DGA Announces Nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement In Movies for Television, Dramatic Series Night, Comedy Series, Musical Variety, Reality Programs, Daytime Serials, Children's Programs, Documentary and Commercials for 2007


LOS ANGELES, Jan. 10, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Directors Guild of America President Michael Apted today announced the DGA's nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Television, Documentaries and Commercials for the year 2007.

"We always have so much to celebrate when we announce the DGA nominees for directorial achievement in television (movies for television, dramatic series, comedy series, musical variety, reality programs, daytime serials and children's programs), documentaries and commercials. Each genre requires unique talent and vision, and our 45 nominees in these nine categories this year have more than met the challenge with incredibly creative and compelling projects that run the gamut from seconds to hours, from live events to years in the making. I congratulate all of them on their fine work."

The winners will be announced at the 60th Annual DGA Awards Dinner on Saturday, January 26, 2008 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles.



                   MOVIES FOR TELEVISION/MINISERIES
                   --------------------------------

       The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for
           Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for
      Television/Miniseries for 2007 are (in alphabetical order):

 JON AVNET
 THE STARTER WIFE
 USA

 First Assistant Director: Linda Montanti

 This is Mr. Avnet's second DGA Award nomination. He was previously
 nominated in this same category in 2001 for Uprising.


 JEREMIAH CHECHIK
 THE BRONX IS BURNING
 ESPN

 Unit Production Manager: Michael Bederman
 First Assistant Directors: Philip Patterson, Harvey Waldman
 Second Assistant Directors: Richard E. White, Amy Lynn
 Second Second Assistant Director: Andrea O'Connor

 This is Mr. Chechik's second DGA Award nomination. He was previously
 nominated in the 1986 Commercials category for Wave (AT&T), Clock
 Tower (Connecticut Bank), and Tonight, Tonight (Michelob).


 LLOYD KRAMER
 OPRAH WINFREY PRESENTS MITCH ALBOM'S FOR ONE MORE DAY
 ABC

 Unit Production Manager: M. Blair Breard
 First Assistant Director: Christo Morse
 Second Assistant Director: Annie Tan
 Second Second Assistant Director: Nick Vanderpool

 This is Mr. Kramer's third DGA Award nomination. He was previously
 nominated in this same category for Mitch Albom's The Five People You
 Meet In Heaven in 2004, and in the Television Documentary/Actuality
 category for No One Dies Alone in 1988.


 MIKAEL SALOMON
 THE COMPANY
 TNT

 Unit Production Manager: John M. Eckert
 First Assistant Director: Michael Zimbrich

 This is Mr. Salomon's first DGA Award nomination.


 YVES SIMONEAU
 BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE
 HBO

 Unit Production Manager - US: Chrisann Verges
 First Assistant Director - US: Cas Donovan
 Second Assistant Director - US: Adam Martin

 This is Mr. Simoneau's first DGA Award nomination.


                         DRAMATIC SERIES NIGHT
                         ---------------------

       The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for
     Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series Night
                 for 2007 are (in alphabetical order):

 JACK BENDER
 LOST "THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS"
 ABC

 Unit Production Manager: Pat Churchill
 First Assistant Director: Richard Peter Schroer
 Second Assistant Director: Meta Valentic
 Second Second Assistant Director: Wainani Young Tomich

 This is Mr. Bender's first DGA Award nomination.


 DAVID CHASE
 THE SOPRANOS "MADE IN AMERICA"
 HBO

 Unit Production Manager: Ilene S. Landress
 First Assistant Director: Jeff Bernstein
 Second Assistant Director: Nancy Herrmann
 Second Second Assistant Director: Charlie Foster
 Additional Second Second Assistant Director: Selena Beal
 DGA Trainee: Marcos Gonzalez Palma

 This is Mr. Chase's second DGA Award nomination. He won the Dramatic
 Series Night award for The Sopranos pilot episode in 2004.
 Additionally, he was a recipient of the DGA Honor in 2006 in New
 York.


 ERIC LANEUVILLE
 LOST "THE BRIG"
 ABC

 Unit Production Manager: Pat Churchill
 First Assistant Director: Richard Peter Schroer
 Second Assistant Director: Meta Valentic
 Second Second Assistant Director: Michael J. Musteric
 Additional Second Second Assistant Director: Steven E. Simon

 This is Mr. Laneuville's fourth DGA Award nomination in this
 category. He was previously nominated for the NYPD Blue episode "From
 Hare to Eternity" in 1993. He won the Dramatic Series Night Award for
 the I'll Fly Away episode "All God's Children" in 1991 and also won
 for his L.A. Law episode "I'm in the Nude" in 1989.


