About the DGC National Directors Division Observer Initiative

The DGC National Directors Division (NDD) Director Observer Initiative is a finely tuned framework designed to easily enable producers and Shooting Directors (Directors who have episodes of television coming up) to discover new talent and invest in the future of the industry through an on-set placement of a Director Observer (also sometimes called a ‘Shadow’). The DGC will ensure the experience is simple, smooth and fruitful for all involved. 

This initiative is open to all DGC Director members. When a placement is triggered, the DGC will inform the DGC Director membership of the opportunity and facilitate finding Directors who desire to accumulate experience in the format and genre of the show. Using our powerful search engine, Directors.ca, we will provide the Producer and Shooting Director with a detailed listing of DGC Directors who are qualified, experienced, understand set-culture, and are available and poised to participate. The Producer and Shooting Director will make their selection and the DGC will set up a prep-meeting to get everyone on the same page.

The DGC will monitor established weekly goals with the Shooting Director and Director Observer. Once the placement is complete, the DGC will schedule a debrief meeting with the Producer, Shooting Director and Director Observer in order to continue to improve the Initiative.  

What are the expectations of the Producer?

For the success of this initiative, it is important that the Producer and the Shooting Director are involved in the selection process of the Director Observer.

The Producer will provide the Director Observer with meaningful access to all aspects of pre-production, production, and post-production – in essence, wherever the Shooting Director goes – so does the Observer (with agreed upon limitations).

The Producer or Shooting Director will introduce the Director Observer to all key players on the Production (above and below the line). They will be given access to all prep and production paperwork congruent to the Shooting Director – including the shooting script(s), one-liner, shooting schedules and breakdowns and the Shooting Director’s shot lists and/or storyboards (if applicable). Similarly, by providing the Observer access to a comtec or similar device and access to the “video village”, the Observer will exponentially grow in their skills. 

What are the expectations of the Shooting Director?

It is important that the Producer and the Shooting Director are involved in the selection process of the Director Observer and that the Observer have access to all aspects of pre-production, production, and post-production.

That being said, all parties agree that Directing the episode they’ve been hired to deliver will be the Shooting Director’s priority at all times. Mentoring the Director Observer should only be done when time or attention allows. If it’s not possible to give any mentorship during a shooting day that is ok, simply observing is very valuable to the Director Observer.

What are the expectations of the Director Observer?

The Director Observer placement is a unique opportunity for Directors seeking to gain experience and knowledge in  all aspects of Productions they have not yet worked on. Clear communication of goals and expectations, and building trust are key to establishing an honest and respectful relationship with the Shooting Director. 

That being said, the Shooting Director needs to prioritize their job at all times and may not always be available to engage, communicate or share wisdom about their process. The Director Observer should expect mentorship as time or attention allows. 

When time allows, the Director Observer should have questions ready for the Shooting Director and take notes of the insights they share about choices around blocking a scene, shot order, actor direction or how they gave notes. 

When observing it is especially valuable to prepare as if the Director Observer is directing the episode. Break down the script, build a shot list, figure out blocking, and silently role-play to privately compare the Director Observer’s choices to those of the Shooting Director. 

In Post Production, they are to audit the Director’s cut when possible, to get valuable insight into how decisions in prep and production have come together into the edit. 

Honourariums & Insurance

Shooting Directors will receive an honourarium to acknowledge the extra work they are doing to elevate and strengthen the industry by taking on a Director Observer. The Director Observer will receive a weekly honourarium through the DGC, partnerships, or workforce development programs, and be included on the production’s payroll and insurance. 

The DGC is dedicated to helping productions have a positive and collaborative experience. 

Please read the FAQ below for more information.

To explore Director Observer placements, Producers and Shooting Directors (Directors who have episodes of television coming up) should contact:
Hans Engel, Director of the National Directors Division
Email: hengel@dgc.ca