Three senior executives at the Directors Guild of America (DGA)–Russ Hollander, David Korduner and Bryan Unger–will take the title of associate national executive director, with each responsible for different areas related to representation, service and the management of the Guild. The announcement was made by Jay D. Roth, DGA national executive director.
The organizational changes are intended to provide greater clarity about leadership roles and responsibilities for each of the Guild’s core functions while also more clearly defining the role of the National Office and the regional offices.
Hollander’s full title will be associate national executive director/Eastern executive director. In this capacity, he will have national responsibility for administration and enforcement of the Freelance Live and Tape Television Agreement; the National Commercial Agreement; all Non-Dramatic Programming (including Basic Cable); New Media; all Network News, Sports and Operations; and all Local Stations.
Hollander joined the DGA in 2001 as assistant Eastern executive director and was promoted to Eastern executive director in 2002. Prior to joining the DGA, he was a partner at Cohen, Weiss and Simon LLP, a law firm representing labor organizations and employee benefit plans. Hollander received his law degree from Harvard University and his undergraduate degree from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations.
Unger’s full title will be associate national executive director/Western executive director. In this capacity, he will have national responsibility for administration and enforcement of the Basic Agreement; Low Budget Agreement; all Dramatic Programming (including Basic Cable); Creative Rights; Diversity; and Agency Relations.
Unger began his career at the DGA in 1994 as an assistant executive director. He was promoted to associate Western executive director in 1999 and then to Western executive director in 2000. Prior to joining the DGA, Unger worked in film and television production for several years before becoming a labor executive at NABET Local 15 and then serving for five years as an International representative with the IATSE in New York. He graduated from the New York University Film School.
Additionally, Unger will be responsible for local service and representation related to the Western offices of the Guild, while Hollander will be responsible for local service and representation related to the Eastern offices of the Guild. These local duties include: responsibility to local councils and coordinating committees; field operations; monitoring member work, non-union work, discipline and local organizing; and geographical contract administration and enforcement.
Meanwhile Korduner’s full title will be associate national executive director/sr. general counsel. In this capacity, he will have responsibility for oversight and management of Guild departments including Residuals; Membership; Credits; Reports Compliance; Signatories; Human Resources; and Legal.
Korduner first joined the DGA as Associate General Counsel from 1995-2001 before becoming sr. counsel, Labor Relations at ABC/Touchstone Television and senior counsel, Legal Affairs at Disney/ABC Cable Networks. Korduner rejoined the Guild in 2005 and was promoted to general counsel in 2007. He received his B.A. with honors from UC-Santa Cruz, his M.Sc from the London School of Economics and his J.D. from the UCLA School of Law.
“I believe these well-deserved promotions and organizational changes will enhance the Guild’s ability to serve the membership with even greater excellence and commitment to representation and service,” stated Roth.
All three associate national executive directors will continue to report directly to the national executive director, as will the Communications, Finance, Government Affairs, Operations and Special Projects departments.
Alec Baldwin Urges Judge To Stand By Dismissal Of Involuntary Manslaughter Case In “Rust” Shooting
Alec Baldwin urged a New Mexico judge on Friday to stand by her decision to skuttle his trial and dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against the actor in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of a Western movie.
State District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case against Baldwin halfway through a trial in July based on the withholding of evidence by police and prosecutors from the defense in the 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust."
The charge against Baldwin was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it can't be revived once any appeals of the decision are exhausted.
Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey recently asked the judge to reconsider, arguing that there were insufficient facts and that Baldwin's due process rights had not been violated.
Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer on "Rust," was pointing a gun at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal when it went off, killing her and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said he pulled back the hammer — but not the trigger — and the revolver fired.
The case-ending evidence was ammunition that was brought into the sheriff's office in March by a man who said it could be related to Hutchins' killing. Prosecutors said they deemed the ammunition unrelated and unimportant, while Baldwin's lawyers alleged that they "buried" it and filed a successful motion to dismiss the case.
In her decision to dismiss the Baldwin case, Marlowe Sommer described "egregious discovery violations constituting misconduct" by law enforcement and prosecutors, as well as false testimony about physical evidence by a witness during the trial.
Defense counsel says that prosecutors tried to establish a link... Read More