Directors Guild of America 6.07

The Directors Guild of America is a labor organization that represents the creative and economic rights of directors and members of the directorial team working in film, television, commercials, documentaries, news, sports and new media.

Founded in 1936 when a small group of the best-known directors of the time joined together to protect the economic and creative rights of directors in motion pictures, the DGA is the world’s preeminent organization representing directors and members of the directorial team, including Directors, Assistant Directors, Unit Production Managers, Associate Directors, Stage Managers and Production Associates – 15,000 strong worldwide.

The DGA is governed by an elected National Board of Directors made up of actively working DGA members and is managed by a professional staff of 140 in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago. Guild departments that service the members include Communications, Contracts, Credits, Government and International Affairs, Legal, Membership, Operations, Reports Compliance, Research, Residuals, Signatories, and Special Projects working actively to monitor and enforce Guild collective bargaining agreements, communicate important issues to the membership and the public, and program special events designed to educate, strengthen and enhance the Guild community. The professional staff works with the best outside law firms, accountants and auditors to assist them as needed in serving the membership.

In addition to the National Board, the membership is represented by six councils of elected members that are designated by categories (Directors; Assistant Directors and Unit Production Managers; and Associate Directors, Stage Managers and Production Associates) and geographic area (East; West). Diversity, coordinating and special committees represent additional member groups and activities.

On behalf of its members, the Guild negotiates industry-wide agreements governing the minimum compensation, benefits, working conditions and duties of DGA members. Through its negotiations, the DGA has achieved significant gains for our members including world-class pension and health plans, residuals provisions that enable members to financially benefit from the reuse of their work and the development of flexible and low-budget agreements that allow even the lowest-budgeted films and television to be made under a DGA agreement. The Guild provides its members with an infrastructure and safety net that enables directors and their teams to flourish while knowing that the Guild is here to support them.