The Directors Guild of America (DGA) has released its most recent comprehensive diversity and inclusion data from 1,026 DGA-covered feature films released theatrically during the five-year period from 2018-2022. Findings reveal that women directors and directors of color remain significantly underrepresented in directing feature films, with little increase from the DGA’s previous five-year review of 2013-2017.
During the most-recent five-year period from 2018-2022, women directed just 16% of DGA-covered feature film releases, while POC helmed just 17% of DGA-covered feature film releases. Directing jobs for women ranged across the five-year period from a low of 12% in 2018 to a high of 22% in 2020. Similarly, directors of color range from a low of 13% in 2019 to a high of 25% in 2021.
“The DGA’s latest five-year analysis reveals the continuing systemic underrepresentation of women and directors of color in directing features,” said DGA president Lesli Linka Glatter. “Though there has been significant progress in episodic television hiring, feature film hiring continues to be both inconsistent from year-to-year with little or no growth over the last five years. The DGA remains united in our commitment to continue pushing for meaningful action from producers that will increase access and representation that aligns with our diverse membership.”
DGA-covered theatrical releases peaked in 2018 at 292 but have since declined to 162 in 2022. Even factoring in typical ebb and flow and COVID’s impact on 2020’s output, the past five years reflect a continuing slide in feature film production, affecting opportunities for feature film hiring and diversity.
A further breakdown of the data focused on gender and race/ethnicity reveals starker differences for directing opportunities. Across the 2018-2022 period, white women helmed 11% of features, while men of color held roughly 14% of those jobs. Only 4% of films were directed by women of color.
Underscoring the continued underrepresentation of women and POC, the DGA compared the results of this report to the five-year report covering 2013-2017. Although the methodology was slightly different in the two reports, women directors showed only incremental growth from 8% of the feature films released during 2013-17 to 16% of the feature films released during 2018-2022; while directors of color increased slightly from 13% over the 2013-2017 period to 17% for the 2018-2022 period. Both groups experienced significant percentage fluctuation throughout the decade from year-to-year, but overall, the numbers remained consistently low. What we are not seeing is a steady upwards trend that would signal sustainable growth.
Analysis of Budget Thresholds
In looking closely at whether budget was a major determinant of diverse hiring, the DGA examined the hiring practices for both high-budget films (above $11 million) and low-budget films (below $11 million.) The high and low budget threshold break aligns with the threshold in DGA’s Low Budget Agreement. Women directed 13% of high budget and 18% of low budget releases. For directors of color the figure was 17% for both high and low budget releases.
Documentaries, animated films, and re-releases were not included as part of the release data.
Analysis of First DGA Covered Features
In a more detailed look at the data, one bright spot was an increase in hiring of women and people of color directing their first DGA-covered feature release. Of the 382 first DGA-covered features released between 2018 and 2022, 27% of those features were directed by women and 20% by people of color–both higher percentages than the overall data of women and POC directors from the same period.
These report findings underscore there is still much work to be done to drive meaningful change in entrenched industry practices. The DGA will continue to push for hiring practices that promote a more diverse and inclusive directorial workforce.
Future Reporting: The DGA will continue to collect data regarding additional genres and underrepresented communities where further analysis may illuminate hiring trends.
