Securing the Director
A ‘DGA Hold’ is a formal, short-term contractual agreement used by studios to secure a director’s exclusivity while the complex, long-form directing agreement is being negotiated. When a studio decides they want a particular director for a project that is moving towards a greenlight, they need to ensure that director doesn’t accept a competing offer. The hold is the mechanism to do this. The studio pays the director a non-refundable fee in exchange for a specified period (often a few weeks) during which the director is ‘held’ and cannot enter into negotiations or accept employment for any other film. This gives the studio’s business affairs and legal departments a crucial window to hammer out the final deal without the fear of losing their top choice.
The Role of the Directors Guild of America
The ‘DGA’ part of the term is significant because the Directors Guild of America, the union representing film and television directors, has specific rules in its collective bargaining agreement that govern these holds. The DGA mandates certain minimum payments and time limits for holds to protect its members from being unfairly tied to a project for an extended period without adequate compensation or a firm commitment. This prevents a studio from placing an indefinite, low-cost hold on a director, effectively keeping them off the market while the studio remains undecided. The guild ensures that if a studio wants to secure a director’s time, they must be willing to pay for the privilege.
Hold vs. Attachment
It is important to differentiate a formal ‘hold’ from the more common state of being ‘attached’ to a project. A director can be loosely ‘attached’ to a script for months or even years during the long and uncertain development phase. This attachment is often informal and non-exclusive. A DGA Hold, by contrast, is a legally binding, paid engagement that signifies a much more serious and immediate intention to hire. It is the transitional step between ‘we’re developing this with you in mind’ and ‘you are officially hired.’ If the main deal cannot be reached by the end of the hold period, the studio must either pay for an extended hold or release the director, who is then free to pursue other work, though the studio forfeits the initial hold payment.