Matthew has a new website dedicated to his work as a director, the website can be found here matthewcooperdirector.co.uk
Matthew Cooper began making short films on super 8mm cine film and VHS video, before the days of the internet and when TV in the UK consisted of only four channels.
In 1993 at age 18, Matthew had his first TV script writing credit on Channel 4 with his award winning short film ‘Family Style’. The film, starred an unknown actor called Ewan McGregor, who used it as a showreel to launch his career.
Matthew’s script writing career then took him from Emmerdale to Hollyoaks via Eastenders. During this time he was BAFTA shortlisted and Royal Television Society nominated for writing soaps and serial drama. Most famously, he wrote the episode where ‘Alfie’ told ‘Kat’ he loved her in Eastenders, an episode which had record viewing figures at the time.
Matthew also became a noted script consultant and script writer for hire in the UK, assisting with rewrites and offering new ideas on projects as varied as feature films, short films and web serials. He also spent ten years devoting his time to various charities and third sector organisations with digital/online communications and marketing. He’s a bit of a web geek in that respect and became a certified YouTube expert as early as 2010.
At heart Matthew was always a director, and in 2019 Matthew started shooting Markham, his feature debut as a director.
Markham was shot, guerrilla style over a number of months on a small budget. Matthew retained control over all aspects of the shoot and both pre and post production. Matthew also retained control of marketing and distribution, which would be done online.
Markham grew into a trilogy of horror films – which included – At The Mountains of Madness (2021) and When the Earth Gives Up The Dead (2022) all three directed and written by Matthew Cooper.
After the horror trilogy was completed Matthew went onto to direct a long held passion project Sober.
Sober was shot in 2023 and was cowritten with Dean Smith (Still Open All Hours, Waterloo Road, Emmerdale) and Tom Gibbons (The Archers, Funny Cow).
Sober has its own website where you can find out more details – Sober The Film
Matthew is a great advocate of digital disruption of the film and TV industry, and much of his work is free to all, through channels such as YouTube and Vimeo.
Matthew uses old school practical effects and in camera trickery but is also a trained Virtual Production Director – and uses Unreal Engine, Runway AI and other cutting edge filmmaking tools.
As a director, Matthew admires Stanley Kubrick, Martin Scorsese, William Friedkin, Sam Peckinpah and adores vintage era John Carpenter and Walter Hill.
His favourite film changes from day to day, but The Empire Strikes Back is pretty close to perfect popcorn fun and The American Friend, Goodfellas, The Thing, Pat Garret and Billy the Kid, To Live and Die in LA, Streets of Fire and Full Metal Jacket are all never too far from his mind.