Directors Guild Foundation Launches Coronavirus Relief Fund

The Directors Guild Foundation introduced on Wednesday that it’ll set up a reduction fund in affiliation with the Directors Guild of America and the Motion Picture and Television Fund, which is able to provide $1,000 reduction grants to DGA members in critical monetary want because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“To our members: more help is on the way,” stated DGF Chairman Todd Holland. “As productions remain shut down for an undetermined length of time due to COVID-19, there are members starting to feel the financial strain. This new Fund will help ease some of that burden.”

The fund is being seeded by a $200,000 dedication from the DGF and a $100,000 donation from the DGA, together with a contribution from City National Bank. Applicants with liquid belongings of lower than $10,000 and a demonstrated want are invited to use by the Motion Picture and Television Fund’s hotline at (888) 356-0537 or by the MPTF web site, whereas those that may give are inspired to donate by the Foundation’s web site to permit the fund to proceed offering assist.

“The Foundation has such a rich history of members helping members, and our Guild is so proud to support this important new Fund. In this time of crisis, the DGA is working on all fronts to aid our members – be it in our work with industry employers, with the government, or with the Foundation through this commitment,” DGA President Thomas Schlamme stated in an announcement. “And in maintaining that tradition of members helping members, I encourage all DGA members who are fortunate enough to be able to help support the Foundation to donate.”

“The Directors Guild Foundation, the DGA and the entire DGA family have been longstanding partners to the MPTF, supporting the workers who create the best film and television enjoyed the world over,” added MPTF’s CEO Bob Beitcher. ” They’ve at all times been there to assist and provides generously to assist the larger neighborhood, making multi-millions of {dollars} of contributions to the MPTF by the many years. This new Fund will assist handle the wants of Guild members dealing with disaster. We stand able to facilitate these crucial grants as we proceed our work to help leisure trade employees throughout this unprecedented time.”

Along with the fund, the DGF will proceed its longstanding interest-free mortgage program that provides assist to members experiencing monetary hardships and emergencies. The MPTF additionally has monetary assist and case administration companies open to candidates, significantly Hollywood retirees. The new fund is considered one of a number of which were launched to help employees within the leisure trade in the course of the international coronavirus disaster, with different funds and help applications being created by unions and organizations like IATSE and the Actors Fund.