Professional Recommendations

“We would highly recommend director/producer John Zak. We worked with John on Endemol’s most important soap series in the Netherlands, Good Times Bad Times. To renew and update the format of the show and its production value, working together with highly experienced director John Zak proved to be very successful. John’s advice from a director’s point of view as well as a producer, created besides an improved look of the series and its stories, significantly higher ratings even up and until now.” 

Remco Kobus Co Head of Drama - Endemol Netherlands

 

“John Zak is highly experienced in television drama. He combines great directing- and writing-skills with a broad imagination. As an American consultant to a foreign TV-show in the Netherlands he managed to increase the ratings significantly, knowing that true, heartfelt stories are the basis of good drama anywhere in the world. Also his knowledge of art-direction, lighting and camera-techniques that helped us improve the look of the show - to which viewers still react very positively a year later - make John not only a specialist, but a true artist.”

 Idse Grotenhuis - Endemol Netherlands

 

“Whenever you have a problem with your TV series or need some new fresh ideas, call John Zak! I met John Zak when I was commissioning editor for RTL Television. John was the Supervising Producer and director of the Bold and the Beautiful. We met in Rotterdam Ahoy at The Bold and The Beautiful in Concert, a huge live concert for 10.000 fans. We stayed in contact. And when we had problems with the ratings of our Prime Time soap Good Times Bad Times 2 years ago, I asked John to be our production consultant. John came to the Netherlands and gave us advice for the series. His expertise, new way of inventing camera angles and point of views, the lighting, and directing the directors, gave him the title “the Soap doctor” . John is great in communicating with technical, and creative people. Actors love him, he knows how to deal with them and speaks their language! RTL, the Network, and Endemol the production company, were very pleased to work with him. And yes, the ratings went Up! 

Rik Luijcx - Commissioning Editor - RTL 4 Network

 

“John is a very inspiring, highly experienced drama consultant. When the ratings of GTST needed a boost, we pitched him story ideas and the feedback and recommendations he provided were very useful. And, even more important, they paid off. So, thank you John for your help and for being such a nice and inspiring person to work with.” 

Jantien Van Der Meer - Head Writer "Good TImes, Bad Times" Endemol 

 

 "I have known and worked with John Zak for over 20 years and I can recommend him most highly.
John is extremely talented in all facets of the entertainment industry.  He is at home equally as a director, as a producer, as a visionary, as an organizer, and a diplomat,  as well as a confidante when a confidante could be what is needed at a crucial moment.  As a Production Designer, I have enjoyed working with John on many different types of special events, such as extraordinary fashion shows, masquerade balls, and weddings that peppered THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL programs.  These events were always produced with John, who harnessed the personnel and their skills and created an artistic product that could not be surpassed!"

Seymour Tomashoff - Production Designer

 

“I have known John for over 20 years.  We worked together for 11 years on The Bold and the Beautiful first as directors and then as producing partners for 3 years.  John’s finely-tuned production skills come from years of experience both on the studio floor as well as behind the scenes.  He has a photographer’s eye for composition, a lighting director’s sense of how to create the right look, the director’s experience of how to stage scenes & communicate with actors as well as the producer’s talent of organization and efficiency. He is creative and dedicated to each and every project he is involved in and would be a valuable addition to any production team.  And did I mention that he can do all the above in five languages?”

Deveney Kelly - Director

 

“Working with John was always a joy. I worked with him at "One Life to Live" when he was a director and I was his Producer. He is a very dedicated, well spoken, creative man who shows compassion, determination and a light-hearted nature in the control booth and production offices. His kindness is contagious and it was a wonderful experience to see how his demeanor shifted the "floor" and "booth" attitudes and how his directing could alter a production day for the better. Anyone would be blessed to have John on their team. 

Shelley Honigbaum - Coordinating Producer One Life To Live - ABC/Disney

 

It was a pleasure working with John Zak as a Director on One Life To Live. He treated everyone with respect and would make the day less stressful and more enjoyable. His strength and kindness made him stand out. He has a calming influence and has a way of making things fun. He fit in with the crew and production immediately because of his technical ability and great personality.  I am proud to call John my friend and hope to work with him again soon. Anyone would be very lucky to know and work with such an inspiring and talented person.
 
Rob Santeramo, Technical Director, One Life To Live    ABC-Disney
 
 

 

John Zak's artistry, vision, and creative insight into people, places, and situations, compel people to experience the essence of each individual, group, or place portrayed in his films and photography.

Dr. Dane Kaohelani Silva, Kumu Lomilomi - Puna - Hawaii Island

 

When I started searching for a voiceover actor to record the audiobook version of my novels set at the Garden of Allah hotel during the golden years of Hollywood, I really wasn’t sure what sort of voice I was looking for. After listening to dozens of samples, I came across John Zak and instantly knew that I wanted his to be the voice of the Garden of Allah. Little did I know that working with him would be such a joy. John continues to impress me with his professionalism, friendliness, enthusiasm, and commitment to providing me with audiobooks of the highest standard. I look forward to working with him as our series progresses and cannot recommend him highly enough for anyone looking to produce an audiobook version of their work.

Martin Turnbull, author-publisher

 

"John C. Zak is the ultimate entertainment professional. I have had the good fortune to work with John through his work as a producer and narrator of audiobooks. I cannot say enough good things about his work ethic, creative abilities, and detailed organization. I suspect that John has brought these attributes to all his endeavors in the entertainment business, and his background would indicate that that is perhaps an understatement. His voice talents are extraordinary, and his range is extensive. His sense of character is spot on." - Brad Lewis