Black Mirror is Back for All Your Techno-Paranoic Needs

Sophia Lucina— Hey, David. Thanks for chatting with me so late in the evening. What is it, 5pm in London?

David Shields— Yeah, just about 5. And thank you for setting this interview up!

Alright, so just to start off. How familiar were you with Black Mirror before you started filming?

DS— I feel like just being someone in this generation, it’s hard not to know about Black Mirror, you know?

For sure. I think I was about 14 or 15 when I first saw an episode. And it just totally shifted by world view.

DS— Exactly. They just stick with you.

Without giving anything away, what can you tell me about your character in this upcoming episode?

DS— Well, Charlie’s introduced a new element to the show, let’s just say. It still feels like Black Mirror, of course, but it’s got this new element.

How secretive!

DS—  [Laughs] I know. It’s an element he swore he’d never use. But I think even the most die-hard fans will be receptive to it.

And how about your character?

DS— I play a public figure named Michael Smart. He’s this guy who’s got a lot of power, and he uses this power to try and persuade others to join his side.

Now, we’ve only been chatting for about five minutes, but I get the sense that you’re not too similar to your character.

DS— No, I mean, I hope I don’t bear much resemblance to him. You’ll have to let me know when you watch it.

That being said, how did you prepare for this role?

DS— Well, it’s set in the late 70’s. So I researched a few figures from that period that resemble him, had the same profession as him, and all that.

Good mental practice.

DS— Yeah, absolutely. I even sought out and met with people who had the same job as him back in the day, and asked about the kinds of people who were similar to him. You know, like what made them tick.

How about the physical element of it?

DS— Well, it’s interesting, I was looking back at old videos and people treated public speaking with such rhetorical flair. In terms of intonation, their cadence. There was a sort of culture that doesn’t really exist now.

For sure. I’ll have to let you know which historical figures you remind me of!

DS— [Laughs] Of course. Shoot me a quick text!

So, clearly Black Mirror is a genre of its own. But how else was this project a unique experience for you?

DS— Well, for starters, I had never worked on an anthology before. So that was a novel experience. By being an anthology series, it allows for an investigation of a whole range of ideas, issues, and ethical questions.

Absolutely. Speaking of ethical questions, I’ve been seeing a bunch of articles on how Charlie tried using AI to write an episode. From what I’ve gathered, he didn’t really find anything there.

DS— Well, thank god! Because, otherwise, a lot of people would be out of work. [Laughs] No, but, I honestly think - especially with the current writer’s strike - that the use of AI is this lurking, dark presence. In a Black-Mirror-esque style.

For sure. I think right now it feels like a joke, but in the back of our minds, us writers are fearing for the takeover.

DS— It’s like, there’s this fateful future where machines do most of the writing, and we only have to bring in a couple humans to do the final touch ups. It’s quite a worrying idea.

It’s like, who will the machines come for next? Are we all doomed?

DS— Oh, goodness. I hope not. I am glad people are speaking up about the contents of the writer’s strike. Despite sounding like something straight from a Black Mirror episode, it is quite serious.

Taking it back to your episode, how do you feel it relates to society today?

DS— Well, as you’ve said, the show does a great job of being prescient. Despite being set in 1979, it does align well with the current state of society. Charlie, and Bisha K. Ali wrote the episode a while back, and since that moment, there have been several events and conversations that make the episode increasingly relevant to society.

That’s almost prophetic.

DS— Right. In that sense, he’s done it again. Like a modern-day oracle or something.

Well, I’m excited to see! Thanks so much for meeting with me, Dave. You’ve got some exciting stuff coming up, I can’t wait.

DS— It’s all been a special experience. And, thank you!

Season 6 of Black Mirror is out now on streaming platforms. Catch David Shields in the season finale, 'Demon '79'.