Watch LookMovie. Writer, director, producer MARSHALL HERSKOVITZ is one of the most prominent figures in film and television. With partner Ed Zwick, whom he met while attending the American Film Institute, Herskovitz created and executive produced the highly-acclaimed television shows thirtysomething and Once and Again, and wrote the film The Last Samurai, starring Tom Cruise. He served as producer on the films Traffic, I Am Sam and Dangerous Beauty, which he also directed. In this revealing interview, you ll learn his theories on why writing is hallucinatory, directing is a samurai job, and how movies are like aircraft carriers.