The winners of the Directors Guild of America Outstanding Directorial Achievement Awards for 2017 were announced tonight during the 70th Annual DGA Awards at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. Guillermo del Toro won the DGA’s Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for The Shape of Water.
Judd Apatow hosted the ceremony before an audience of more than 1,200 guests. Presenters included (in alphabetical order): Pamela Adlon, Kevin Bacon, Damien Chazelle, Betty Gabriel, Sally Hawkins, Marcus Henderson, Allison Janney, Richard Jenkins, Catherine Keener, Christine Lahti, Don Mischer, Kimberly Peirce, Chelsea Peretti, Sam Rockwell, Saoirse Ronan, Jay D. Roth, Thomas Schlamme, Amy Schumer, Frankie Shaw, John Singleton, Emma Thomas, Aisha Tyler, and Bradley Whitford.
OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN FEATURE FILM
GUILLERMO del TORO
The Shape of Water (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Mr. del Toro's Directorial Team:
- Unit Production Manager: J. Miles Dale
- Production Manager: Dennis Chapman
- First Assistant Director: Pierre Henry
- Second Assistant Director: Tyler Delben
This was Mr. del Toro's first DGA Award nomination.
OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT OF A FIRST-TIME FEATURE FILM DIRECTOR
JORDAN PEELE
Get Out (Universal Pictures)
Mr. Peele’s Directorial Team:
- Unit Production Managers: Marcei A. Brown, Rick A. Osako (Fairhope Unit)
- First Assistant Director: Gerard DiNardi
- Second Assistant Directors: Ram Paul Silbey, Marc Newland (Fairhope Unit), Jack McKenna (New York Unit)
- Second Second Assistant Director: Maggie Ballard
- Location Manager: Kurt Enger (New York Unit)
This was one of two DGA Award nominations this year for Mr. Peele. He was also nominated in the Feature Film category for Get Out.
OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMATIC SERIES
REED MORANO
The Handmaid’s Tale, “Offred” (Hulu)
Ms. Morano’s Directorial Team:
- Unit Production Manager: Joe Boccia
This was Ms. Morano’s first DGA Award nomination.
OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY SERIES
BETH MCCARTHY-MILLER
Veep, “Chicklet” (HBO)
Ms. McCarthy-Miller’s Directorial Team:
- Unit Production Manager: David Hyman
- First Assistant Director: Dale Stern
- Second Assistant Director: Jeff Rosenberg
- Second Second Assistant Director: Yarden Levo
- Additional Second Assistant Director: Chalis Romero
This was Ms. McCarthy-Miller’s twelfth DGA Award nomination. She won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series in 2013 for the 30 Rock episode “Hogcock!/Last Lunch.” She was also nominated that year, together with Rob Ashford, in the Movies for Television and Mini-Series category for The Sound of Music Live! She was previously nominated in the Comedy Series category for 30 Rock episodes “Live from Studio 6H” in 2012, “Live Show” in 2010, “The Reunion Episode #304” in 2008 and “Somebody to Love” in 2007. She won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Musical Variety twice, in 2001 for America: A Tribute to Heroes (co-directed with Joel Gallen) and in 2000 for the “Val Kilmer and U2” episode of Saturday Night Live. She was also twice nominated in that category for Saturday Night Live episodes “Christopher Walken and The Foo Fighters” in 2003 and the 25th Anniversary episode in 1999. She was also nominated in 2015 in the Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials category for Adele Live in New York City.
OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN MOVIES FOR TELEVISION AND MINI-SERIES
JEAN-MARC VALLÉE
Big Little Lies (HBO)
Mr. Vallée’s Directorial Team:
- Unit Production Managers: Barbara A. Hall, G.D. Fienberg
- First Assistant Director: David Ticotin
- Second Assistant Director: Christine Danahy
- Second Second Assistant Director: Bob Riley
- Additional Second Assistant Directors: Bryan Landrine, Rob Burgess, Allison Rushton, Mallory Squeo
This was Mr. Vallée’s first DGA Award nomination.
OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN VARIETY/TALK/NEWS/SPORTS – REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING
DON ROY KING
Saturday Night Live, “Host: Jimmy Fallon” (NBC)
Mr. King’s Directorial Team:
- Associate Directors: Michael Mancini, Michael Poole, Bob Caminiti
- Stage Managers: Gena Rositano, Chris Kelly
This was Mr. King’s twelfth DGA Award nomination. He previously won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in this category for Saturday Night Live, “Host: Dave Chappelle” in 2016, and for Saturday Night Live, “Host: Justin Timberlake” in 2013. Mr. King also won the DGA Award for Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials for Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special in 2015. He was previously nominated for Saturday Night Live episodes in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014, and in 2015 in the Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Regularly Scheduled Programming category for the Saturday Night Live episode, “Host: Tracy Morgan/Musical Guest: Demi Lovato.”
OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN VARIETY/TALK/NEWS/SPORTS – SPECIALS
GLENN WEISS
The 89th Annual Academy Awards (ABC)
Mr. Weiss’s Directorial Team:
- Associate Directors: Ken Diego, Eve Adair, Susan Kopensky, Lori Margules, Robin Mishkin Abrams, Michael Polito
- Stage Managers: Gary Natoli, Rita Cossette, Dave Cove, John Esposito, Valdez Flagg, Chris Hines, Alissa Levisohn Hoyo, Arthur Lewis, Roxanne Lozano, Ron Paul, Tammy Raab, Jason Seligman, Jackie Stathis, Cheryl Teetzel-Moore, Debbie Williams, Ari Woog
This was Mr. Weiss’s fourteenth DGA Award nomination. He previously won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials in 2013, 2014 and 2016 for the 67th, 68th and 70th Annual Tony Awards and in the Musical Variety category in 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2012 for the 61st, 64th, 65th, and 66th Annual Tony Awards. He was also nominated in the Musical Variety category in 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2008 for the 55th, 56th, 59th, 60th, and 62nd Annual Tony Awards. Additionally, Mr. Weiss was nominated in 2015 for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Mini-Series, together with Rob Ashford, for Peter Pan Live!
OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN REALITY PROGRAMS
BRIAN SMITH
MasterChef, “Vegas Deluxe & Oyster Shucks” (FOX)
Mr. Smith’s Directorial Team:
- Associate Director: Anna Moulaison
- Stage Managers: Drew Lewandowski, Brady Hess
This was Mr. Smith’s fifth DGA Award nomination. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Reality Programs in 2012 for MasterChef, “Episode #305.” He was previously nominated in this category for episodes of MasterChef in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013, and in 2016 for S.T.R.O.N.G., “Welcome to Strong.”
OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS
NIKI CARO
Anne with an E, “Your Will Shall Decide Your Destiny” (Netflix)
This was Ms. Caro’s first DGA Award nomination.
OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN COMMERCIALS
MARTIN de THURAH
(Epoch Films)
“Festival,” StubHub – Goodby Silverstein
- First Assistant Director: Charles Conner
“Machines,” StubHub – Goodby Silverstein
- First Assistant Director: Charles Conner
“Mad World,” WealthSimple – WealthSimple In House
- First Assistant Director: Jey Wada
- Second Assistant Director: Custis Smith
This was Mr. de Thurah’s second DGA Award nomination. He previously won in this category in 2013 for The Man Who Couldn’t Slow Down (Hennessy VS) and Human Race (Acura MDX 2014).
OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN DOCUMENTARY
MATTHEW HEINEMAN
City of Ghosts (Amazon Studios)
This was Mr. Heineman’s second DGA Award nomination. He won in this category in 2015 for Cartel Land.
HONORARY LIFE MEMBER & SERVICE AWARD RECIPIENTS
Honorary Life Member Award
Renowned director and Past President Michael Apted was the recipient of the DGA Honorary
Life Member Award in recognition of leadership in the industry, contribution to the Guild and the profession of directing, and outstanding career achievement.
Special Service Awards
Dwight Williams received the 2018 Frank Capra Achievement Award in recognition of career achievement in the industry and service to the Guild.
Jim Tanker received the 2018 Franklin J. Schaffner Achievement Award in recognition of career achievement in the industry and service to the Directors Guild of America.
