Script writer for hire

Script writer for hire and Script Consultant UK

Hello and welcome to my website.

My name is Matthew Cooper and I’m a BAFTA nominated script writer for hire, script consultant, filmmaker and Script Doctor, from Leeds in the UK.

Matthew Cooper Script consultant UK

Script Writer for hire

As a script writer I’ve written for EastEnders, Emmerdale, Hollyoaks and Family Affairs. I was BAFTA shortlisted for my work on Emmerdale and was the winner of the first ever Lloyds Bank Film Challenge and the Oscar Moore screenwriting award.

Here’s a partial list of my credits on the IMDb.

My first short film ‘Family Style’ was made for Channel Four in 1993 and starred a then unknown actor called Ewan McGregor and was directed by Justin Chadwick (The Long Walk to Freedom).

Family Style
Family Style

After selling a feature film script age 21 to a Hollywood major, I went onto write for the soaps – including the iconic episode of EastEnders where ‘Alfie’ told ‘Kat’ he loved her for the first time.

UK Script consultant 

In 2006, while writing Hollyoaks I was bitten by the YouTube bug and created one of the first ever web serials for YouTube. ‘Dylan Ogden’ as the series was called was produced by Martyn Smith (Dragons Den) and directed by Ian Bevitt (Coronation Street).

The series was about to be sold to MySpace before the platform collapsed, and ultimately the series proved too ‘early’ to find an online audience. But along the way I built up digital skills, including SEO knowledge, social media marketing expertise and a firm interest in YouTube optimisation.

Script Doctor and Script Consultant Services

I started this website UK script consultant website in 2012, so clients could hire me directly, and it’s been a huge success.

I work with producers, directors, production companies, brands, broadcasters and content creators from across the globe on all manner of film, TV and creative content which requires scripting, script editing or story lining.

I’ve also, through this website turned player/coach, offered my services to new and experienced writers in the form of script reports or script coverage service– where you’ll get the opinion of a BAFTA shortlisted scriptwriter at an affordable price.

Director and producer

As well as being busy with scriptwriting and script consultancy work I’ve also started a career as a director.

In 2020, my first feature film as a writer / director ‘Markham‘ was released to good reviews.  Markham is a dark psychological horror which mixes H.P. Lovecraft and the new trend for ‘rubber reality’ cinema, the film was shot on a microbudget and is pretty unique in that the whole plot and every scene was improvised by the actors on set – Markham became the first film in a trilogy that was shot during the pandemic.

My second film as a writer/ director ‘At The Mountains of Madness‘ was released in July 2021 – and forms the second part of the trilogy.   At The Mountains of Madness was a direct adaptation of the H.P. Lovecraft story which many have described as ‘an unfilmable novel‘ – well, we filmed it.

When The Earth Gives Up The Dead Poster

The final film in the Trilogy is ‘When the Earth Gives Up The Dead‘ which was released in 2022.

All three films in the trilogy were shot in black and white and use old school VFX and SFX techniques (as well as featuring sequences shot on Super 8mm cine film). You can find out more about how the films are made on the Warehouse Transmedia website.

Since completing the low budget horror trilogy I’ve gone onto direct a bigger budget comedy feature film called Sober – which stars Dean Smith (Waterloo Road, Last Tango In Halifax, Still Open All Hours) and Tom Gibbons (The Archers, Funny Cow).

We expect Sober to be a big hit – it’s very funny.   Its due for release in 2024.

Sober the film
Sober the film with Tom Gibbons and Dean Smith – directed by Matthew Cooper. 

My directing career has continued with ‘H.P. Lovecraft’s The Shadow Overs Innsmouth‘ which is due for release in late 2024 and I’ve even managed to shoot a short film using cutting edge Virtual Production (the same way Disney made The Mandalorian).   The short was shot on one of the few Virtual Production stages in the world and used Engine Engine and Disguise software. 

You can find out more about my work as a director here matthewcooperdirector.co.uk

Matthew Cooper Director on Set

Hobbies

I’m a Leeds United fan, and I love the music of Joe Strummer. I’m a dog person as well (with three pups at the present time).

I’m a Super 8mm cine camera geek, as well as a collector of analogue photography equipment.

Like everyone else I’m a frustrated musician, but unlike most people I love shooting guns, including air rifles (targets only) and clay pigeon shooting.

I like playing poker, reading, and watching films of course (nothing Marvel thanks!)   And I’m a bit of a BMX buff and own a couple of (retro) bikes.

I also drive a Mazda Bongo – which is huge hobby in itself (its a 1995 model – Japanese import) and has over 200,000 miles on the clock, this mileage is an equivalent distance to the moon and back so I’m told.  Bongos are a fun mini camper van, but you need to be a fan of fixing things (and paying mechanics a fortune).

Personal life

I’m married to Alison Pennells and I have a step daughter. I live and work in West Yorkshire (you know it makes sense).

Here’s my script writer for hire and script consultant UK showreel –

Contact

If you want to contact me, my email is matcoop23@yahoo.co.uk

Thanks for reading.

Matthew Cooper

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