Iain B. MacDonald is an Irish/British director and producer whose career spans over three decades, marked by a diverse range of projects across drama, comedy, and documentary. 

MacDonald began his career in the early 1990s, initially focusing on arts documentaries. One of his notable early works is Gilbert & George: Day Tripping, which profiles the renowned British artists Gilbert & George. His transition to scripted television came with the award-winning series Bodies, a medical drama that garnered critical acclaim. He further showcased his versatility with an adaptation of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park and the political thriller The Last Enemy, starring Benedict Cumberbatch.   

In 2004, MacDonald gained recognition in the film industry by winning the Best Short Film Award at the Edinburgh International Film Festival for Billy’s Day Out. This achievement lead him into directing television dramas such as Combat Hospital and the BBC’s Bluestone 42, a comedy set in a war zone. His work on the latter earned him a nomination for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series in 2014.   

Since relocating to Los Angeles in 2015, MacDonald has expanded his portfolio to include a variety of television series. He directed multiple episodes of the U.S. version of Shameless, contributing to 17 episodes and serving as a producer on 38 more. His other notable projects include Wayne, Black Monday, Survivor’s Remorse, Shantaram, and Poker Face. In Poker Face, he directed two episodes and served as an executive producer for the series.