Craig Zisk is no stranger to the Emmy nominees’ circle. He has been up for the coveted award four times–three nominations for Best Comedy Series (Weeds in 2009; The Larry Sanders Show in 1998; and Brooklyn Bridge in 1992), and once for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series (for the “Good S*** Lollipop” episode of Weeds in 2006). Zisk served as a producer on Brooklyn Bridge, a producer and co-executive producer on The Larry Sanders Show, and a co-exec producer and then an executive producer on Weeds.
Zisk could very well be in line for a return engagement as a nominee this awards season based on his directorial endeavors on Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox network) and Parks and Recreation (NBC). For the latter, he directed the episode (“Two Funerals”) that came right before the hour-long series finale (“One Last Ride”). And for Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s second season, Zisk directed the “Windbreaker City” episode. He served as co-executive producer for season one of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, directing four episodes that first year.
Michael Schur, executive producer and co-creator of Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Parks and Recreation, brought Zisk onto both series. “My relationship with Mike extends back to the two episodes of The Office I directed–he wrote both of them,” recalled Zisk. “I later got the chance to direct multiple episodes of Parks and Recreation [2012 through 2015]. Then when Mike and [series co-creator] Dan Goor shot the pilot for Brooklyn Nine-Nine, they asked me to come in and share my thoughts. As co-executive producer and director for the first season I not only directed four episodes but oversaw other directors. It was a great opportunity. I left the show after the first season and came back to direct an episode this past season.”
Zisk said he felt “fortunate to be given the opportunity” to direct the next to last episode of Parks and Recreation (the finale was directed by Schur). In my episode and the finale, Mike brought back some past characters played by Bill Murray, Paul Rudd, Henry Winkler and Sam Elliott, among others. Mike got these great guest performers based on his Saturday Night Live tenure and of course Amy [Poehler] has connections with a host of great comedy talent. I benefited by getting the chance to direct not only the regular cast but these guest performers in my episode.”
Zisk observed that while distinctly different shows, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Parks and Recreation have some similarities in style and the challenges they pose to a director–as well as the advantages they offer. “The challenge is always trying to do as much as possible on a limited schedule. Audiences today want bigger and funnier–they are used to big movies. So we’re trying to do something on that same scale in five days. What makes that doable is the amazing actors in both shows who are willing to do anything and can pull seemingly everything off at a high level. Andy Samberg, for example, on Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a comedic genius. He understands what works and what doesn’t work. He commits fully when he sees it on the page and delivers amazing takes.
“The same is true for Parks and Recreation,” continued Zisk. “Shot in somewhat documentary style, the show is like The Office in that it feels a little bit like the actors are in front of the camera doing their thing. Their talent and preparation make it appear as if they’re just winging it with the cameras running. Both Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Parks and Recreation have incredibly great scripts so we end up with a lot of material as the cast brings that much extra to what’s been written. It’s an embarrassment of riches. Once you get into postproduction, there are a lot of tough choices to make.”
Zisk said that each of his Emmy nominations has meant a lot to him personally and professionally, perhaps the most significant being the directorial nod for Weeds in ‘06. “I hadn’t come on as a producer or executive producer yet on that show. I had just directed one episode. It was a show looking for an audience at a time when Showtime hadn’t had a really big hit before. This was their first real shot at a marquee series. Certainly having Mary Louise Parker as your lead will draw attention. We only made 10 episodes that first season and we wound up with five nominations. We were shooting the second season when the nominations were announced. We were a little show trying to make it and those nominations meant we had arrived.
“Also, at that point I had already been directing for close to 15 years,” continued Zisk. “To get that first nomination as a director meant a great deal. My good friend Marc Buckland wound up winning for the pilot for My Name Is Earl, but it was truly great to have been nominated.”
This is the first installment of a 14-part series that explores the field of Emmy contenders, and then nominees spanning such disciplines as directing, cinematography, producing, editing, animation and visual effects. The series will then be followed up by coverage of the Creative Arts Emmys ceremony on September 12 and the primetime Emmy Awards live telecast on September 20.
