FAQs - Disney Entertainment Television Directing Program

Disney Entertainment Television is a collection of renowned content brands at The Walt Disney Company creating original entertainment and news programming for the Company’s streaming platforms Disney+, Hulu and Star, and its broadcast and cable networks. Its extensive portfolio is comprised of ABC Entertainment, ABC News, ABC Owned Television Stations, Disney Branded Television, Freeform, FX, Hulu Originals, National Geographic Content and Onyx Collective, in addition to Disney Television Studios, which include 20th Television, 20th Television Animation, and Walt Disney Television Alternative. Responsible for over 4,500 hours of programming a year across more than 300 programs of all genres, Disney Entertainment Television’s creative brands are at the forefront of groundbreaking storytelling, captivating audiences and generating critical acclaim. In 2022, Disney Entertainment Television’s programming excellence earned 288 Emmy® nominations across daytime, primetime, news & documentary, and children’s & family categories. 

Yes. However, due to the nature of the Program, we are unable to sponsor individuals for United States work visas to participate in the Program. To be eligible, an applicant must possess and present evidence of identity and United States employment eligibility (valid for the duration of the Program) as required by the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, as amended.  

Yes. The Directing Program is open to employees of The Walt Disney Company and its subsidiaries.  

No.

You must be at least twenty-one (21) by December 1 of the current application year to apply to the Program. 

No.

To be eligible for the program, all applicants under consideration for scripted primetime and daytime must have previously directed an original piece of material and have a body of work to include in a targeted directors reel. Applicants for unscripted/alternative are not required to submit a directors reel nor are they required to have previously directed original material. All applicants do not need to have prior experience working on a mainstream television set, but shadowing and exposure to the television directing industry is helpful.  

Any uploaded documents must be in Portable Document Format (PDF). 

Yes. All applicants must submit a chronological employment resume that is two (2) pages or less in length. Please list all paid and voluntary directing and crew work. You may list shadowing experiences, accolades, and training if space permits. Applications that do not include a resume will be disqualified.  

Recommendation letters are not required for scripted primetime and daytime. 

Recommendation letters are required for unscripted/alternative. We will accept 1-2 letters. Letters of recommendation should come from entertainment industry professionals who have served in a mentorship, supervisory and/or educational capacity and who can speak to your work ethic, professional experience(s), and/or promise. Please do not provide letters of recommendation from your agent, manager, or legal representative. 

Your application cannot be updated once it is submitted. All elements must be re-submitted together. If you submit an incomplete application or uploaded an incorrect element, you must complete a new application by the submission deadline. The application with the most recent submission date and time is the only one that will be considered. We will not mix materials from multiple applications and you must maintain the same name and email address each time you update your application submission. 

Yes. Your application must be submitted no later than 11:59 pm PST of the deadline date. Applications received prior to the application start date or later than the application deadline date will not be opened or reviewed and will be disqualified.

No. All submissions must be made through the designated online portal. 

No.

Add relevant entertainment industry experience, including: paid or voluntary work for directing commercials, branded content, music videos, promos, docs, episodic content, features, shorts, etc. Be specific when mentioning your title and show/production you’ve worked on. Include voluntary or unpaid shadowing assignments if space permits (include specific details about shows, episode numbers, directors shadowed, and years shadowed). Training, production/directing-specific education, programs, fellowships should be included, space permitting. Festival or competition recognition should be included, space permitting.  

No. Due to the high volume of applications we receive, CTDI cannot inform applicants of their status. Applicants who advance to interview rounds will be notified within a few months of applying to the program.  

The Directing Program is tentatively set to begin late Summer/early Fall 2026. Directors who are selected for the program will be assigned to a specific scripted or unscripted series at DET. Directors assigned to a scripted primetime series will shadow the series for one (1) seson, and will direct an episode the subsequent season. Directors assigned to unscripted/alternative and scripted daytime will shadow and direct in the 2026-2027 season. Directors will officially wrap their time in the program after they shoot their episode. 

No. Directors will be paid DGA episodic fees when they direct their episode. Additionally, directors may be compensated while shadowing. Otherwise, Program Directors are not paid or compensated , and the Directing Program is not a full-time employment opportunity. However, CTDI and the Company will expect each selected Program Director to make themselves available for the program’s scheduled workshops, prep sessions, meetings, shadowing, on-set immersion, networking activities, and their episodic television assignment.

You do not need to inform CTDI about employment unrelated to the entertainment industry or employment that does not involve directing. However, directors must prioritize participating in the Directing Program, including: making time for prep, shadowing, professional development, and shooting their episodes (see time commitment question below).  

If selected for the DET Directing Program, directors must prioritize and make themselves available for any/all preparation, on-set immersion, meetings, shadowing, networking, and professional development deemed necessary by the company, CTDI, and/or the show assigned to them, prior to directing their episodes. 

Scripted Primetime:   Directors will shadow their assigned series for one (1) season. They will also participate in monthly workshops, generals, networking activities, and mentorship meetings (most of which will take place on weekends). The duration of the shadowing assignment is dependent on the series.  Directors will direct their episodes in the subsequent season, and will participate in networking activities and general meetings.  

Scripted Daytime:  Directors will shadow and direct their assigned series for one (1) season.  They will also participate in monthly workshops, generals, networking activities, and mentorship meetings (most of which will take place on weekends). 

Unscripted/Alternative:  Finalists will participate in a virtual professional development week in August 2026.  They will shadow and direct their assigned series for one (1) season, and participate in generals and networking activities. 

Failure to avail oneself for required activities during the program will result in a director being removed from the program. 

Yes, directors accepted into the scripted program will direct episodes.  Directors accepted into the unscripted program will direct segments. However, please note that the company, CTDI, and the show assigned to the program director each unilaterally reserves in its sole discretion the right to revisit guaranteeing an episode to a program director.

If selected for the Scripted Directing Program, a director will be assigned to a specific DET series. The director will ultimately shadow on and direct an episode of that series. If selected for the Unscripted Directing Program, a director will be assigned to a specific DET series and will shadow and direct a segment on that series.  DET, CTDI, and the series assigned to a program director reserve the right to change or make alterations to a program director’s assignment. 

While we cannot at this time disclose the specific series participating, Scripted Primetime directors will be assigned to an ABC series produced by 20th (or any 20th series that produces a non-Disney broadcast series). Unscripted/Alternative directors will be assigned to an ABC Hulu or Disney+ unscripted series.  Scripted Daytime directors will be assigned to General Hospital. 

No. Selected directors will be assigned to one (1) series during their time in the program.

No. Assignments are determined by series producers, executives, and CTDI. Most assignments will take place in Los Angeles.  

CTDI will determine out-of-town costs and compensation on a case-by-case basis.  

Yes.  Directors who direct an episode will receive DGA episodic directing fees.  Directors who direct segments will receive DGA segment directing fees.

The Scripted Primetime Directing Program is a two-year program.  Selected program directors will shadow their assigned series in Year 1, and direct an episode of the same series in Year 2.