 ALAN TAYLOR
 MAD MEN "WHEN SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES (PILOT)"
 AMC

 Unit Production Manager: Scott Hornbacher
 First Assistant Director: Mark McGann
 Second Assistant Director: Maggie Murphy
 Second Second Assistant Director: John Silvestri

 This is Mr. Taylor's first DGA Award nomination.


 TIM VAN PATTEN
 THE SOPRANOS "SOPRANOS HOME MOVIES"
 HBO

 Unit Production Manager: Henry J. Bronchtein, Ilene S. Landress
 First Assistant Director: John E. Gallagher
 Second Assistant Director: Peter Soldo
 Second Second Assistant Director: Charlie Foster
 Additional Second Second Assistant Director: Henri Sann
 DGA Trainee: Kathleen Mulligan

 This is Mr. Van Patten's sixth DGA Award nomination. He won the DGA
 Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series in
 2004 for the Sex and the City episode "An American Girl in Paris:
 Part Deux," and in 2003 for the Sex and the City episode "Boy
 Interrupted." He was nominated for the DGA Award for Outstanding
 Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series Night in 2006 for The
 Sopranos episode "Members Only," in 2004 for The Sopranos episode
 "Long Term Parking," and in 2002 for The Sopranos episode "Whoever
 Did This."


                            COMEDY SERIES
                            -------------

       The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for
     Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series for 2007
                     are (in alphabetical order):

 MICHAEL ENGLER
 30 ROCK "ROSEMARY'S BABY"
 NBC

 Unit Production Manager: Diana Schmidt
 First Assistant Director: Chris Swartout
 Second Assistant Director: Jane Ferguson

 This is Mr. Engler's third DGA Award nomination in this category. He
 was previously nominated in 2003 for the Sex and the City episode
 "Hop, Skip & A Week," and in 2001 for the Sex and the City episode
 "My Motherboard, Myself."


 DAVID GROSSMAN
 DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES "SOMETHING'S COMING"
 ABC

 Unit Production Manager: Charles Skouras III
 First Assistant Director: Tom Irvine
 Second Assistant Director: John LaBrucherie
 Second Second Assistant Director: Efrain Cortes
 Additional Second Second Assistant Director: Richard E. White

 This is Mr. Grossman's second DGA Award Nomination. He was previously
 nominated in the Musical/Variety category for The Smothers Brothers
 20th Year Reunion in 1988.


 BETH McCARTHY-MILLER
 30 ROCK "SOMEBODY TO LOVE"
 NBC

 Unit Production Manager: Diana Schmidt
 First Assistant Director: Stephen Lee Davis
 Second Assistant Director: Bellamy Forrest
 Second Second Assistant Director: Brendan Walsh

 This is Ms. McCarthy-Miller's fifth DGA Award Nomination. In 2002,
 she won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in
 Television, Musical Variety for America: A Tribute to Heroes
 (co-directed with Joe Gallen). She was twice nominated in that same
 category in 2003 for the Christopher Walken & The Foo Fighters
 episode of Saturday Night Live, and in 1999 for the 25th Anniversary
 episode of Saturday Night Live. McCarthy-Miller won her second DGA
 Award in 2001 for her direction of the Val Kilmer/U2 episode of
 Saturday Night Live.


 DAVID NUTTER
 ENTOURAGE "THE RESURRECTION"
 HBO

 Unit Production Manager: Wayne Carmona
 First Assistant Director: Gary Goldman
 Second Assistant Director: Vernon Davidson
 Second Second Assistant Director: John LaBrucherie

 This is Mr. Nutter's second DGA Award nomination. He was previously
 nominated in the Dramatic Series Night category for his The Sopranos
 episode "Join the Club" in 2006.


 BARRY SONNENFELD
 PUSHING DAISIES "PIE-LETTE"
 ABC

 Unit Production Manager: Gabriela Vazquez
 First Assistant Director: Chris Soldo
 Second Assistant Director: Greg Hale
 Second Second Assistant Director: Renee Hill-Sweet

 This is Mr. Sonnenfeld's first DGA Award nomination.


