Scott Lautanen

Hour-long action dramas are a unique art form, one that Scott Lautanen has spent over a decade working at. He started out helming episodes of "The Pretender," about a chameleon-ish man capable of learning any skill or becoming any person, no matter the situation. But Lautanen's rise among the ranks of television directors, by contrast, was hardly so quick or so easy; indeed, while his name is closely associated with the "CSI" franchise--he has worked on both spin-off shows "CSI: Miami" and "CSI: NY"--his involvement has encompassed several different roles and nearly a decade to date. After working as a second unit director of "CSI: Miami" from 2002 to 2003, he took on producing and primary directing duties, which in turn, led to directing opportunities on "CSI: NY." In an interview published on the show's official blog, Lautanen himself said that being able to consistently work with the same people has given him a comfort level that allows him to explore the limits of his creativity. "Because I know whatever crazy idea I come up with they can pull off. It's a unique confidence, and not one you necessarily feel when you're just starting out, or are a 'director for hire' working on many different shows," he said.