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 Director's Guild of America Awards -
Since 1971, the DGA has honored excellence in five categories of
television direction including Comedy, Drama, Musical Variety,
Documentaries and Specials. In 1977, the News/Special Reports
and Best Director of the Year categories were added.
The DGA began in 1936 as the Screen Director's Guild with only
75 members who hoped to achieve proper recognition and creative
freedom for their craft. By 1938, the SDG represented 95 percent
of all Directors and Assistant Directors in Hollywood.
In 1948, George Marshall, the President of the Screen Directors
Guild, began offering The DGA annual award ceremony to honor
directors for their directorial achievement. Originally, there
was only one annual prize.
The first award to a "television" directors was bestowed in 1953
to Director Robert Flory and Assistant Director Bruce Fowler for
their "Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Television" on the
TV Movie "The Last Voyage."
In 1960, members of the Screen Directors and the Radio-TV
Directors Guild (formed in 1947) merged to become the Director's
Guild of America. Their group then represented some 3000+ directors,
assistant directors and unit managers working in the TV radio
and film industry.
In 1977, the Guild begins the most difficult film negotiations
in its history, working to address economic inequities and
obtain artistic rights. In 1998, The DGA successfully champions
historic legislation in the US Congress that ensures that when
films are transferred to new owners or distributors, directors,
performers and writers are legally guaranteed payment of
residuals as provided by their collectively bargained
agreements.
As of 2006,
The Directors Guild of America represents more than 12,000
members working in U.S. cities and abroad. Their creative work
is represented in theatrical, industrial, educational and
documentary films and television, as well as, videos and
commercials.
Among the annual awards presented by the Director's Guild are
the Annual Award for the Best Directorial Achievement; the DGA
Student Academy Award (begun in 1990), the Preston Sturges Award
for outstanding achievements in both writing and directing
(Presented jointly with the WGAw); the WGAw/DGA Lifetime
Achievement Award; the John Huston Award for Artists Rights, and
the DGA Diversity Award honoring producers or employers in the
industry who have demonstrated consistent commitment to and
leadership in the hiring of women and ethnic minorities in DGA
categories. In 2005, the DGA institutes a
new Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Reality
Programs.
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