In this episode of the No Film School Podcast, No Film School founder Ryan Koo sits down with acclaimed director Jeremiah Zagar to explore his journey from Sundance Labs and indie documentaries to directing high-stakes prestige television. Zagar, best known for We the Animals and Hustle, shares an in-depth look at his process directing HBO’s Task—an emotionally rich, verité-style crime drama from showrunner Brad Ingelsby, starring Mark Ruffalo and Tom Pelphrey.

The conversation dives deep into how Zagar’s collaborative ethos and commitment to joy and safety on set shape his work, and how building a long-standing creative family has been key to his success.

In this episode, we discuss:

  • How Jeremiah transitioned from making a personal documentary to directing HBO Sunday night TV
  • The evolution of his production company, Public Record, and his partnership with longtime collaborator Jeremy Yaches
  • Why he treats every project as a holistic collaboration, bringing in his trusted team across all productions
  • The importance of storyboarding, mood boarding, and detailed prep to allow for freedom on set
  • Behind-the-scenes stories from directing pivotal scenes in Task, including a climactic car scene with Ruffalo and Pelphrey
  • The philosophy of “best idea wins” and how showrunner Brad Ingelsby fostered deep creative collaboration
  • How emotional truth and safety for actors are prioritized on Zagar’s sets
  • The unusual ways his acting coach (or “wizard”) helps foster intimacy and authenticity among cast members
  • Why joy, kindness, and team spirit are central to Zagar’s directing ethos

Guests

As we mentioned at the end of the pod, check out our other episode with Jeremiah, in which he talks about his work on Netflix's Hustle, starring Adam Sandler.

Storyboard Art for 'Task'

Credit: Hugo Costa

As an added treat — want to get an inside look at how the show was visualized? Jeremiah's team shared the incredible storyboard art by Hugo Costa with us. Absolutely stunning!

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This episode of The No Film School Podcast was produced by Ryan Koo.

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