Hollywood bridge
ZBS Labs is the production branch of Zak Barnett Studios, devoted to the creation of film and tv projects that hold global diversity and the creative process at its core. ZBS Labs explores the Unanswerable Questions that unify us all across lines of seeming separation–through a deep exploration of culture and the creative instinct, ZBS brings our collective humanity to light.
ZBS Inaugural Project
The Unanswerable Question
When you get to the question you can’t answer, you know you’ve reached the heart of the matter.
The Unanswerable Question
Over the last few years I’ve been developing relationships with several well known Bollywood actors. In the airport on the way to teach my first workshop in Mumbai I had the idea to document the trip. I called my contacts in India and requested a videographer meet me upon arrival. The shoot was exploratory. I didn’t know what we were shooting or what I was looking for, nor did I know the videographer or even speak with him prior to arrival. I approached the shoot as an artistic exploration/adventure and did what I asked of my students, which was to bring my own Unanswerable Question to the process. The documentary has served as an inspiration for a global docuseries currently in development and set to shoot its for season in India in 2026. See info below for information on the larger series (and how you can be a part of it!). While the concept and structure for the larger series has evolved considerably since the original shoot, the documentary gives a strong sense of the tone and style of the show, as well as the two most important component parts–my work in the classroom and my travels throughout India, both through the lens of my “Unanswerable Question”
TV Series in Development
Based off the documentary, we’ve developed a global docuseries of the same name, set to begin filming in 2026. While the majority of the creative and production team have been assembled, we are still looking for a couple of key Producers and Financiers in both the US and India. If the project sparks your interest, and you’d like to hear more, please reach out to:
Trailer for The Unanswerable Question
Show Synopsis
The show follows Zak Barnett, one of Hollywood’s most renowned creativity coaches, as he works with actors and storytellers worldwide to uncover the unanswerable questions in their lives and communities. He then collaborates with those artists to transform those questions into universal films that strike at the heart of our collective humanity.
The show is part travel show and part international creative collaboration—straight from the heart of each country ’s diverse storytellers.
The first season is set in India, with subsequent seasons being developed in Nigeria, South Korea, Brazil, Mexico and France.
Season One will be created in collaboration with American and Indian creatives and production companies, as well as with the support of India ‘s Minister of Culture, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who has committed his office’s support in providing accommodations for cast and crew, facilitating interviews with cultural leaders, securing coveted and difficult to access government locations for filming and coordinating logistics. The Minister is charged with the preservation and promotion of Art and Culture for all of India. His office has previously supported projects developed by the Discovery Channel and he is eager to lend his support to season one of “The Unanswerable Question.”