Tyler Perry, Ron Howard Among 2015 Directors Guild of America HonoreesPosted by Wilson Morales
July 29, 2015
Source: Variety
Director-producer-actor Tyler Perry, along with director-producer Ron Howard, film editor Thelma Schoonmaker , Teamsters Local 817 President Thomas J. O’Donnell, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) will be honored at the 2015 Directors Guild of America ceremonies in New York City on Oct. 15, reports Variety.
DGA Honors celebrates individuals and institutions that have made distinguished contributions to American culture through the world of film and television and recognizes the diversity of achievement—in business, government, and labor —required to produce the best entertainment in the world.
“As we approach the 80th anniversary of the Directors Guild of America, it is with great pride that we pause to express our appreciation of five incredible leaders who have shaped the direction of the entertainment community,” said DGA President Paris Barclay. “From an influential DGA and Academy Award-winning master filmmaker like Ron Howard, to a multi-hyphenate entertainment powerhouse and Atlanta business leader like Tyler Perry, to a renowned legislator and advocate for production incentives and job creation like Senator Chuck Schumer, DGA Honors recognizes both the visionary artists who create media as well as leaders in government and beyond. Our creative work is enriched by invaluable contributions of such craft masters as Thelma Schoonmaker, a trailblazing light in film editing, and labor leaders like Thomas J. O’Donnell, the President of Teamsters Local 817, who represents the fine professional crews that make up the beating heart of each production.”
“The best film and television are born of collaboration, vital, often intense and always creative collaboration,” said DGA National Vice President and Honors Chair Vincent Misiano. “And that spirit is at the heart of DGA Honors in New York, where we gather to celebrate both artists and the leaders from business and government who make their work possible. Together they’ve built an industry that enriches our common culture and supports the livelihoods of thousands of working men and women.”
Past DGA Honors recipients have included influential filmmakers Nora Ephron, Robert Altman, Jonathan Demme, Milos Forman, Curtis Hanson, Spike Lee, Mike Nichols, Arthur Penn, Sydney Pollack, and Martin Scorsese; as well as leaders in entertainment, labor, and politics such as Law & Order creator/producer Dick Wolf, Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels, Sopranos creator David Chase, HBO Documentary Films President Sheila Nevins, Robert De Niro, Danny Glover, Jane Alexander, former Paramount Pictures CEO Sherry Lansing, IATSE International President Matthew Loeb, former AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, Senator Ted Kennedy, Senator Patrick Leahy, Senator Olympia Snowe, Congressman John Conyers, Jr., and Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Tyler Perry is being recognized for his contributions to film and television including the creation of a thriving – and soon to be expanded – production center in Atlanta employing hundreds.
In early 2005, Perry wrote, produced and starred in his first feature film, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, which debuted at number one nationwide. His ensuing films – which he also directed – Madea’s Family Reunion, Daddy’s Little Girls, Why Did I Get Married?, Meet The Browns, The Family That Preys, I Can Do Bad All by Myself, Why Did I Get Married Too?, For Colored Girls, Madea’s Big Happy Family, Good Deeds and Madea’s Witness Protection have all been met with massive commercial success, delighting audiences across America and around the world. Perry also starred in Alex Cross and Gone Girl, and executive-produced the Academy Award-nominated Precious. In addition, he created and directed popular television shows including House of Payne, For Better or Worse, The Haves and Have Nots, and Love Thy Neighbor.
Beginning with his 1992 musical I Know I’ve Been Changed, Perry has also created 13 successful plays and written a New York Times bestselling book, among other credits.
Perry fought from a young age to find the strength, faith, and perseverance that would later form the foundations of his much-acclaimed plays, films, books and shows. He has been intimately involved with and donated generously to civil rights causes through work with the NAACP and National Action Network. In 2010, Perry pledged $1 million via The Tyler Perry Foundation to help those affected by the earthquakes in Haiti.
The 2015 DGA Honors will begin with red carpet arrivals at 6 p.m., followed by the event itself at 7 p.m. and a VIP after-party at Nobu 57 at 8:30 p.m.
