Hey, happy new year!
As one of the most in demand UK Script Consultant I get emails daily requesting my UK script coverage service, and script reading service and I always try and support as many of these requests for help as I can. But… One thing I can’t help (or change) is that I’m a man – I’m 40 something bloke, with the tastes, and point of view that comes with being a man of my era.
Now, some scripts, more and more in fact, call for a female perspective – and I’m fine with that. A lot of time as a script consultant – gender isn’t the issue, instead it’s the basic nuts and bolts of writing screenplays that I look at, stuff like dialogue, scene and plot construction, character and motivation etc. I’m a man, sure, but I can write and empathise with women the same way any good writer should be able to – sex doesn’t matter to me!
But some scripts DO call out for a female perspective on the characters, their situations and plot elements. Some scripts contain situations, that I can empathise with – but, not being a woman, I’ve never personally been in the situations being experienced by some female characters. And some writers – female writers in particular – might benefits from working with a female script consultant – and I’m happy to recognise this – and welcome it.
That’s why I’m pleased to announce that I’ll be working more and more with Female Script Consultant Alison Pennells – allowing female writers to get a female perspective on specific scripts.
Alison Pennells is a scriptwriter, playwright, novelist, female script consultant and producer from Leeds. Alison was a core scriptwriter on Emmerdale and The Royal Today.
Her short film ‘Me Head’s a Shed’ was winner of The Yorkshire Short film award. Her play ‘Dirty Laundry’ has been a huge success and raised much needed funds for breast cancer charities across the UK.
Ali has worked as a script reader for both ITV and Granada- and she has tons and tons of experience – including a stint working on a feature film in LA – where she was offering the female perspective.
So, if you’re looking for a female script consultant I’ll be happy to pass your details onto Alison – she has my full confidence and support.
Matthew Cooper has been a script writer for hire and UK script consultant for over 20 years. He’s written for most of the UK soaps, including writing award-winning episodes of Emmerdale, EastEnders, Hollyoaks and Family Affairs and has been BAFTA shortlisted and Royal Television Society nominated as a script writer.
His directorial debut, the rubber reality horror thriller ‘Markham’ was released in 2020, his second feature film as director ‘At The Mountains Of Madness’ hit the screen in 2021. You can find out more about Matthew’s work as a director here.
You can find some of his broadcast credits on the IMDb.