Hi, I’m Matthew Cooper – script writer for hire and UK script consultant – if you’ve landed on this page you might be thinking of hiring a pro script writer for your project.
Pro scriptwriters have in the past only worked via literary agents and agencies – often London based and often strong gatekeepers – i.e. if you have no film or TV experience – you’ll struggle to even get an agent on the phone (never mind the pro scriptwriter themselves) – and trying to find the costs to hire a pro scriptwriter – even the writers themselves don’t know and refer you to their agents – that’s all a bit like something from the 1990s!
In the internet age I stopped working with agents and built this website – to sell my services directly to people who want to hire a script writer for hire and UK script consultant – so, with total transparency – here are my fees and what is costs to hire a scriptwriter in the UK (and you don’t need to be UK based either – I get work from all across the world).
So – lets get down to it – how much to hire a scriptwriter???
Before we get to the fees – you want to know who you’re hiring so quickly – here’s a rundown of SOME of my credits (not everything or we’d be here all day) in reverse order (I’m in my 50s and my credits started in my teens!):
1994 – Family Style starring Ewan McGregor – award-winning short film sold to CH4 – Ewan McGregor’s earliest credit.
1995 – Sold a feature screenplay ‘The Business’ to Miramax – hired to do various drafts
1999 – Winner of The Oscar Moore Screenplay Prize – script optioned to be made by Furry Bag films / DNA – interest from Universal Pictures.
2000 – Hired to write ITV soap opera Emmerdale – did an 11 episode run up to 2002 – Bafta Shortlisted – Royal Television Society Nominated. At age 27 I was the youngest writer Emmerdale ever had.
2022 – Hired by BBC to write EastEnders – four episode run – worked on the Alfie and Kat episodes including the iconic episode where Alfie told Kat he loved her for the first time.
2004/5 – Writer on Family Affairs – CH5 soap opera
2006 – 2008 – Writer on Hollyoaks for CH4 – helped turn the show around under producer Bryan Kirkwood – storyline writer on 182 episodes of the show that’s 5460 hours of television!
2007 – Hired by Dragon’s Den Producer Martyn Smith to storyline and write the actual episodes of a UK children’s show to be launched online ‘Dylan Ogden’ had a ten episode run – one the first ever UK ‘web series’.
2008 – 2014 – Worked as an online marketing expert, blogger and social media for a UK charity.
2014: Launched this website – and worked on commissions including (and this is just a handful):
- Under the table, Netflix rewrite on a major horror film for a ‘brand name’ director.
- Commission to turn optioned cult novel into a script.
- Various under the table feature film rewrites for well-known US horror producer
- Full commission on a 10m budget feature film / subsequent rewrites (film now released)
- Full commission on a 20m budget feature film (film in post-production now)
- Hired to write a ten-part 90mins (in total) original comedy drama to be used for on boarding at Blue Chip companies.
- Various commission for comedy drama scripts to be used in corporate training videos – clients include William Hill.
- Constant ongoing work as a script consultant specialising as a ‘player turned coach’ and providing the most in-depth script reports /coverage on the market. Often completing 300+ script reports per year.
- As a writer / director / producer (since 2019) – I have self-financed and released online (and on DVD) five full length feature films – including the hit film ‘SOBER’ starring Dean Smith (Last Tango in Halifax / Still Open All Hours) and Tom Gibbons (Funny Cow / The Archers) which was released in 2025.
You can find some of my broadcast credits on the IMDb and my full CV is on LinkedIn.
You can also see a selection of videos showcasing some of my work here.
SO – WHAT DOES IT COST TO HIRE A PRO SCRIPTWRITER?
For a producer(s) working in broadcast TV or with a broadcaster – my fees are simple – they’re PACT union minimums – the same all writers get for TV work.
For everyone who ISN’T working for the BBC or ITV or CH4 – these are what it costs to get me out of bed – and my full range of services.
Commission for an advert or under 2m short form video
- £500 – £5000 (depending on ad agency involvement and scope of brand campaign)
Hire to me to rewrite your work:
All rewrite work – will begin with a script report and assessment by me (see script report price list)
- Short film rewrite (up to 15 pages) £500
- TV episode rewrite (up to 65 pages) £2,000
- Feature film script rewrite (up to 125 pages) £4,000 (depending in work involved – with possible ads Ons if the film is given finance or made)
Commissions for ORIGINAL WORKS (usually delivered in agreed stages)
Commission for an original short film
- Under 10 min/pages £700
- Up to 25 pages £1400
Commission for an original (by length)
- Half hour original script – £3,300
- An hour long original script – £4,500
- An original feature length script – £8,500 to £11,500 depending (with potential add Ons if the script gets financing and leads to production)
Adaptations:
- Depends on length – but novel adaptation to feature film is £6,000 (and it about the same price for novel to TV series)
Script reports and script coverage
- Short film script (up to 19 pages) £50
- TV ep script report (up to 65 pages) £80
- Feature film script report (up to 125 pages) £120
Training and corporate video content / scripts
Usually – ad-hoc but roughly £100 per minute of final of video scripts.
SPEAKING SERVICES:
- I’ll do a two hour structured lecture on screenwriting for £270
- Calls and consultations – I charge £75 per hour to chat via video or phone – but in most instances I will need to review any material first (see script reports and coverage prices).
STORYLINE SERVICES
I am an experienced storyline writer with 5460 hours of television personally storylined by me:
- Storyline services – for long running shows – this is the single services you’d need to contact me for a price / length of time required (Pro rata the time required to £48,000 per year + any travel or accommodation required covered as expenses at a rough estimate)