Nicholas R. Zabaly

I am what I would describe as a “filmworker,” a term I’ve humbly borrowed from Leon Vitali (a frequent collaborator of Stanley Kubrick). Like Mr. Vitali supported Mr. Kubrick in a variety of capacities for many years, my professional aspiration since starting in the business has been to support the creation of good works, whether they originate with me or not. My creative passions are animation and international collaboration, and it has been the culmination of my personal and professional dream to participate in several projects that have united creators in the United States, Japan, and around the world.

In addition to my current role on the production of The Flower, I am affiliated with the acclaimed Japanese animation studio Science SARU, a company whose members I am privileged to work with. Most recently, I served as an associate producer on the hit animated anthology project Star Wars: Visions, which premiered in September 2021 on Disney+. Science SARU contributed two short films to the anthology, T0-B1 and Akakiri, and I was deeply honored to participate in both in my capacity as associate producer.

I have also worked in film development with AMMO Entertainment, where I participated in the development and production of two feature films based upon Japanese source material: the recently-released supernatural horror film Room 203 (adapted from author Nanami Kamon’s novel), and the upcoming dramatic thriller Root Letter (adapted from the hit Kadokawa Games title released worldwide). Prior to this, I served as a member of the development team at All Nippon Entertainment Works (ANEW), where I assisted in the development of numerous Japanese adaptation projects. I have also worked in various capacities with Leonardo di Caprio’s production company Appian Way, Nina Jacobson’s production company Color Force, the production/talent management company The Gotham Group, and the groundbreaking Japanese animation studio Madhouse. Outside of the film industry, I was also privileged to assist in the English-language release of the acclaimed Japanese mystery novel Death of the Living Dead by renowned author Masaya Yamaguchi.