AD Guild’s Advisory Council (AC) is made up of elected ADG members and non-members from the wider Film & TV industry. Our Advisory Council members have extensive experience and expertise either as Assistant Directors or from their chosen fields of related work. The purpose of the AC is to contribute to the vision and strategy of the Guild and to provide input and advice which supports the goals and objectives of the Guild.
2nd Assistant Director
Jo Tew is a 2nd Assistant Director working in Film & Drama with over twenty years’ experience in the industry. Jo has been a member of the ADG Council since the start of its inception. During her time as a council member, she has enjoyed working on the development of the Guild as it grows.
Jo works closely with the AD Guild Manager as part of the Education and Training Committee, developing outreach programmes, training and mentor opportunities for members. Jo also believes equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) within the industry is essential, and that the Guild can have a huge impact on enabling working environments where every AD feels empowered to achieve their full potential.
1st Assistant Director, AD Guild Director
Richard has been actively involved with the AD Guild as a Council member and company director since its inception in 2020. Before this, he enjoyed a 25-year career as a 1st Assistant Director on a wide variety of commercials, film and HETV productions with directors such as Stephen Poliakoff, Beeban Kidron and Taylor Hackford.
Richard is a passionate advocate for the AD Guild and keen to advise and support the next chapter of its development with colleagues on the Advisory Council. He is keen to encourage the provision of more training and services for our Guild membership and to drive wider recognition and respect of the Assistant Directors’ craft and critical role in our industry.
Head of Industry Relations, Directors UK
Paul is the Head of Industry Relations for Directors UK. He has previously spent more than a decade working at Bectu, including five years as the Assistant National Secretary overseeing the London Production Division of the union which negotiated the Bectu/Pact agreements. In this role he helped to establish the AD Branch, and helped in the discussions that resulted in the founding of the ADG and the ADs grading scheme itself. His final years at Bectu were spent as the union’s Freelance Researcher.
Prior to joining Bectu, Paul’s film industry-related work included four years as a researcher in the European Parliament specialising in film and TV global trade for a Labour MEP. Other working roles have included being a founder and director of a software company, freelance work advising on media matters and organising policy conferences, and a period working as the Advertising Manager at The New Statesman.
Chair, Mark Milsome Foundation
As Chair of the Mark Milsome Foundation, Samantha has knowledge and experience of many of the issues surrounding crew in the film and tv industry, particularly but not confined to the area of Health & Safety.
Samantha is responsible for advocating for better wellbeing provision for crew, increasing awareness and education around health & safety issues, establishing partnerships with industry wide bodies, and supporting young people to consider a role in Film & TV.
Recent personal successes have been the signing of Production Safety Passport training for all crew on Netflix, Sky, Sony and ITV productions, working with the Labour leader of the House of Lords on a debate on the importance of the sector to the economy, meetings with the Arts Minister to consider changes to the 1974 H&S at Work Act, and the development of their Foot in the Door mentor programme.
Alongside Samantha’s volunteer role for MMF, Samantha also works part time for the European Film Academy (based in Berlin) on their pan-European youth education projects.
Samantha has over 30 years experience working in the entertainment, charity, and consultancy sectors including as a consultant for the BFI. Samantha is a communications leader, strategic advisor, and film education champion.
1st Assistant Director
Over the last 14 years Jez has meticulously made his way through the AD department in HETV and Features to become 1st AD and has worked for the likes of BBC, ITV, Mammoth Screen, Netflix, Searchlight, Disney to name but a few.
Jez has been the Co-Chair of the Education and Training committee for the ADG since its foundation, helping to ensure excellence in the training of UK ADs and maintaining the high standards for which our ADs are regarded worldwide. He is also a contributor and external tutor at the National Film and Television School.
2nd Assistant Director
Erin has been working in film & television since 2006 and has been working as a Key 2nd AD for the last decade, recently stepping up more frequently to 1st AD.
She has been a member of the ADG Council since its formation and has acted as Membership Committee Chair throughout her time at the AD Guild. She is always actively on hand to assist and advise members, and consistently works towards the education and training goals of the AD Guild.
3rd Assistant Director
Emmy Brown is in her 7th year in the industry and has come up from Floor Runner to 3rd AD and is 2nding low-budget indie films. She is also a licensed Chaperone and works as a Rep for the AD branch of BECTU.
Her ambitions include, 1sting Stunt Units, Directing her own short and working towards collaboration between ADs and all departments to create a safer, prosperous and inclusive future for the TV and Film Industry.
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