DGACA

DIRECTORS GUILD of AMERICA CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

Third Area QL - 1st Assistant Director

REQUIREMENTS THIRD AREA QL: FIRST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
(Excerpted from Article 14 of the 2014 Basic Agreement between the DGA and the AMPTP)
14-503 (a) A person qualifies for the Third Area First Assistant Directors' Qualification List if the person has been employed and completed at least two hundred forty (240) working days either as a Second Assistant Director in the production of motion pictures of the type covered hereunder or as an Associate Director or Stage Manager in the production of dramatic and/or variety programs of the type covered hereunder.
  (b) Of the working days described in (a) above, not more than twenty-five percent (25%) may be spent in preparation or office work and at least seventy-five percent (75%) must be spent with the actual shooting company.
  (c) Also, any individual who has been employed one hundred twenty (120) days in work as a First Assistant Director in the production of motion pictures of the type covered hereunder shall be eligible for placement on the Third Area First Assistant Directors' Qualification List. Of such working days, not more than twenty-five percent (25%) may be spent in preparation or office work and at least seventy-five percent (75%) must be spent with the actual shooting company.

Summary:

  • 120 total days worked as a 1st AD on projects of the type covered
  • at least 90 days of the 120 total days worked as shooting/production days
  • at least 1 day of qualifying work within the last 6 months

or:

  • 240 days worked as a 1st AD and/or 2nd AD on projects of the type covered
  • days as an Associate Director and/or Stage Manager on dramatic and/or variety programs can be applied
  • at least 180 days of the 240 total worked as shooting/production days
  • at least 1 day of qualifying work within the last 6 months
  • days can be combined in the listed job categories to meet the requirements