Biography

Matthew Cooper - scriptwriter / director / script consultant Based in the UK, Matthew is a BAFTA shortlisted and RTS nominated scriptwriter and director who has worked across all the UK's broadcast networks in a 25+ year career. Matthew had his first script produced and broadcast on Channel Four when he was just 19 years old - the short film is the first acting credit for Ewan McGregor - the award-winning film launched both of their careers. Matthew went on to sell a feature script to a US major before finding himself in the fast-paced world of UK soap operas. He started as a core writer on the Emmerdale team (at 27 he was the youngest writer they ever had) before moving onto the BBCs Eastenders where he wrote the iconic episode where 'Alfie' told 'Kat' he loved her for the first time-one of the highest watched episodes of the soap in its 20+ year history. Matthew worked on CH4s Hollyoaks show as part of the team which tripled the show's viewing figures under producer Bryan Kirkwood. Matthew oversaw story lines that introduced the McQueen family and notorious club owner, gangster and double murderer Warren Fox, who was described as the first 'realistic' gangster character in UK soaps. Matthew has worked as a script consultant and script doctor on various produced and released feature films on both sides of the Atlantic and acts as 'player turned coach' for new writers through his script consultant website. As a director, Matthew has completed a trilogy of innovative low budget horror films based on the work of H. P. Lovecraft. The films are 'Markham (2020)' 'At The Mountains of Madness (2021)' and 'When The Earth Gives Up The Dead (2022). The films were released for free online, and all three films received good reviews. The films were made using a mix of ultra-modern tech and retro analogue equipment - mixing Super 8mm with virtual sound stages, and old school gore effects with CGI graphics - all done on ultra-low budgets and completed and released during the Covid Pandemic. Matthew has just wrapped on the comedy feature film 'Sober' starring Dean Smith (Still Open All Hours/Waterloo Road/Last Tango in Halifax/Coronation Street) and Tom Gibbons (Young Dracula/Funny Cow/The Archers). Sober is Matthew's biggest and most ambitious project to date and was written with the two main actors - the film was shot in Leeds.

- IMDb mini biography by: Leeds Fan