Title: Tensions Rise in Hollywood as Prominent Directors Guild Member Advocates Against Writer-Directors’ Election to Board
Date: [Insert Date]
In a recent development highlighting the escalating internal tensions within Hollywood, a prominent member of the Directors Guild of America (DGA) openly opposed the election of ten writer-directors to the guild’s board. Linda Montanti, chair of the guild’s Western AD/UPM Council, sent a leaked email urging DGA voters not to support the candidacies of these multihyphenates, citing their primary focus on writing and their association with “fringe groups.”
The leaked email, which has circulated widely within the creative community, targeted writer-producer Boots Riley, Oscar-winning writer-director Sian Heder, actor-filmmaker Justine Bateman, actor-writer Paul Scheer, and “Chernobyl” creator Craig Mazin, among others. Some of these individuals have been vocal about strike issues, adding to the controversy surrounding Montanti’s move. DGA president Lesli Linka Glatter reached out to the affected members to assure them that Montanti’s actions did not reflect the views of top DGA leaders.
The email, sent two days before the DGA’s biennial National Convention, outraged industry insiders and has been shared with members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) through private channels. The WGA has been on strike against major studios and streamers for four months, while SAG-AFTRA has been on strike since July 14. In contrast, the DGA recently ratified a new three-year contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. This stark contrast has exacerbated historic tensions between the WGA and DGA.
Critics of the DGA argue that Montanti’s email highlights the rigidity within the guild and the resistance of established players to the more “activist” stances taken by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA. The public nature of the email and its pointed message about fellow DGA members is a rare example of politicking within the union, which typically keeps its internal affairs private.
Montanti’s email specifically targeted filmmaker Boots Riley as “anti-DGA” and included other notable names such as Shaz Bennett, Hannah Fidell, Susanna Fogel, Tanya Saracho, and Tara Miele. The email reflects long-standing views held by certain factions within the DGA, suggesting that some of its writer members are seen as troublemakers.
The authenticity of the email has been confirmed by multiple recipients, and Montanti sent it from her personal email account. However, she used her title as chair of the council overseeing West Coast issues for assistant directors and unit production managers in her email signature.
Representatives for all eight individuals mentioned in the email declined to comment, and Montanti did not respond to requests for comment. A DGA spokesman condemned the email and its comments about members, emphasizing that it was not part of a coordinated effort by DGA leaders to influence the election.
In response to the growing controversy, DGA president Lesli Linka Glatter personally contacted the individuals mentioned in the email and followed up with an email to over 200 writer-director DGA members. Glatter expressed her dismay and emphasized that Montanti’s email was not an official DGA communication. She also announced plans to organize a special meeting to address the issue and rebuild trust within the guild.
The reference to members as being aligned with “fringe groups” has caused confusion, as all ten individuals, except Saracho, are signatories to the Union Solidarity Coalition. This organization was founded by writer-directors who sought to support crew members affected by the ongoing WGA strike. The coalition held a fundraiser in July to cover healthcare costs arising from the strikes.
The leaked email has sparked discussions about the resistance to activism within the DGA and the strained relationship between the DGA, WGA, and SAG-AFTRA. As tensions continue to rise, industry insiders are closely watching how the guilds navigate these internal conflicts and work towards a resolution.
[Insert Author Name]Hollywood’s internal tensions have reached a new level as a prominent member of the Directors Guild of America (DGA) openly spoke out against the election of 10 writer-directors to the guild’s board. Linda Montanti, chair of the guild’s Western AD/UPM Council, sent a leaked email urging DGA voters not to support the candidacies of these writer-directors, claiming they were “primarily writers” and came from “fringe groups.”
The email, which has been widely shared in the creative community, targeted writer-producer Boots Riley, Oscar-winning writer-director Sian Heder, actor-filmmaker Justine Bateman, actor-writer Paul Scheer, and “Chernobyl” creator Craig Mazin, among others. Montanti’s move was not supported by top DGA leaders, and DGA president Lesli Linka Glatter reached out to the affected members to assure them of this.
