The Directors Guild of America announced the nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Television, Commercials and Documentary for 2021.
The winners will be announced at the 74th Annual DGA Awards on Saturday, March 12, 2022.
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Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series for 2021 are (in alphabetical order):
KEVIN BRAY (Succession, “Retired Janitors of Idaho”)
Mr. Bray’s Directorial Team:
- Unit Production Managers: Gabrielle Mahon, Scott Ferguson
- First Assistant Director: John Silvestri
- Second Assistant Director: Nicholas Notte
- Assistant Unit Production Manager: Robert Striem
- Second Second Assistant Directors: Jimmy Rosario, Nicole Payson
- Location Manager: Paul Eskenazi
MARK MYLOD (Succession, “All the Bells Say”)
Mr. Mylod’s Directorial Team:
- Unit Production Managers: Gabrielle Mahon, Scott Ferguson
- First Assistant Director: Christo Morse
- Assistant Unit Production Manager: Robert Striem
- Second Assistant Directors: Michelle Flevotomas, Nicholas Notte
- Location Manager: Paul Eskenazi
ANDRIJ PAREKH (Succession, “What It Takes”)
Mr. Parekh’s Directorial Team:
- Unit Production Managers: Gabrielle Mahon, Scott Ferguson
- First Assistant Director: Christo Morse
- Second Assistant Director: Michelle Flevotomas
- Assistant Unit Production Manager: Robert Striem
- Second Second Assistant Directors: Jimmy Rosario, Nicole Payson
- Location Manager: Paul Eskenazi
ROBERT PULCINI & SHARI SPRINGER BERMAN (Succession, “Lion in the Meadow”)
Mr. Pulcini & Ms. Berman’s Directorial Team:
- Unit Production Managers: Gabrielle Mahon, Scott Ferguson
- First Assistant Director: Christo Morse
- Second Assistant Director: Michelle Flevotomas
- Assistant Unit Production Manager: Robert Striem
- Second Second Assistant Director: Jimmy Rosario
- Additional Second Assistant Director: Nicole Payson
- Location Manager: Paul Eskenazi
LORENE SCAFARIA (Succession, “Too Much Birthday”)
Ms. Scafaria’s Directorial Team:
- Unit Production Managers: Gabrielle Mahon, Scott Ferguson
- First Assistant Director: John Silvestri
- Second Assistant Director: Nicholas Notte
- Assistant Unit Production Manager: Robert Striem
- Second Second Assistant Directors: Jimmy Rosario, Nicole Payson
- Additional Second Assistant Director: Matt O’Shea
- Location Manager: Paul Eskenazi
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series for 2021 are (in alphabetical order):
LUCIA ANIELLO (Hacks, “There Is No Line”)
Ms. Aniello’s Directorial Team:
- Unit Production Managers: Melanie J. Elin, David Hyman
- First Assistant Director: Jeff Rosenberg
- Second Assistant Director: Erin Stern Linares
- Second Second Assistant Director: Heidi Hinzman
- Additional Second Assistant Director: Alaina Neumann
MJ DELANEY (Ted Lasso, “No Weddings and a Funeral”)
ERICA DUNTON (Ted Lasso, “Rainbow”)
SAM JONES (Ted Lasso, “Beard After Hours”)
MIKE WHITE (The White Lotus, “Mysterious Monkeys”)
Mr. White’s Directorial Team:
- Unit Production Manager: Mark Kamine
- First Assistant Director: Justin Ritson
- Second Assistant Director: Joe Landry
- Second Second Assistant Director: Dais Kasagawa
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Limited Series
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Limited Series for 2021 are (in alphabetical order):
BARRY JENKINS (The Underground Railroad)
Mr. Jenkins’s Directorial Team:
- Unit Production Manager: Richleigh Heagh
- First Assistant Director: Liz Tan
- Second Assistant Director: Elaine Wood
- Second Second Assistant Director: Wayne Witherspoon
- Additional Second Assistant Directors: Jesse Carmona, AJ Bruno
BARRY LEVINSON (Dopesick, “First Bottle”)
Mr. Levinson’s Directorial Team:
- Unit Production Manager: Marc Hammer
- First Assistant Director: Karen Kane
- Second Assistant Director: Chelsea Ryan Petrucci
- Second Second Assistant Director: Alex Bonner
HIRO MURAI (Station Eleven, “Wheel of Fire”)
Mr. Murai’s Directorial Team:
- Unit Production Managers: Dana Scott, David Nicksay
- First Assistant Director: Jennifer Wilkinson
- Location Manager: Stefan Nikolov
DANNY STRONG (Dopesick, “The People vs. Purdue Pharma”)
Mr. Strong’s Directorial Team:
- Unit Production Manager: Marc Hammer
- First Assistant Director: Donald Murphy
- Second Assistant Director: Peter Dress
- Second Second Assistant Director: Alex Bonner
CRAIG ZOBEL (Mare of Easttown)
Mr. Zobel’s Directorial Team:
- Unit Production Managers: Karen Wacker, Ron Schmidt
- First Assistant Director: Kayse Goodell
- Second Assistant Director: Jackson Rowe
- Second Second Assistant Directors: Blair Howley, Findlay Zotter
- Additional Second Assistant Directors: Findlay Zotter, Laura Hoyt
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Regularly Scheduled Programming
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Regularly Scheduled Programming for 2021 are (in alphabetical order):
PAUL G. CASEY (Real Time with Bill Maher, “Episode 1935: Fareed Zakaria, Chris Christie, Eric Adams”)
