Directing the Sitcom: Joel Zwick's Steps for Success

This guided tour of the American situation comedy is given by one of the most prolific directors of the genre. Brooklyn native Joel Zwick began his career in the late 1960s at La MaMa, a New York experimental theater club, before moving to Hollywood to become a successful director during the sitcom's golden age.

He describes the 10 steps of sitcom production and outlines the five-day process, from the early "table read" to the final shoot in front of a live audience. Behind-the-scenes anecdotes include personal and professional experiences with actors Tom Hanks, Penny Marshall, Robin Williams, Jamie Foxx, the cast of Full House and many more.

Joel Zwick lives in Tarzana, California.

Rosario J. Roveto, Jr., has been a member of the Directors Guild of America since 1990. He has worked in theater, film and television and lives in Somers, New York.