2007 DGA Awards, Doc and Commercial Nominees Announced

Directors Guild of America President Michael Apted announced the five nominees for the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary and the five nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials for 2006. The winners will be announced at the 59th Annual DGA Awards Dinner on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2007 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles.

"Congratulations to all the nominees for their superb work," Apted says. "At its best, documentary filmmaking elevates the disparate elements of lives and events into a narrative that is both compelling
and insightful. It takes a skilled director to achieve this feat, and this year's five nominees exemplify that devotion and storytelling expertise."

"It takes great skill to tell a compelling story in under 30 to 60 seconds," Apted continues. "These five commercial directors have mastered the format, using their talent, craft and imagination to provide us with some of the most innovative filmmaking out there today."

The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary for 2006 are (in alphabetical order):

AMY BERG

DELIVER US FROM EVIL

LIONSGATE FILMS

MICHAEL GLAWOGGER

WORKINGMAN'S DEATH

LOTUS FILMS & QUINTE FILM

JAMES LONGLEY

IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS
TYPECAST PICTURES/HBO DOCUMENTARY FILMS

ARUNAS MATELIS

BEFORE FLYING BACK TO THE EARTH

STUDIO NOMINUM

JEAN-HENRI MEUNIER

ICI NAJAC, A VOUS LA TERRE

LITTLE BEAR

All five directors are first-time nominees.

The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials for 2006 are (in alphabetical order):

DANTE ARIOLA

MJZ

Snowball, Traveler's Insurance; Fallon MN

First Taste, Coca Cola; Wieden & Kennedy

Amsterdam

Unit Production Manager: Natalie Gillian Hill

First Assistant Director: Gregory G. McCollum

Second Assistant Director: John Ray Elmore

Human, Johnny Walker; Bartle Bogle Hegarty

Unit Production Manager: Brady Vant Hull

First Assistant Director: Haze J. F. Bergeron III

Second Assistant Director: Ryan E. Lippert

This is Mr. Ariola's fourth nomination in this category. He was nominated in 2004 for MONEY TREE (BARCLAY'S), URBAN LEGEND (LEVI'S), and CIRCUS (STELLA), in 2002 for BUTCHER (BANK OF AMERICA), CHEESE (BUDDY LEE) and SIGNS (SONY PLAYSTATION 2), and in 2000 for TAXI
(HEWLETT PACKARD), TICKETS (HEWLETT PACKARD) and ELEPHANT (NIKE).

BRYAN BUCKLEY

HUNGRY MAN

Animal, Amex; Ogilvy & Mather

Unit Production Manager: Stephen W. Ruggieri

First Assistant Director: Craig H. Owens

Second Assistant Director: Eric Topp

Second Second Assistant Director: Robert Torres

Manthem, Burger King; Crispin Porter + Bogusky

First Assistant Director: Kevin Byrne

More Mayo, Burger King; Crispin Porter + Bogusky

First Assistant Director: Rhonda L. Raulston

Second Assistant Director: Dean Peratsakis

This is Mr. Buckley's third nomination in this category. He was nominated in 2000 for BASKETBALL (E*TRADE), MONKEY (E*TRADE), WAZOO (E*TRADE) and ACTION FIGURES (FEDEX), and in 1999 for BROKER (E*TRADE), TRIMOUNT STUDIOS (E*TRADE), WHEN I GROW UP (MONSTER.COM) and FRIENDS (ONHEALTH.COM)

DAVID GRAY

HUNGRY MAN

Transvestite, Tribeca Film Festival; Ogilvy & Mather

Mugger, Tribeca Film Festival

First Assistant Director: John C. Towse

Second Assistant Director: Michael R. Vernola

Jesus Throws, Full Tilt Poker; Wong Doody

First Assistant Director: Edward James Walsh

Second Assistant Director: Ronald C. Misetich

Born, Ebay; Delaney Lund Knox Warren

This is Mr. Gray's first nomination.

TOM KUNTZ

MJZ

Fruit Pants, Altoids; Leo Burnett

First Assistant Director: Chris Tomas Medak

Second Assistant Director: Shea Farrell

Second Second Assistant Directors: Leslie M. Evers, Cara Lee McCastlain

Trade, Skittles; TBWA

Chiat Day

Beard, Skittles

Leak, Skittles

Unit Production Manager: Caleb Harper Omens

First Assistant Director: Craig H. Owens

Second Assistant Director: Eric Topp

This is Mr. Kuntz's first nomination.

JOE PYTKA

PYTKA

Clydesdales American Dream, Budweiser; DDB

First Assistant Director: Randy Fletcher

Second Assistant Director: Greg J. Jenks

Preparation, Disney; Leo Burnett

First Assistant Director: Randy Fletcher

Second Assistant Directors: Randall Scott LaFollette, Fred A. Donatelli

Where Were You, WTC Memorial; TBWA Chiat Day

First Assistant Director: Randy Fletcher, Jermaine Sumra

Second Assistant Director: Ryan Lippert, Jennifer Wilkins

This is Mr. Pytka's 15th nomination in this category. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials in 1991 for DANCE CARD (HALLMARK) and THE BO SHOW (NIKE), in 1986 for CHUCK WAGON (HENRY WEINHARD), BROTHERS (JOHN HANCOCK) and FLOATS (PEPSI COLA), and in 1982 for BASEBALL (BUDWEISER LIGHT), BASKETBALL (BUDWEISER LIGHT) and FUTURE/GALLUP (HENRY WEINHARD). He was nominated in 2003 for 23 VS. 39
(GATORADE), PRODIGY (IBM), and SHAKESPEARE (NEXTEL), in 2001 for PILLOW TALK (DISNEY), SKATING (NYC MIRACLE), THE DELI (NYC MIRACLE) and KETCHUP SOUP (THE AD COUNCIL), in 1995 for DINER (PEPSI), SET PIECE (PEPSI) and STRANDED (PEPSI), in 1994 for SEASON'S SONG (NIKE), THE WALL (NIKE) and SUMMER OF LOVE (PEPSI), in 1993 for BARKLEY OF SEVILLE (NIKE), KENYA (NIKE) and PLAYGROUND (PEPSI), in 1992 for OLD FRIEND (HALLMARK) and HARE JORDAN (NIKE), in 1990 for OPERA (DIET PEPSI), NEW TECHNOLOGY (FEDERAL EXPRESS) and BO & BO (NIKE), in 1987 for I'M DIFFERENT (APPLE
COMPUTERS), FORTIETH BIRTHDAY (JOHN HANCOCK) and CONTINENTS (PERRIER), in 1985 for SALOON (HENRY WEINHARD), ARCHEOLOGY (PEPSI COLA) and E.T. SPECIAL OLYMPICS (SPECIAL OLYMPICS), in 1983 for BOXER (BUD LIGHT), PARIS (BUD LIGHT) and RODEO (BUD LIGHT), and in 1981 for FOOTBALL (BUDWEISER LIGHT), THIRSTY WORKERS (COCA COLA) and ALASKA (HENRY WEINHARD)

For a complete list of nominations in other categories, please visit the Awards Section of the DGA Website at www.dga.org.