Who are Sam Lipman-Stern and Adam Bhala Lough? Meet the directors behind HBO's Telemarketers

The upcoming true crime docuseries titled Telemarketers will premiere on HBO on August 13, 2023. The show will shed light upon the experiences of two telemarketing employees who discover the shocking true nature of the work they have been pulling off at the telemarketing office. Frustrated and betrayed, the duo decides to expose the grim industry.

Telemarketers will be directed by American film director, screenwriter, and filmmaker Adam Bhala Lough and Jersy-born documentary filmmaker Sam Lipman-Stern. When Lipman-Stern used to work for a telemarketing firm called CDG (Civic Development Group), he recorded several footage of questionable activities at work.

It's been 20 years since Stern left CDG, and now he has joined hands with Lough to create this true crime documentary series.

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Telemarketers on HBO: The true crime documentary series will use secret footage from a telemarketing center

Sam Lipman-Stern dropped out of school in ninth grade. His parents told him to get a job, so he began applying to restaurants such as Burger King and McDonald’s. However, he was too young to be hired by these joints. His 15-year-old friend who worked at CDG told him about the telemarketing center and asked him to join them.

Stern soon arrived at the center and got instantly hired. He said that the company paid them only $10 and no commissions.

In a recent interview with Variety, he spoke about his experience joining the company aged 13. Using a camcorder, he filmed several videos of the scam operation in secret. This footage will be shown in Telemarketers.

He said,

"I naturally gravitated towards filming from a young age. From about 13, when I got my first camcorder, I was always the kid in my group of friends that had the camcorder rolling. I didn’t even think about it in terms of the future — it was just, “I have access to a camcorder, I’ve got to film.”

He continued,

"As I got older, I really did want to become a filmmaker. That seed was what got me filming at CDG: “I’ve got to document this place.” Originally, we just put videos on YouTube, documenting the shenanigans in the office. It was also a way to kill time at a boring, weird job."

This job had always been a temporary gig for him as he had always wanted to be a director. Stern has worked for celebrated companies like VICE and Rolling Stone Magazine. He is best known for being the executive producing and directing 2021's Forbes: Rap Mentors.

Adam Bhala Lough is a very influential film director and screenwriter. His ability to create genuine yet dramatic subcultures and influence the youth has received praise from around the globe. Many films of his have been screened at the Sundance Film Festival. His 2021 documentary The Upsetter: The Life and Music of Lee Scratch Perry is perhaps his best work.

Late rapper MF DOOM gave him his big break when Lough was 19. Lough directed two music videos from MF DOOM's debut album, Operation: Doomsday.

In a conversation with Variety, Lough said he was expecting Telemarketers to spread awareness about this shady industry.

He said,

"My hope is that after seeing this, people will be like “Grandma, I saw this show on HBO and you shouldn’t be giving to those places anymore.” That’s the simple act of educating."

Telemarketers will premiere on HBO on August 13, 2023. The series will have only three episodes and conclude on August 27, 2023.