After beginning his career as a child star, Emmy-nominated director Matt Shakman has become a go-to for projects that might be a little unusual — which is just how he likes it. “I love things that are unusual — I personally am drawn to them as a viewer and I love to be drawn to them as a filmmaker too,” he tells Consequence.
It’s that instinct which led him to The Consultant, the strange new Prime Video series about what happens when a mysterious executive (Christoph Waltz) takes over a video game company, and begins playing mind games with the staff.
The series goes down some dark and twisted avenues, but his cast loved the journey: “He was one of the biggest draws for me,” says Consultant star Nat Wolff. “I feel like everything he touches turns to gold — he’s just a brilliant director and he is a really, really kind man.”
“I’d scrub toilets for Matt Shaman,” Aimee Carrero agreed, calling out how just after she was cast in The Consultant, she’d booked a play at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. “Matt Shakman just so happened to be the creative director of the Geffen Playhouse, and so he worked all of this magic and was able to make it work for both. And that just goes to show that he really values your art, and he really wants everyone to feel good and everyone to feel like they’re a big part of this.”
Brittany O’Grady chalks it up to “the environment that he creates. Sometimes you don’t have a lot of time on TV, but he makes it so that he can direct you in the right direction in a kind, swift and very intelligent, insightful way. And he’s just cool.”
Below, Shakman explains how he approached directing the pilot for The Consultant — knowing that other directors would be finishing the season — and if there’s potential for a second season in the mix. He also details what it’s been like returning to the MCU to work on the upcoming Fantastic Four, and how everyone involved manages to stay on the same page, creatively.
