Roger Craig Zobel is an American filmmaker and actor whose work includes music videos, film, and television. He has directed the films '' Compliance'' (2012), ''

Z for Zachariah ''Z for Zachariah'' is a post-apocalyptic science-fiction novel by Robert C. O'Brien that was published posthumously in 1974. The name Robert C. O'Brien was the pen name used by Robert Leslie Conly. After the author's death in March 1973, his ...

'' (2015), and '' The Hunt'' (2020). On TV he has directed episodes of '' The Leftovers'', '' American Gods'', and ''

Westworld ''Westworld'' is an American science fiction-thriller media franchise that began with the 1973 film ''Westworld'', written and directed by Michael Crichton. The film depicts a technologically advanced Wild-West-themed amusement park populate ...

''. In 2021, he directed the miniseries ''

Mare of Easttown ''Mare of Easttown'' is an American crime drama limited series created and written by Brad Ingelsby for HBO. Directed by Craig Zobel, the series premiered on April 18, 2021, and concluded on May 30, 2021, consisting of seven episodes. It st ...

'' on HBO.

Early life

Zobel was born in New York and grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, later studying film at the

North Carolina School of the Arts The University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) is an arts school in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It grants high school, undergraduate, and graduate degrees. Founded in 1963 as the North Carolina School of the Arts by then-Governo ...

alongside

David Gordon Green David Gordon Green is an American filmmaker. He directed the dramas ''George Washington'' (2000), '' All the Real Girls'' (2003), and '' Snow Angels'' (2007), as well as the thriller '' Undertow'' (2004), all of which he wrote or co-wrote. In ...

and other future collaborators. He is of Jewish background.

Career

After graduation, Zobel worked on Green's first three films — ''

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...

'' (2000), '' All the Real Girls'', (2003) and '' Undertow'' (2003), as either co-producer, production manager or second unit director. He also directed '' The Hunt'' (2020). More recently, he reupped his deal with HBO, which was served for three more years.

''Homestar Runner''

Homestar Runner ''Homestar Runner'' is an American Flash animated comedy web series and website created by Mike and Matt Chapman, known collectively as The Brothers Chaps. The series centers on the adventures of a large and diverse cast of characters, headed by ...

'' is a

Flash Flash, flashes, or FLASH may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional aliases * Flash (DC Comics character), several DC Comics superheroes with super speed: ** Flash (Barry Allen) ** Flash (Jay Garrick) ** Wally West, the first Kid F ...

animated internet cartoon which mixes surreal humor with references to pop culture. Zobel co-created the initial concept and some characters for a book with Mike Chapman using the name "Homestar Runner", coined by their mutual friend James Huggins, which later went on to become the flash animated cartoon by Mike and Matt Chapman. On a day off while Zobel and Chapman were working summer jobs surrounding the

1996 Summer Olympics The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...

, a visit to a bookstore prompted them to parody the state of children's books, leading to the creation of the cartoon.

Film career

Zobel has directed, written, and produced several films, including '' Great World of Sound'' and '' Compliance''. In August 2019, the release of Zobel's horror thriller film '' The Hunt'' was postponed by distributor Universal in response to the

2019 El Paso shooting On August 3, 2019, a mass shooting occurred at a Walmart store in El Paso, Texas, United States. In the terrorist attack, a far-right individual killed 23 people and injured 23 others. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the sh ...

, with the studio cancelling the film's original September 27, 2019, date, and moving it to March 13, 2020.

Filmography

Film Television

References

External links

*
Official website for Homestar Runner
American film producers American male screenwriters Living people 1975 births Film directors from New York (state) People from Atlanta University of North Carolina School of the Arts alumni Film directors from Georgia (U.S. state) Screenwriters from Georgia (U.S. state) {{US-film-producer-stub Jewish American film producers Jewish American screenwriters