zˈɪskɪn ænd tˈɑːm ɹˈɑːθmən hˈɛlpt dɪvˈɛləp ðə skɹˈɪpt fɚðɪ ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ pˈeɪʃənt nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti sˈɪks bᵻfˌoːɹ stˈuːdɪˌoʊ hˈɛd bˈɪl mᵻkˈænɪk ɹᵻtˈɜːnd ðə ɹˈaɪts tə dᵻɹˈɛktɚɹ ˈænθəni mɪŋhˈɛlə, hˌuː ðˈɛn ɡɑːt ɪt pɹədˈuːst ænd dˈɪstɹɪbjˌuːɾᵻd θɹuː mˈɜːɹɐmˌæks.
Ziskin and Tom Rothman helped develop the script for The English Patient (1996) before studio head Bill Mechanic returned the rights to director Anthony Minghella, who then got it produced and distributed through Miramax.