Mr. Casey’s Directorial Team:
- Associate Director: Stacy Talbot
- Stage Managers: Brian Anderson, Patrick Whitney
JIM HOSKINSON (The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, “Episode 1105”)
Mr. Hoskinson’s Directorial Team:
- Associate Directors: Yvonne De Mare, Karen Yaeger
- Stage Managers: Mark McKenna, Jeff Leib
DON ROY KING (Saturday Night Live, ” Keegan-Michael Key; Olivia Rodrigo”)
Mr. King’s Directorial Team:
- Associate Directors: Michael Mancini, Michael Poole, Laura Ouziel-Mack
- Stage Managers: Gena Rositano, Chris Kelly, Eddie Valk
DAVID PAUL MEYER (The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, “Episode 26112”)
Mr. Meyer’s Directorial Team:
- Associate Director: Kira Klang Hopf
- Stage Manager: Bennymar Almonte
PAUL PENNOLINO & CHRISTOPHER WERNER (Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, “Episode 830 ‑ Season Finale”)
Mr. Pennolino & Mr. Werner’s Directorial Team:
- Associate Director: Elliot Mendelson
- Stage Managers: Mark McKenna, Craig Spinney
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials for 2021 are (in alphabetical order):
IAN BERGER (The Daily Show with Trevor Noah Presents, “Jordan Klepper Fingers the Pulse – Into the Magaverse”)
BO BURNHAM (Bo Burnham: Inside)
PAUL DUGDALE (Adele: One Night Only)
Mr. Dugdale’s Directorial Team:
- Associate Director: Hayley Collett
- Stage Managers: Gary Natoli, Erica Christensen, Zachary Figures, Jackie Stathis
STAN LATHAN (Dave Chappelle: The Closer)
Mr. Lathan’s Directorial Team:
- Associate Director: Sara Niimi
- Stage Manager: Valdez Flagg
GLENN P. WEISS (The 43rd Annual Kennedy Center Honors)
Mr. Weiss’s Directorial Team:
- Associate Directors: Ken Diego, Susan Kopensky, Ricky Kirshner, Lisa R. Anderson, Lori Margules
- Stage Managers: John Esposito, Doug Fogel, Jeffry Gitter, Arthur Lewis, Tammy Raab, Karen Tasch Weiss
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Reality Programs
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Reality Programs for 2021 are (in alphabetical order):
JOSEPH GUIDRY (Full Bloom, “Final Floral Face Off”)
Mr. Guidry’s Directorial Team:
- Associate Director: Sean P. Galvin
- Stage Managers: Myeisha Abram, Kristianna LaRoda, Rachel Shimko
PATRICK McMANUS (American Ninja Warrior, “1304: Qualifiers 4”)
Mr. McManus’s Directorial Team:
- Associate Director: David Massey
- Stage Managers: Jeff Simms, T.J. Ganser, Wolfgang Delgado
RAMY ROMANY (Making the Cut, “Brand Statement”)
Mr. Romany’s Directorial Team:
- Associate Director: Ryan Bunnell
- Stage Managers: Will Baker, Brady Hess
BEN SIMMS (Running Wild with Bear Grylls, “Gina Carano In The Dolomites”)
Mr. Simms’s Directorial Team:
- Associate Director: Jeff Simms
ADAM VETRI (Getaway Driver, “Electric Shock”)
Mr. Vetri’s Directorial Team:
- Associate Director: John Esposito
- Stage Manager: Eric Pai
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children’s Programs
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children’s Programs for 2021 are (in alphabetical order):
JAMES BOBIN (The Mysterious Benedict Society, “A Bunch of Smart Orphans”)
Mr. Bobin’s Directorial Team:
- Unit Production Manager: Grace Gilroy
MICHAEL LEMBECK (The J Team)
PHILL LEWIS (Head of the Class, “Three More Years”)
Mr. Lewis’s Directorial Team:
- Unit Production Manager: Susan M. Crank
- First Assistant Director: Rebecca Baughman
- Second Assistant Director: Oliver Garrett
- Associate Director: Tim Clark
SMRITI MUNDHRA (Through Our Eyes, “Shelter”)
JEFF WADLOW (Are You Afraid of the Dark?, “The Tale of the Darkhouse”)
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials for 2021 are (in alphabetical order):
STEVE AYSON
Anthem, Mattress Firm – Droga5
- Unit Production Manager: Adriana Cebada-Mora
- First Assistant Director: George Nessis
- Second Assistant Directors: Jesse Carmona, Brent Martin
Award Speech, Miller Lite – DDB Chicago
Networking, Miller Lite – DDB Chicago
KATHRYN BIGELOW
Hollywood In Your Pocket, iPhone 13 – Media Arts Lab
- First Assistant Directors: Allison Kunzman, Arle Bordas
- Second Assistant Director: Abbey Hansen
- Second Second Assistant Director: Cody Maher
IAN PONS JEWELL
ECG, Apple Watch – Apple
Sleep, Apple Watch – Apple
Time, Squarespace – Squarespace
Your Mom’s Short Ribs, Instacart – Goodby Silverstein
HENRY‑ALEX RUBIN
Teenage Dream, Sandy Hook Promise – BBDO – New York
- First Assistant Director: Anthony Dimino
- Second Assistant Director: David Ebel
BRADFORD YOUNG
Super. Human., Channel 4 Paralympics – 4Creative
- First Assistant Director: Jez Oakley
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary for 2021 are (in alphabetical order):
JESSICA KINGDON (Ascension)
STANLEY NELSON (Attica)
RAOUL PECK (Exterminate All the Brutes)
Mr. Peck’s Directorial Team:
- First Assistant Director: Mathias Honoré
AHMIR “QUESTLOVE” THOMPSON (Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised))
ELIZABETH CHAI VASARHELYI & JIMMY CHIN (The Rescue)
Ms.Vasarhelyi & Mr. Chin’s Directorial Team:
- First Assistant Director: Joey Coughlin
