The Directors Guild of America (DGA) has released a comprehensive analysis of hiring trends in the episodic television industry, revealing that recent strides in employing women and directors of color have remained steady despite a decline in overall production. The report also provides initial data on the representation of LGBTQ+ and disabled individuals within the directorial ranks. While the industry has made measurable progress, the DGA emphasizes the need for continued vigilance and a steadfast commitment to fostering a more inclusive and equitable landscape for storytellers from historically marginalized communities.

Empowering Diverse Voices in the Director's Chair

Sustained Gains for Women and Directors of Color

The analysis of 1,430 DGA-covered television episodes produced during the 2023-2024 season showcases the industry's ongoing commitment to diversity. The percentage of episodes directed by women stood at 37%, a significant increase from 16% over the past decade, though a slight dip from the high of 40% recorded in 2021. Similarly, the share of episodes directed by people of color rose to 39%, up from 18% a decade ago.Delving deeper into the data, the report highlights the growth in representation for specific demographic groups. Women of color saw their share of directing assignments climb from 3% in 2014/15 to 13% in 2023/24. The representation of men of color also expanded, rising from 15% to 26% during the same period. White women's participation in the director's chair increased from 13% to 20%.Notably, despite the strike-related drop in episodic television production in 2023/24, hiring across six of the seven demographic categories remained proportionate to prior years, underscoring the industry's commitment to maintaining diversity even in the face of disruption.

Expanding the Lens: LGBTQ+ and Disabled Representation

To further its diversity research, the DGA has begun tracking the employment of episodic television directors who self-identify as members of the LGBTQ+ and disabled communities. The inaugural data reveals that in 2023, 8.6% of episodes were directed by individuals from the LGBTQ+ community, while 0.6% were directed by those with disabilities."We encourage the studios to continue to build on the progress they have made over the prior decade as production levels recover following various disruptions to work over the last few years," said Edward Ornelas, co-chair of the DGA's Television Diversity Task Force. "We are particularly focused on finding ways to increase behind the camera representation for the Latino community, which continues to lag despite its status as a large historically marginalized group."

Directorial Team Diversity: A Persistent Challenge

While the gains in director diversity are commendable, the report also sheds light on the ongoing challenges in achieving inclusive hiring at the directorial team level. Over the 2023-2024 season, a total of 660 full-season hires were made for directorial teams, including First Assistant Directors (First ADs), Second Assistant Directors (Second ADs), and Unit Production Managers (UPMs).The data shows that overall gender and ethnic diversity hiring at the directorial team level has remained consistent since the DGA began tracking in the 2020-2021 season, staying proportional to production during the strikes. Women accounted for 41% of the directorial team hires, while individuals from communities of color made up 21% of the hires."The diversity of directorial teams working in episodic television remains low, especially when compared to hiring gains for episodic Directors," said Heidi McGowen, a UPM member who serves on the Television Diversity Task Force. "To foster a profession that truly reflects a wide range of perspectives, studios must prioritize increasing inclusion at every level. The DGA is committed to creating pathways that expand employment opportunities for underrepresented members of directorial teams."

The DGA's Diversity Efforts: A Multifaceted Approach

The DGA's commitment to diversity and inclusion is a multifaceted endeavor, encompassing engagement with industry decision-makers, collective bargaining, the development of networking and training opportunities, and the ongoing reporting of data to the industry."The DGA believes that storytelling should be as diverse as the world around us, and that a critical mass of different perspectives on screen is vital for the wellbeing and development of society," the organization states. "We're committed to realizing the vision of a diverse and inclusive industry and have worked toward this goal for decades."Despite the industry's progress, the DGA recognizes that more work remains to be done to ensure that the directorial ranks and the broader production teams truly reflect the diversity of the world we live in. By continuing to shine a light on the data, fostering collaboration, and leveraging its collective bargaining power, the DGA remains steadfast in its mission to create a more equitable and inclusive entertainment landscape.