The program at Countryside High School is known as UPC-TV, short for Upper Pinellas County TV, and has produced as many as 100 graduates that went on to successful careers in the television or film industry.

Zimmermann is also an accomplished screenplay writer having won "best comedy" in a contest in L.A. for his feature screenplay, "Your Horoscope for Today", runner up in the same contest the following year for "best drama" for his serial killer mystery, "The Toe Tag Murders" which was also chosen for a live, open read at the 2018 Crime and Mystery Film Festival in Toronto.

When incumbent Republican State Representative Gus Bilirakis vacated his House seat due to term limits and ran for Congress, Zimmermann ran to succeed him in the 48th District, which included a few precincts in Pasco County and northern Pinellas County.

He won the nomination of the Democratic Party unopposed and faced Tarpon Springs City Commissioner Peter Nehr, the Republican nominee, in the general election.

The Tampa Bay Times endorsed Zimmermann, praising him for having "passion for public education and a better sense of what works in the classroom, including favoring end-of-course exams instead of the FCAT".