DGA Extends Russell Hollander’s Contract Through 2029 Ahead of AMPTP Talks

Overview

• The Directors Guild of America extended national executive director Russell Hollander’s contract through 2029, an announcement made Monday as talks with the AMPTP, which represents major studios and streamers, are set to begin May 11.
• DGA President Christopher Nolan praised Hollander’s stewardship through the pandemic, recent strikes, and a production downturn, saying the board trusts his leadership.
• Hollander has led the guild since 2017, served as chief negotiator in the 2020 and 2023 contract cycles, and will again lead the bargaining team this year.
• The guild negotiates for directors as well as assistant and associate directors, stage managers, and unit production managers, with the current contract set to expire June 30 for roughly 19,500 members who depend on terms covering pay, safety, and working hours.
• Hollander joined the DGA in 2001, helped craft the industry’s COVID return‑to‑work safety protocols in 2020, and brings a labor law background from Harvard Law and the firm Cohen, Weiss and Simon.