If you've watched any of the leading television shows in the past 25 years, it's likely Lesli Linka Glatter had a hand in directing them. Mad Men, Homeland, Twin Peaks, Gilmore Girls and The Walking Dead are just a few on a long and impressive list directed by Linka Glatter. Nominated for eight Primetime Emmy Awards, she's also the President of the Directors Guild of America; the second woman to ever hold that position with the guild representing more than 19,000 members.
NZ's Copyright Act 1994 is currently under review with a public consultation paper due for release in a few weeks and Linka Glatter's visit comes as Kiwi screen directors are advocating for economic rights over their work. It's a different set-up in the US where directors don't have copyright or moral rights but gain economic rights through collective bargaining. Screen directors in NZ only have moral rights with no control over their work after it's created while producers have copyright. Directors are calling for a change to bring New Zealand more in line with the UK and Europe. Lesli Linka Glatter speaks to Culture 101 about the changes in Hollywood, the impact of AI and looks back at her decades-long career.
