Claim: The pilot episode of The Blacklist was directed by a television screenwriter.

Joseph Aaron `` Joe '' Carnahan -LRB- born May 9 , 1969 -RRB- is an American independent film director , screenwriter , producer and actor best known for his films Blood , Guts , Bullets and Octane , Narc , Smokin ' Aces , The A-Team , and The Grey . He also writes and directed some episodes for the NBC television series The Blacklist . He is the brother of screenwriter Matthew Michael Carnahan and producer Leah Carnahan .