Director and UBC film professor Rachel Talalay and retired lighting technician and industry advocate Brian Baker are among this year’s Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) honourees.
Talalay is being recognized with the DGC Lifetime Achievement Award, honouring a DGC member whose work has shaped Canadian filmmaking and left a lasting cultural impact on Canada and the world at large.
She began her career as a producer for filmmaker John Waters before going on to direct the ground-breaking cult classic Tank Girl. Talalay also directed all three series finales for Doctor Who during Peter Capaldi’s tenure and became the first woman in the show’s history to direct a finale episode as well as a Christmas special. She’s also worked on BBC’s Sherlock, while directing episodes of the WB’s DC series Legends of Tomorrow, The Flash, and Supergirl. She co-directed the upcoming series YAGA with fellow DGC Member David Frazee, which premiered at TIFF. Talalay previously took home a DGC Award in 2019 for Outstanding Directorial Achievement for her work on Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
This year’s DGC Honorary Life Member Award is being presented to Brian Baker, whose 30-year career in Canadian film and television started on set as an electrician, before rising to the role of head lighting technician on feature films, series and commercials. Baker served for four years as the president of the Quebec Film and Video Technicians Union (STCVQ) and became its executive director in 2002. In 2006, he joined DGC as a Business Agent in Quebec, before transitioning to the Director in charge of the National Directors Division and eventually National Executive Director of the guild. He also assumed the role of Chair and Corporate Secretary for DGC Health & Welfare Trust, prior to retiring earlier this year.
Clara George will receive this year’s DGC Impact Award, recognizing a DGC Member for outstanding service and leadership to the production community at large.
A Production Manager for over 25 years, George previously chaired the DGC Green Committee and led the creation of the Power Budgeting Tool, a calculator that helps film & television professionals understand and better calculate the impact of generator usage on sets. She was chosen as one of the first Reel Green Ambassadors by Creative BC and was honoured as a Sustainable Champion at the Vancouver International Film Festival and Sustainable Production Forum in 2018 and 2019.
“These three extraordinary award recipients are a testament to the leadership, talent and authenticity that exist within the DGC”, said DGC National President Warren P. Sonoda, in a DGC announcement. “Personally, I’ve learned so much from Brian Baker when I first started at the Guild, Clara George as she created the foundation of our DGC Green practices and Rachel Talalay, who has been a beacon of creativity for us all. We look forward to celebrating them at this year’s gala.”
The awards will be presented Nov. 14 at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts in Vancouver.
