The Directors Guild of America on Thursday ratified a four-year deal with studios and streaming companies, marking a quiet year for bargaining between Hollywood labor groups and major corporations.
The union did not reveal which part of its members voted for or against the agreement, but said that members voted “overwhelmingly” in favor of the agreement in announcing its ratification.
“This incredible show of support from our members for this new contract shows the strength of our unity and solidarity,” union president Christopher Nolan and national CEO Russell Hollander said in a letter to members. “We have achieved decisive victories that put the union in a position to protect the economic and creative rights of our members now and in the future.”
The DGA, the last of Hollywood’s major guilds to negotiate its deals in 2026, is negotiating on behalf of about 19,500 directors, assistant directors, assistant directors, unit production managers and stage managers.
The deal notably contains the largest-ever increase in employer contributions to the union’s health plan in its history. Employer contributions to the union’s plan will increase by approximately 25 percent over the term of the agreement and caps on employer contributions will be lifted across several categories, although the union and employers agreed that the plan’s trustees will need to make changes to its benefits to keep the plan sustainable over the long term.
To address job declines for DGA members, studios and streaming companies bound by the contract will send some of their key executives to Washington, D.C., to lobby for federal film tax incentives. The deal included restrictions on “affiliate hires” on television shows, or when a non-director on a project takes on an additional supporting role (such as when a lead actor directs an episode). Regarding generative AI, the consortium was promised that AI-generated footage falls within the scope of the director’s creative vision as well as transparency and licensing language.
For the studios, the ultimate goal was to convince the DGA to agree to an unusually long-term deal — four years instead of the typical three, just as SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America had done in their drama-free negotiations in front of directors.
In a statement, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers praised the DGA as well as SAG-AFTRA and the WGA for their “thoughtful and collaborative approach” to the negotiations. “Together, we have achieved agreements that provide significant gains to union members while supporting greater stability across the entertainment business,” the organization added. The organization added that its member companies were encouraged by “the confidence that has been built throughout this session.”
Nolan and Hollander said the DGA contract was the result of “more than 18 months of preparation, research and negotiations,” with bargaining beginning in mid-May and continuing until a tentative agreement was reached on June 9. Hollander led the negotiations for the DGA, while AMPTP President Gregory Hissinger managed the talks for the studios.
But there is more work on the horizon, union leaders told their members Thursday. “While this agreement is important, the challenges facing our industry remain significant. For 90 years, the union has fought—through legislative advocacy, contract enforcement, education, and many other methods—to ensure that the craft of directing is protected, and that career opportunities are available to our members.” “The successful ratification of this convention continues this long tradition and reinforces our commitment to protecting this profession for generations to come.”
