Hoskinson (left) goes over notes with stage manager Mark McKenna about what to expect in that day’s show.

The style and grammar of the show has not changed much. In fact, Hoskinson’s first Emmy nomination (he has seven and a DGA Award nomination) was for only the tenth show they did. “Stephen’s character was born full-grown,” says Hoskinson. “Everybody understood from the beginning what his character was going to sound like, what he would say, what he would look like. I still find that first Emmy nomination kind of amazing. Stephen’s voice was so clear to him, the writers, and to me, which is the central factor in the early success of the show—we were all on the same page.”

From a directorial perspective, Hoskinson still had some things to learn. After all, this was a comedy show, not a news broadcast, which called for a different way of interacting with on-camera talent.

“In terms of The Colbert Report, doing news and doing entertainment are very different,” explains Hoskinson. “Stephen was much more comfortable in front of the camera than I had been used to. News people have a seriousness of purpose, and as a rule aren’t as comfortable in front of the camera because they’re not playing to it. They’re about delivering the news. Stephen was able to engage the camera in a way that I thought was pretty remarkable, and still do. That makes it a lot easier for me. We just have to follow what he does accurately, and good things happen.”

Full Interview: The Directors Guild of America.