The Directors Guild of America (DGA) is notable in the season for a number of reasons. First, it's a massive voting body unlike most on the circuit, so their nominations choices can often hint toward consensus. Second, their winner very often goes on to win the Academy Award for Best Director, which as we all know tends to presage the Best Picture Oscar. But…
…one wonders how those two elements are being viewed as of late. After all, the last two years have seen a split, once by necessity (“Argo” director Ben Affleck was not nominated), the second time in a close race. Could it be that the Academy will start looking at these categories differently rather than as a package deal?
Maybe, maybe not. I have no real answers there. I'm just asking the question.
Anyway, the DGA nominated mostly expected names today. Clint Eastwood, naturally. “American Sniper” is cruising. Alejandro González Iñárritu and Richard Linklater, of course. Two of the most dominant forces on the circuit. And add Wes Anderson to that, whose “Grand Budapest Hotel” has only missed with the Annie Awards (duh) and the Cinema Audio Society where industry honors are concerned. And then… Morten Tyldum. That ought to do plenty to shake off any lingering doubt that “The Imitation Game” is strong this year.
I had expected my current predicted lineup — Chazelle in place of Anderson — so nothing shocking here. But I do wonder how the Academy will shake it up. Just repeating some notes that we've covered before: It's worth it to remember that the DGA is a much, much broader group than the Academy's directors branch. That roughly 400-member group can make eclectic choices, like going for Michael Haneke, David O. Russell and Benh Zeitlin over DGA nominees Ben Affleck, Kathryn Bigelow and Tom Hooper two years ago. But a Best Picture win for a film not nominated by the DGA is virtually unheard of: the only films to do so are Bruce Beresford's “Driving Miss Daisy” in 1989 and Laurence Olivier's “Hamlet” in 1948.
Check out the nominees below. Winners will be unveiled on Feb. 7. And as ever, catch all the rest of the season's offerings at The Circuit.
Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Unit Production Manager: Miki Emmrich
First Assistant Director: Josh Robertson
Second Assistant Director: Ben Howard
Clint Eastwood, “American Sniper”
Unit Production Manager: Tim Moore
First Assistant Director: David M. Bernstein
Second Assistant Director: Paula Case
Second Second Assistant Director: Clark Credle
First Assistant Director (Morocco Unit): Ahmed Hatimi
Second Assistant Director (Morocco Unit): Yann Mari Faget
Second Second Assistant Directors (Morocco Unit): Andrew Madden, Khalil Zghayou
Alejandro González Iñárritu, “Birdman”
Unit Production Managers: James W. Skotchdopole, Robert Graf
First Assistant Director: Peter Kohn
Second Assistant Director: Amy Lauritsen
Second Second Assistant Director: Catherine Feeny
Location Manager: Joaquin Prange
Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”
Unit Production Manager: Cathleen Sutherland
First Assistant Director: Vince Palmo Jr.
Second Assistant Directors: Susana Jasso, Kathleen Tull
Second Second Assistant Directors: Mary Beth Chambers, Brian Franklin
Morten Tyldum, “The Imitation Game”
Production Manager: Suzie Shearer
First Assistant Director: Phil Booth
Second Assistant Director: James Manning
(Full list of DGA nominees in all categories on the next page.)
FILM
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film
Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Clint Eastwood, “American Sniper”
Alejandro G. Iñárritu, “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”
Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”
Morten Tyldum, “The Imitation Game”
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary
Dan Krauss, “The Kill Team”
John Maloof, Charlie Siskel, “Finding Vivian Maier”
Jesse Moss, “The Overnighters”
Laura Poitras, “CITIZENFOUR”
Orlando von Einsiedel, “Virunga”
TELEVISION
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series
Dan Attias, “Homeland” – “13 Hours in Islamabad”
Jodie Foster, “House of Cards” – “Chapter 22”
Cary Joji Fukunaga, “True Detective” – “Who Goes There”
Lesli Linka Glatter, “Homeland” – “From A to B and Back Again”
Alex Graves, “Game of Thrones” – “The Children”
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series
Louis C.K., “Louie” – “Elevator: Part 6”
Jodie Foster, “Orange is the New Black” – “Thirsty Bird”
Mike Judge, “Silicon Valley” – “Minimum Viable Product”
Gail Mancuso, “Modern Family” – “Vegas”
Jill Soloway, “Transparent” – “Best New Girl”
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Mini-Series
Rob Ashford; Glenn Weiss, “Peter Pan Live!”
Lisa Cholodenko, “Olive Kitteridge”
Uli Edel, “Houdini”
Ryan Murphy, “The Normal Heart”
Michael Wilson, “The Trip to Bountiful”
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Regularly Scheduled Programming
Paul G. Casey, “Real Time with Bill Maher” – “#1226”
Dave Diomedi, “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” – “#1”
Jim Hoskinson, “The Colbert Report” – “#11040”
Don Roy King, “Saturday Night Live” – “Host Jim Carrey/Musical Guest Iggy Azalea”
Chuck O'Neil, “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” – “Open-Carrying to the Midterms”
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials
Hamish Hamilton, “The 86th Annual Academy Awards”
Louis J. Horvitz, “The 37th Annual Kennedy Center Honors”
Des McAnuff, “Billy Crystal: 700 Sundays”
Rich Russo, “Super Bowl XLVIII”
Glenn Weiss, “The 68th Annual Tony Awards”
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Reality Programs
Bertram van Munster, Jack Cannon, Elise Doganieri, “The Quest” – “One True Hero”
Neil P. DeGroot, “The Biggest Loser” – “Episode 1613”
Steve Hryniewicz, “Top Chef” – “The First Thanksgiving”
Anthony B. Sacco, “The Chair” – “The Test”
Adam Vetri, “Steve Austin's Broken Skull Challenge” – “Welcome to the Gun Show”
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children's Programs
Paul Hoen, “How to Build a Better Boy”
Jonathan Judge, “100 Things to do Before High School” – “Pilot”
Vince Marcello, “American Girl: Isabelle Dances into the Spotlight”
Joey Mazzarino, “Sesame Street” – “4504 Numericon”
Amy Schatz, “Saving My Tomorrow” – “Part 1 and 2”
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials
Nicolai Fuglsig, MJZ (“Sapeurs,” Guinness; “Waiting,” FEMA )
Lauren Greenfield, Chelsea Pictures (“Always #LikeAGirl,” Always)
Brendan Malloy, Emmett Malloy, HSI Productions (“The Huddle,” Nike)
Daniel Mercadante, Katina Mercadante, Epoch Films (“Spots Matter,” Dick's Sporting Goods; “We Are Not Alone,” Facebook; “Big Sister,” Facebook)
Noam Murro, Biscuit Filmworks (“Ahead of Their Time,” Dodge; “Empty Chair,” Guinness)