                           MUSICAL VARIETY
                           ---------------

       The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for
    Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Musical Variety for 2007
                     are (in alphabetical order):

 JERRY FOLEY
 LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN - SHOW #2773
 CBS

 Associate Directors: Randi Grossack, Jessica Santini, Louise A.
  Galante, Charles Dyer
 Stage Managers: James Henderson, Frank Comito, Mark Dicso, Edward
  Valk

 This is Mr. Foley's eighth DGA Award nomination, all for The Late
 Show with David Letterman. He was nominated in 2005 for episode
 #2452, in 2004 for episode #2187, in 2002 for episode #1876, in 2001
 for episode #1634, in 2000 for episode #1527, in 1999 for episode
 #1294, and in 1998 for episode #958.


 LOUIS J. HORVITZ
 THE 79TH ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS
 ABC

 Associate Directors: Jim Tanker, Rita Blye, Tim Kettle, Mike Polito,
  Richard Pruess, Deborah Read, Robb Wagner, Ronni Fisher, Anne M.
  Rickey
 Stage Managers: Garry W. Hood, Denny Barry, Rita Cossette, John
  Esposito, Valdez Flagg, Arthur Lewis, Dency Nelson, Ron Paul, Vince
  Poxon, Jason Seligman, Rob Sellers Jr., Doug Smith, David Wader,
  David H. Kelmachter, Erik R. Kunzelman

 This is Mr. Horvitz's thirteenth DGA Award nomination and all in this
 category. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial
 Achievement in Musical Variety in 1997 for The Kennedy Center Honors.
 He received his first nomination in 1985 for Live Aid Concert. He was
 also nominated for The Kennedy Center Honors in 1993, and 2001. He
 was nominated in 1995 for Sinatra: 80 Years My Way; and received DGA
 nominations for The 70th, 71st, 72nd, 74th, 75th, 76th, and 77th
 Annual Academy Awards.


 JIM HOSKINSON
 THE COLBERT REPORT #3052
 COMEDY CENTRAL

 Associate Director: Yvonne DeMare
 Stage Managers: Mark McKenna

 This is Mr. Hoskinson's first DGA Award nomination.


 CHUCK O'NEIL
 THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART
 COMEDY CENTRAL

 Associate Director: Paul A.J. Pennolino
 Stage Manager: Craig L. Spinney

 This is Mr. O'Neil's fifth DGA Award nomination. He was previously
 nominated for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Musical Variety
 in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006, all for The Daily Show with Jon
 Stewart.


 GLENN WEISS
 THE 61ST ANNUAL TONY AWARDS
 CBS

 Associate Directors: Gregg M. Gelfand, Robin Mishkin Abrams, Ken
  Diego, Ricky Kirshner

 Stage Managers: Garry W. Hood, Peter Epstein, Andrew Feigin, Lynn
  Finkel, Doug Fogel, Jeffry Gitter, Dean Gordon, Arthur Lewis, Tony
  Mirante, Jeff Pearl, Rose Riggins, Lauren Class Schneider

 This is Mr. Weiss' fifth DGA Award nomination. He was nominated for
 Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Musical Variety in 2006 for
 The 60th Annual Tony Awards, in 2005 for The 59th Annual Tony Awards,
 in 2002 for The 56th Annual Tony Awards, and in 2001 for The 55th
 Annual Tony Awards.


                           REALITY PROGRAMS
                           ----------------

       The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for
        Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Reality Programs
                 for 2007 are (in alphabetical order):


 CRAIG BORDERS
 WHO WANTS TO BE A SUPERHERO - "EPISODE 208"
 SCI-FI

 Stage Manager: Thomas Goodrich

 This is Mr. Borders' first DGA Award Nomination.


 TONY CROLL
 SHOOTING SIZEMORE - "EPISODE 101"
 VH-1

 This is Mr. Croll's second DGA Award Nomination. He won the
 Outstanding Directorial Achievement Reality Programs Award for Three
 Wishes - "Episode #1, Pilot" in 2005. (The award was a tie with J.
 Rupert Thompson who won for Fear Factor - "Heist Fear Factor, Season
 6 Premiere.")


 SCOTT MESSICK
 PROS VS. JOES-"EPISODE 201"
 SPIKE

 Associate Director: Andrew E. Nelson

 This is Mr. Messick's first DGA Award Nomination.


 TONY SACCO
 PROJECT RUNWAY - "FASHION GIANT, #403"
 BRAVO

 Associate Director: Paul Hogan

 This is Mr. Sacco's second DGA Award nomination. He won the
 Outstanding Directorial Achievement Reality Programs Award for
 Treasure Hunters "Episode #101" in 2006.


