Placement Requirements

New York
Southern California
Third Area
1st AD
2nd AD
UPM
1st AD
2nd AD
UPM
1st AD
2nd AD
UPM

New York and Southern California Lists

FIRST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

  1. Four years of direct production experience in film or tape; and

  2. No less than 520 days (of which 300 must have been physically spent on the set or location) of work as a First Assistant Director or Associate Director on Commercials or any other professional motion picture media including but not limited to music videos and documentaries. Of such 520 days, it is understood that 52 days must have been spent working on commercials; OR

  3. Is a Director who has completed 260 days of actual shooting commercials or any other professional motion picture media including but not limited to music videos and documentaries; or

  4. UPGRADE 
Is on the Second Assistant Director Commercial Qualification List AND


    1. Completed 520 days as a weekly staff UPM or Second AD; or


    2. Is employed in a non-guild capacity and functions for that company as a Second AD on a part time basis for 350 days; or


    3. Has completed 150 freelance days of actual work as a Second AD or UPM, of which no less than 75 were spent on commercials.

SECOND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

  1. 600 days of direct production experience of which at least 300 must have been spent doing the work of either an Assistant Director on the set of commercials or other professional motion picture media including but not limited to music videos and documentaries, or an Associate Director/Stage Manager on television programs or commercials. Of such 300 days it is understood that days spent performing duties not customarily performed by Assistant Directors or Associate Directors/Stage Managers, or days spent as a DGA Trainee shall not be used in computing "days" for purposes of placement on such lists.


  2. Days worked as a Unit Production Manager, Assistant Director, Associate Director, Stage Manager, Production Supervisor, Production Coordinator (in Commercials only) or Production Assistant will be considered for placement in this category.


  3. Note: Except when employed as an Assistant Director, the maximum number of prep days that will be accepted are as follows:


  4. Commercials: No more than 2 times the guaranteed prep period for a First Assistant Director under the commercial agreement. A First AD must have been employed on all such days.


  5. Feature/TV: No more than the guaranteed prep period for an Assistant Director or Associate Director under the Basic or Freelance Live & Tape agreement.

UNIT PRODUCTION MANAGER

  1. Has had no less than 500 days (of which 100 must have been physically spent on set or location) of work as a UPM, or performing substantially all of the duties of a UPM under the direct supervision of an Executive Producer.

  2. Is on the First Assistant Director CQL and has completed 250 days of work as a First AD since placement. 70% of the work must be actual shooting days.

Third Area List

The Third Area list with reduced placement requirements, covers all regions outside of New York and Southern California but within the geographic jurisdiction of the Commercials Contract. The Placement on the third area list is not applicable for work in either New York or Southern California, nor does it qualify a person to work under the DGA feature film agreement. (For feature film requirements, please go to dgaca.org)

FIRST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

  1. No less than 130 days (of which 75 must have been physically spent on the set or location) of work as a 1st AD or as an Associate Director or Stage Manager on commercials or any other professional motion picture media (including music videos and documentaries). Of such 130 days, 13 days must have been spent working on commercials, or

  2. Is a Director who has completed 260 days of actual shooting on commercials or any other professional motion picture media (including music videos and documentaries), or

  3. UPGRADE:
 Is on the 2nd AD Third Area Commercial List and:
    1. has been employed for 130 days as a weekly staff 2nd AD; or
    2. has been employed in a non-Guild capacity and functioned for the Producer as a 2nd AD on a part-time basis for 88 days; or
    3. has completed 38 freelance days of actual work as a 2nd AD, of which no less than 19 were spent on commercials.

SECOND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

  1. Completed 150 days of direct production experience of which at least 75 days must have been spend doing the work of either an AD on the set of commercials or any other professional motion picture media (including music videos and documentaries) or an Associate Director or Stage Manager on television programs or commercials.

UNIT PRODUCTION MANAGER

  1. No less than 125 days (of which 25 must have been physically spent on set or location) of work as a UPM, or performing substantially all of the duties of a UPM under the direct supervision of an Executive Producer, on commercials or any other professional motion picture media including, but not limited to, music videos.

  2. UPGRADE: is a First Assistant Director who has 75 days as a 1st AD since bein placed on the Qualification List, of which 70% have been shooting days.