Suzanne Misako Saltz

Suzanne has over 26 years’ experience in the film business.  Her deep love for film began when she was a camper at Space Camp in the late 80s when Space Camp the movie was being filmed at the Rocket Center.  Suzanne continued her arts education in theatre at the University of California, Los Angeles where she attended classes on property, construction, and stage-managing, among others.  This was a feat since she was not a theatre or film major.  After graduation, Suzanne was accepted to the Director’s Guild of America (DGA) Producer Training Plan.  Before making her directorial debut on NCIS: Los Angeles, Suzanne worked her way up the assistant director ranks from DGA trainee to key second assistant director on a variety of shows.  Her first stint as a first assistant director was on JAG, and then NCIS. Suzanne continued to work as a first assistant director on second units for such shows as Six Feet Under, Wildfire, Bones, and Pushing Daisies. For the past ten years Suzanne has been a first assistant director on NCIS: Los Angeles, working with seasoned and first-time episodic directors alike.  Suzanne has watched and learned; this has helped her become an intuitive first assistant director, assisting new directors gain confidence in their abilities as they navigate the intricacies of a long running television show.  Suzanne loves bringing stories to life for television and working with actors, giving them the spark to become their characters.  She understands the beats, making sure dialogue lands as intended.  This is her process, this her passion.  Suzanne is an active member of the Director’s Guild of America, Alliance of Women Directors, Film Fatales, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, and is co-chair for the Space Camp Alumni Board.