Membership to the Directors Guild of Canada is at the sole discretion of the DGC. 

1. You have a signed Director’s contract from a DGC Signatory production.

 

OR

 

2. You have Directed at least one feature film that is a minimum of 75 minutes long or 75 minutes worth of short films that have been programmed within the last 5 years in at least two film festivals that are on the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television Eligible Festivals & Online Platforms list. Click here to find the list.

 

OR

 

3. You have a Director credit for at least 75 minutes of commercially exhibited or theatrically released content. In order to be considered commercially exhibited, the work must have been broadcast by a national broadcaster that is licensed by the CRTC or a streamer (click here to find the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television list of Eligible Festivals & Online Platforms), and you have either a licensing agreement or commissioning agreement with them from within the last 5 years. In the case of a theatrical release, the work must have been released through a recognized distributor into theatres to a paying audience within the last 5 years. In either case, the production(s) must be in either scripted drama or comedy, or documentary formats. Formats that do not qualify include: News, music videos, sports, reality tv, variety, game shows, human interest, corporate videos, etc.

 

AND

 

4. You are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

 

Dues

There is a one-time initiation fee of $1,500 and annual dues of $700 (for the 2025 calendar year). Annual dues can be paid all at once or quarterly ($175.00). At the time of joining you must pay the full initiation fee plus one quarter annual dues. The remaining balance will be subject to the deadlines of the quarterly dues payment schedule.

New Member Fee: $1,500

Annual Dues: $700 (can be paid $175.00 a quarter)

Payment when joining: $1,500 + $175.00 = $1,675.00

Application

1. DGC Director Application Form
2. Individual RRSP form. Membership includes becoming part of a group retirement savings plan. This form must have the original pen and paper signature and must either be mailed or dropped off to your local DGC office.
3. NRSP Corporation form. If you are incorporated and wish to have your payroll routed to your corporation you need to fill this out as well as the RRSP form above. This must also have the original pen and paper signature and must either be mailed or dropped off to your local DGC office.

Please send the completed forms to your local DGC District Council office.

Payment

Once your application is approved, your payment options are:

• Online through your personal online banking system and choose the Directors Guild of Canada as a payee. It will ask you for a membership # for which the default is “9999”
• In person or by mail with a cheque issued to “Directors Guild of Canada” 
• Or by calling your local DGC office and processing payment on your VISA or Mastercard

Once you are accepted into membership you will receive a membership package that will include: Membership number, RRSPs contact information, Health and Welfare benefits enrolment package. You will also receive a welcome email connecting you to the director representatives nationally and in your region.

 

With any questions and for more information on joining the DGC as a Director please contact:

Hans Engel
National Directors Division
hengel@dgc.ca
416-482-3825
1-888-972-0098