# State of the Arts: Director & Showrunner Shawn Ryan (The Night Agent, The Shield, S.W.A.T.) with Des Doyle

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/film-ireland-podcast-896003/state-of-the-arts-director-showrunner-shawn-ryan-the-night-agent-the-shield-s-w-a-t-with-des-doyle
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/film-ireland-podcast-896003/state-of-the-arts-director-showrunner-shawn-ryan-the-night-agent-the-shield-s-w-a-t-with-des-doyle.md
Podcast: [Film Ireland Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/film-ireland-podcast-896003)
Published: 2026-03-04T14:50:20+00:00
Episode link: https://www.filmireland.net/state-of-the-arts-podcast-showrunner-shawn-ryan-the-night-agent-the-shield-s-w-a-t-with-des-doyle/
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/6955465577f9435bdcc8cb82/e/69a846ac5fb59624089312f5/media.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/film-ireland-podcast-896003/episodes/state-of-the-arts-director-showrunner-shawn-ryan-the-night-agent-the-shield-s-w-a-t-with-des-doyle
Duration seconds: 3524

## Resource

In the latest episode of the State of the Arts podcast ( @sotapod) , filmmaker and writer Des Doyle sits down with acclaimed television creator, writer, and showrunner Shawn Ryan to discuss his journey from playwriting in Illinois to creating some of the most influential drama series in modern television. Produced in partnership with Film Ireland and supported by Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland through the Screen Stakeholders Funding Scheme, the State of the Arts series explores the creative processes, industry challenges, and new opportunities that both Irish and international creatives face in today’s ever-evolving artistic landscapes. In this conversation, Shawn reflects on his early years writing plays after his move to Los Angeles, where he worked on popular series such as Nash Bridges and Angel before creating FX’s first original drama, The Shield . He discusses his craft and his work on The Night Agent i n some depth, his career journey, and the evolving landscape of television. Follow the journey of State Of The Arts on instagram . Listen to this podcast now on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, Soundcloud, Podtail, Podbean and Deezer.   https://www.filmireland.net/state-of-the-arts-podcast-showrunner-shawn-ryan-the-night-agent-the-shield-s-w-a-t-with-des-doyle/ Shawn Ryan Shawn was born and raised in Rockford, Illinois, and graduated from Middlebury College, where he began writing plays. After moving to Los Angeles, he was staffed on Nash Bridges and Angel before creating and showrunning FX’s first original drama, The Shield. For his work on The Shield, Ryan received a Golden Globe Award for Best Drama, an Emmy nomination for writing, a Peabody Award, and two AFI Awards. Other series Ryan has created, co-created, or showrun include The Unit, The Chicago Code, Terriers, L…

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