“Perhaps it sounds ridiculous, but the best thing that young filmmakers should do is to get hold of a camera and some film and make a movie of any kind at all.”
—Stanley Kubrick

Disney•ABC/DGA Directing Fellowship

What It Is:
Launched in 2001 in partnership with the Directors Guild of America, the Directing Fellowship gives aspiring directors the chance to “shadow” working pros on set over the course of 36 non-consecutive weeks.

How It Works:
Three Fellowships will be awarded for a period covering approximately 36 non-consecutive weeks of the television season. Fellows observe different DGA directors during their Fellowship. In addition, there’s the opportunity to develop professional relationships with executive producers, showrunners and other television executives.

Fellows will be employees of ABC, be paid a an hourly wage not to exceed Fifteen Dollars and Fifty Cents ($15.50) for each hour that Fellow is employed based on a five (5) day, seventy (70) hour anticipated, but not guaranteed work week, which will accrue and become payable (as applicable) in thirty-six (36) equal weekly installments commencing with the first week of the Term (i.e., $50,000 annualized based on 36 non-consecutive weeks) pursuant to an employment contract.

There’s no guarantee of a directing job, of course, but if you DO earn a directing assignment on an ABC-aired series within two years of completing the program, ABC will pay the production company the DGA minimum cost for your assignment.

How to Apply:
Prior directing experience and technical proficiency with film and video production is strongly encouraged.
Application to the 2008 Directors Fellowship Program is now closed.