The leaked email, sent just two days before the DGA’s National Convention, has sparked outrage among industry insiders and has been shared with members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA). The WGA is currently on strike against major studios and streamers, while SAG-AFTRA has also been on strike since July 14. In contrast, the DGA recently ratified a new three-year contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. This has further fueled tensions between the WGA and DGA.
Critics of the DGA argue that Montanti’s email highlights the rigidity within the guild and the resistance to the more “activist” stances taken by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA. The email’s public nature and pointed message about fellow DGA members are unusual in a union that typically keeps its internal affairs private.
Montanti specifically labeled filmmaker Boots Riley as “anti-DGA” in her email. The email also mentioned showrunner Shaz Bennett, director Hannah Fidell, director Susanna Fogel, showrunner Tanya Saracho, and director Tara Miele. The email reflects long-held views within the DGA that some of its writer members are prone to causing trouble.
The authenticity of the email has been confirmed by multiple recipients, and Montanti sent it from her personal email account but used her council chair title in the signature. Representatives for all the individuals mentioned in the email declined to comment, and Montanti did not respond to requests for comment. The DGA spokesman called the email and its comments about members “unacceptable” and emphasized that it was not part of a coordinated effort by DGA leaders.
In response to the growing noise surrounding Montanti’s email, DGA president Glatter personally called the individuals on the list and followed up with an email to over 200 writer-director DGA members. Glatter expressed her upset and emphasized that the email was not an official DGA communication. She also announced plans to organize a special meeting to address the issue and rebuild trust and communication within the guild.
Montanti’s reference to members as being aligned with “fringe groups” has caused confusion, as all 10 individuals on the list, except Saracho, are signatories to the Union Solidarity Coalition. This organization was founded by writer-directors who wanted to support crew members affected by the WGA strike. The coalition held a fundraiser for IATSE, the crew union, to cover healthcare costs arising from the strikes.
The leaked email has further exposed the tensions between the DGA and WGA, with some viewing it as an attempt to isolate writer-director members. However, this tension is not new and has been ongoing for decades. Despite the controversy, Glatter was re-elected as DGA president, and high-profile names like Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, and Nicole Kassell were elected to the guild’s national board.
How do the leaked email and subsequent discussions reflect the strained relationship between the DGA, WGA, and SAG-AFTRA
Saracho, and filmmaker Tara Miele. The email reflects long-standing views held by certain factions within the DGA, suggesting that some of its writer members are seen as troublemakers.
The authenticity of the email has been confirmed by multiple recipients, and Montanti sent it from her personal email account. However, she used her title as chair of the council overseeing West Coast issues for assistant directors and unit production managers in her email signature.
Representatives for all eight individuals mentioned in the email declined to comment, and Montanti did not respond to requests for comment. A DGA spokesman condemned the email and its comments about members, emphasizing that it was not part of a coordinated effort by DGA leaders to influence the election.
In response to the growing controversy, DGA president Lesli Linka Glatter personally contacted the individuals mentioned in the email and followed up with an email to over 200 writer-director DGA members. Glatter expressed her dismay and emphasized that Montanti’s email was not an official DGA communication. She also announced plans to organize a special meeting to address the issue and rebuild trust within the guild.
The mention of “fringe groups” has caused confusion, as all ten individuals, except Saracho, are signatories to the Union Solidarity Coalition. This coalition was founded by writer-directors who sought to support crew members affected by the ongoing WGA strike. The coalition held a fundraiser in July to cover healthcare costs arising from the strikes.
The leaked email has sparked discussions about resistance to activism within the DGA and the strained relationship between the DGA, WGA, and SAG-AFTRA. As tensions continue to rise, industry insiders are closely watching how the guilds navigate these internal conflicts and work towards a resolution.