 BERTRAM VAN MUNSTER
 THE AMAZING RACE - "EPISODE #1110"
 CBS

 Segment Director: Evan Weinstein

 This is Mr. Van Munster's third DGA Award nomination and all in this
 category. He was previously nominated for The Amazing Race - Episode
 #102" in 2006 and for The Amazing Race - "Episode #805" in 2005.


                           DAYTIME SERIALS
                           ---------------

       The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for
        Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Daytime Serials
                 for 2007 are (in alphabetical order):


 LARRY CARPENTER
 ONE LIFE TO LIVE - "EPISODE #9947"
 ABC

 Associate Director: Teresa Anne Cicala
 Stage Managers: Alan P. Needleman, Keith Greer
 Production Associate: Anthony Wilkinson

 This is Mr. Carpenter's fifth DGA Award nomination. He won the
 Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Daytime Serials for One Life
 to Live "Episode #8849" in 2003 and was nominated for that series for
 "Episode #9686" in 2006, "Episode #9385" in 2005 and "Episode #8655"
 in 2002.


 CASEY CHILDS
 ALL MY CHILDREN - "EPISODE #9669"
 ABC

 Associate Directors: Shirley Simmons, Barbara M. Simmons, Anthony
  Pascarelli
 Stage Managers: Rusty Swope, Penny Bergman, Martin Fritz Brekeller,
  Brendan Higgins
 Production Associates: Jennifer Minda, Marika Brancato

 This is Mr. Childs' third DGA Award nomination. He was nominated for
 All My Children "Episode #9297" in 2006 and "Episode #7919" in 2000.


 CHRISTOPHER GOUTMAN
 AS THE WORLD TURNS - "EPISODE #12971"
 CBS

 Associate Directors: Michael Kerner, Carol Sedwick, Janet Andrews
 Stage Managers: Nancy Barron, Jennifer Blood
 Production Associates: Brett Hellman, Alexandra Verner Roalsvig

 This is Mr. Goutman's third DGA Award nomination. He was previously
 nominated in this same category for As the World Turns "Episode
 #12,166" in 2004, and "Episode #10,446" in 1997.


 SCOTT McKINSEY
 GENERAL HOSPITAL - "EPISODE #11228"
 ABC

 Associate Directors: Penny Pengra, Christine Magarian, Ron Cates,
  Pete Fillmore, RC Cates, David MacLeod
 Stage Managers: Craig McManus, Crystal Craft, Michele Azenzer
 Production Associates: Lisa Kaseff, Denise Van Cleave, Christine
  Cooper

 This is Mr. McKinsey's sixth DGA Award nomination in this category.
 He won for Port Charles "Episode #1433" in 2002, and for General
 Hospital "Episode #8883" in 1997. He was nominated for General
 Hospital "Episode #11178" in 2006, "Episode #8492" in 1996, and
 "Episode #8233" in 1995.


 ELLEN WHEELER
 GUIDING LIGHT - "EPISODE #15221"
 CBS

 Associate Directors/Stage Managers: Chris Cullen, David Brandon
 Production Associates: David Brandon, Kelly Jobmann

 This is Ms. Wheeler's third DGA Award nomination. She was previously
 nominated for Guiding Light "Episode #14832" in 2006, and for Guiding
 Light "Episode #14696" in 2005.


                         CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS
                         -------------------

       The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for
      Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children's Programs
                 for 2007 are (in alphabetical order):

 PAUL HOEN
 JUMP IN
 DISNEY CHANNEL

 This is Mr. Hoen's third DGA Award nomination. He was previously
 nominated in this same category for Searching for David's Heart in
 2004 and the Even Stevens episode "Take My Sister... Please" in 2000.


 KENNY ORTEGA
 HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2
 DISNEY CHANNEL

 Unit Production Manager: Donald R. Schain
 First Assistant Directors: Martin Jedlicka
 Second Assistant Director: Robert Reeves
 Second Second Assistant Director: Brent Geisler

 This is Mr. Ortega's second DGA Award nomination. He won the
 Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children's Programs Award for
 High School Musical in 2006.


 FRED SAVAGE
 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE "THE CRAZY 10 MINUTE SALE"
 DISNEY CHANNEL

 Unit Production Manager: Greg Hampson
 First Assistant Director: Guy Distad
 Second Assistant Director: Ron Moseley

 This is Mr. Savage's second DGA Award nomination. He was previously
 nominated in this category for Phil of the Future "Not So Great Great
 Great Grandpa" in 2006.


