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Chris Cullari is a writer/director based out of Los Angeles. His most recent film, THE AVIARY, is available for streaming on Paramount Plus and Showtime. You can find him tweeting about monsters, pro-wrestling, and horror movies.
At Wrapbook, we pride ourselves on providing outstanding free resources to producers and their crews, but this post is for informational purposes only as of the date above. The content on our website is not intended to provide and should not be relied on for legal, accounting, or tax advice. You should consult with your own legal, accounting, or tax advisors to determine how this general information may apply to your specific circumstances.
Before starting the hiring process, it's important to determine who is ultimately making the call about director hires.
In the case of a pilot, this is typically the showrunner’s decision, since they are the key creative steering the ship. In series—or in unique pilot cases—it’s possible that director hiring decisions could fall to a showrunner-selected producing director responsible for coordinating the directing team for the series.
It’s also possible, though less likely, that the call could be made by a non-writing executive producer, network or studio executive, or some combination of the above.
Whoever is ultimately in charge, a clear delineation of responsibility and authority will ensure efficient decision-making and prevent potential conflicts during the selection process.
The DGA negotiates a new deal with the AMPTP every three years, so it’s essential to stay up to date on the requirements of each new contract from pay scales to meal penalties to travel requirements and more.
You must also take into account guild-specific talent pool considerations and evolving industry initiatives. Understanding these elements ensures both regulatory compliance and access to qualified directing talent while maintaining a smooth relationship with the guild.
If your production is operating under a DGA contract, you must hire a director in good standing with the DGA. It is your responsibility to verify your candidates’ current DGA membership status or to apply for a waiver if you are facing special circumstances.
If you are a non-union production, then you must be prepared to hire a non-union director—or begin the process of becoming a guild signatory.
The DGA maintains availability lists that inform prospective employers about members who are available for hire and how they can be contacted.
These lists are published weekly and are separated by DGA category and region. They serve as a resource for networking and identifying qualified directors for television productions.
The Director’s Guild has played a pivotal role in the television industry’s strides towards more equitable employment. Their Television Mentorship Program stands as a cornerstone initiative, providing a pathway for underrepresented talent to gain valuable experience and industry connections.
This program, which operates out of both Los Angeles and New York, has successfully launched numerous directing careers and continues to serve as a vital pipeline for emerging voices in television.
In keeping with the DGA’s focus on diversity, many of the major studios have launched their own television directing development programs. While the DGA doesn’t mandate that you consider graduates of these programs, they are valuable resources to consider, especially if you are seeking to support authentic, diverse voices.
Evaluating potential directors requires a multi-pronged approach that takes into account both a candidate’s creative capabilities and practical considerations. Make sure to review their experience with material in the same style or genre as your project, their availability, their reputation, and their rates.
For both technical and creative reasons, it’s important to consider a director’s style, voice, and past work when seeing if they are a good fit for your project.
For instance, a director with three camera comedy experience might not be the best choice for a single camera comedy due to the significant technical differences in how those styles are performed and shot.
At the same time, putting a single camera comedy director at the helm of your single camera sci-fi action show might also not make the most sense. Even though the technical process is the same, the genre expectations are wildly different and the tone and style of the project might suffer.
That said, many directors are talented storytellers across styles and genres, so while experience is an important consideration—it is just that. A consideration. Giving a new director a leg up can sometimes produce surprising and satisfying results!
This extends beyond simply confirming a director is available during your shoot dates. Television directors must commit to the full scope of involvement, including prep periods, principal photography, and any required post-production supervision.
You may ask for commitment to include potential reshoot availability and participation in promotional activities, which can sometimes happen months after production concludes. Clear communication about these expectations during the initial evaluation helps prevent scheduling conflicts later in the production process.
While experience and availability is important, perhaps nothing is more essential to a successful collaboration than a director’s personality and process.
The best way to find out how a director works is to start making calls. Contact recent showrunners and producers who can speak to the director's creative process, communication style, and ability to work within production constraints.
Technical crew references from cinematographers, costume designers, and composers can offer valuable perspective on the director's set management and ability to collaborate, while network and studio feedback often provides insight into a director’s ability to handle network notes.
Finally, it’s essential to have brass tacks conversations with a director’s agents and managers regarding the director’s fees. While the DGA establishes minimums for guild members, remember that a director’s deal is always open to negotiation above that baseline.
A director’s rate—or “quote”—will vary depending on how in demand they are and how successful past projects have been. In other words, Spielberg is gonna cost you a little more than a first time pilot director.
It’s important to have these conversations up front and be realistic about what your production can afford to avoid any conflicts down the road.
When hiring a DGA director for your television show, it is essential to adhere to all union rules and regulations. This is necessary during each stage of the relationship with your show’s director from contract negotiations to DGA notifications and beyond.
Helping you prepare for this step is where our free template can act as a force multiplier on your project. Even if your final paperwork is prepared by the studio or network, it will give you a good idea of what to expect.
DGA contracts must address the guild’s minimum requirements while outlining specific expectations for prep days, shooting schedules, and post-production involvement, no matter which studio or network is making the deal.
Credit requirements and placement must align with both DGA regulations and network or studio specifications. The contract with your director should also delineate any additional responsibilities or expectations beyond standard directing duties, such as promotional activities.
Productions must complete and submit all paperwork to the DGA on time.
This includes deal memos, pay documentation, call sheets for each shooting day worked, and production reports for each shooting day worked. Keeping up to date with these DGA records helps maintain compliance and facilitate easy administration of benefits to your director.
To help, the DGA maintains a guide to what paperwork is required for a Basic Television Agreement on their website.
Under DGA agreements, the director’s rights must be respected throughout the production process—even on television shows. These rights include things as creatively essential as the right to a director’s cut and as practical as the right to an office.
Don’t forget that these rights include the credit specifications detailed in the DGA agreement! Understanding and honoring these creative rights helps maintain positive relationships with both the director you choose to hire and the guild as a whole.
Hiring a DGA director represents a significant investment in your television production's success, and our Director's Television Series Employment Agreement is here to help provide an understanding of what can make or break that deal.
For more information on union compliance, make sure to check out our articles on paying workers at scale and our guide to essential SAG paperwork.
Television production is a complex business and hiring a member of the Directors Guild of America (DGA) requires careful consideration of various contractual, creative, and logistical factors.
Our comprehensive guide walks you through the essential steps of hiring a DGA director for your show to ensure compliance with industry standards while achieving your project’s creative goals.
While many studios and networks will ultimately want to use their own in-house contracts, our template serves as a way to help empower your understanding of the key components in a Director's Television Series Employment Agreement.
Download the template right here!
