Allan Arkush
- Andrew Molina mentored by Ed Ornelas
- SJ Main Muñoz mentored by Andy Wolk
- Pratibha Parmar mentored by Ron Underwood
- Chell Stephen mentored by Tessa Blake
- Jay Torres mentored by Bethany Rooney
- Scott Weintrob mentored by Lee Rose
- Ssong Yang mentored by Rodrigo Garcia
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.