 JUDITH VOGELSANG
 GOING GREEN - EVERY HOME AN ECO-HOME
 PBS

 Unit Production Manager: Dessa Kaye


 ANDY WOLK
 LINCOLN HEIGHTS "THAT FEELING THAT WE HAVE"
 ABC FAMILY

 Unit Production Manager: John Scherer
 First Assistant Director: Mark Lyon
 Second Assistant Director: Carla Bowen

 This is Mr. Wolk's first DGA Award nomination.

                             COMMERCIALS
                             -----------

       The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for
          Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials
                 for 2007 are (in alphabetical order):


 DANTE ARIOLA
 MJZ

 Grenade, Playstation 3                               TBWA/Chiat Day
 Unit Production Manager: Brady Vant Hull
 First Assistant Director: Dave Dean

 Flare, Wrigley's                                     Energy BBDO
 Unit Production Manager: Natalie Gillian Hill
 First Assistant Director: Dave Dean
 Second Assistant Director: Carl Jackson

 Addicted, Nike                             Wieden & Kennedy Amsterdam
 Unit Production Manager: Natalie Gillian Hill
 First Assistant Directors: Dave Dean, John Mattern
 Second Assistant Director: Zaida Fakih
 Second Second Assistant Director: Darren Maynard

 This is Mr. Ariola's fifth DGA Award nomination in this category. He
 was previously nominated in 2004, 2002 and 2000, and won the award in
 2006.


 FREDRIK BOND
 MJZ

 Straw, Milk                                             Goodby
 First Assistant Director: Craig H. Owens
 Second Assistant Director: Eric Topp

 Aviator, JC Penney                                 Saachi & Saachi NY

 This is Mr. Bond's second DGA Award nomination in this category. He
 was previously nominated in 2004.


 FRANK BUDGEN
 GORGEOUS ENTERPRISES

 Play-Doh, Sony Bravia                                      Fallon
 First Assistant Director: Michael C. Bigwood
 Second Assistant Director: Mark Kaufmann

 GORGEOUS ENTERPRISES/ANONYMOUS CONTENT

 S.O.S., Save Our Selves/Live Earth                Young & Republicam
 First Assistant Director: Jack W. Fitch
 Second Assistant Director: Marc Vance
 Second Second Assistant Director: Mike Carlson

 This is Mr. Budgen's first DGA Award nomination.


 NICOLAI FUGLSIG
 MJZ UK

 Tipping Point, Guinness                                   BBDO

 It's Magic, JC Penney                              Saachi & Saachi NY
 First Assistant Director: Thomas Smith
 Second Assistant Director: Kate Greenberg

 Journey, Motorola                                       AMV BBDO

 This is Mr. Fuglsig's first DGA Award nomination.


 NOAM MURRO
 BISCUIT FILMWORKS

 Night Drive, VW Golf                                    DDB London
 Unit Production Manager: Jay Veal
 First Assistant Director: Michael Dignum
 Second Assistant Director: Michael Saffie
 Second Second Assistant Director: Eric Schneider

 Affair, Orbit Gum                                       BBDO Chicago
 Unit Production Manager: Jay Veal
 First Assistant Director: Gary Feil
 Second Assistant Director: Wendy Oakes

 Remember, NBA                                    Goodby, Silverstein
 Unit Production Manager: Jay Veal                     & Partners
 First Assistant Director: Michael Salven
 Second Assistant Director: Robert E. Kay

 This is Mr. Murro's fifth DGA Award nomination in this category. He
 was previously nominated in 2002, 2003 and 2005, and won the award in
 2004.

                             DOCUMENTARY
                             -----------

       The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for
          Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary
                 for 2007 are (in alphabetical order):


 KEN BURNS & LYNN NOVICK
 THE WAR
 Florentine Films

 ALEX GIBNEY
 TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE
 Jigsaw Productions

 ASGER LETH
 GHOSTS OF CITE SOLEIL
 Sony BMG Feature Films

 RICHARD E. ROBBINS
 OPERATION HOMECOMING: WRITING THE WARTIME EXPERIENCE
 The Documentary Group

 BARBET SCHROEDER
 TERROR'S ADVOCATE
 Magnolia Pictures

 This is the first DGA Award nomination for all the nominees in this
 category.

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


            

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