Feature length micro budget horror film, free to view on my YouTube channel from 1st December. www.youtube.com/@matcoop
All SFX in this were created using AI tools Runway and LumaLab and others. AI was used in the edit, and sound post production also.
The film couldn’t have been completed to such a high standard without the use of AI tech.
Thanks to Tony Coughlan and Ashe Russell for doing the hard yards acting (the live action portion of the feature length film was shot in 4 days and 2 nights).
Filmed on location in Staithes and Whitby in North Yorkshire.
Based on the famous story ‘The Shadow Over Innsmouth’ by H.P Lovecraft who has a passionate fan base across the world and especially online.
Total budget under £2,000. The film is designed to generate engagement and subscribers to my YouTube channel, where we host three other Lovecraft based microbudget feature films which are generating 1000s of views per month, with excellent long form viewer retention figures.
We have more Lovecraft themed features currently gearing up to shoot and next year we’re making a slasher horror feature at Whitby Goth Festival, using the festival and it’s passionate fan base and backdrop as a key element of the film.
We’re self financed, but open to approaches from producers, broadcasters or distributors, but not dependent on them. I’m also personally open to (and currently very busy with) scriptwriting commissions or consultancy work.
Sober – the comedy film shot in Leeds – about to arrive on your screens very soon.
In coming!
Sober (2024) is the new comedy film set in Leeds and starring Tom Gibbons (Funny Cow) and Dean Smith (Waterloo Road / Still Open all Hours).
We shot the film back in April 2023 in nine days and for the past 18 months it’s been in post-production as I worked around other script writer for hire and UK script consultant gigs
As of today at the end of July 2024 – the film is about to be locked visually and sent off to the composer.
The film is without doubt, the biggest achievement of my filmmaking and scriptwriter career – all the more because the total budget of the film was below £10,000 and the film is based on script originally written in 1998 at the very start of my filmmaking life.
The script has changed drastically over the years – but the original intention to create a laugh out loud comedy drama has been preserved.
The two lead actors – who co-wrote and co-produced the film have been instrumental in my finally realising this project as a feature film – and getting it over the line. And both the performances of the lead actors show a lot of courage and heart – and belief in the project, so much so that they helped co-finance it with me.
So, now begins the build up to how we get this film released and shown to the general public.
Keep watching this space.
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 and his third horror feature film (and final part of The Sekurig Trilogy) When The Earth Gives Up The Dead (2022) was released on Halloween 2022.
Matthew has recently directed ‘H.P. Lovecraft’s The Shadow Over Innsmouth’ which is currently in post-production.
His latest feature film SOBER is near completion – a comedy starring Dean Smith (Last Tango in Halifax / Still Open All Hours) and Tom Gibbons (Funny Cow / The Archers) will be released in 2024.
You can find some of his broadcast credits on the IMDb.
Sober the movie – a new film by Matthew Cooper
Wow, it’s been a long while since I wrote blogpost for this website – I’ve been a little bit busy with my feature film SOBER – which is currently in post-production and only a couple of months from being finished – 2023 has been an incredible year so far – and Sober is going to make a bit of a comedic stir when we finally release it into the wild.
‘Sober’ is getting close to being done and myself and the two lead actors and co-writers/producer expect BIG things from the film – its very funny.
Sober is a feature film – which is shot in Leeds, on location in less than 10 days.
The film was made for a budget of less than £10,000 and the cast features some award-winning actors and actresses – who all worked for free.
As post-production nears a conclusion in the next few months or so – I will be blogging on here again – and across on my director website –
There’s also a website set up for Sober the movie – which has a blog sections and a behind the scenes section – we’re still building that website up – but its worth checking out.
So, sorry for the radio silence – but Sober – is gonna be worth the wait.
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 and his third horror feature film (and final part of The Sekurig Trilogy) When The Earth Gives Up The Dead (2022) was released on Halloween 2022.
You can find some of his broadcast credits on the IMDb.
Sober – shooting now
This is just a quick update to say I’m currently shooting the comedy feature film Sober.
The shoot will end in mid-April – I’ll update regular readers about this project once we’ve completed with the shoot.
Thanks,
Mat
From When The Earth To The Shadows Over Innsmouth – Matthew Cooper Director
Wow, it’s been a crazy few months – we released my third horror feature film (in as many years) When The Earth Gives Up The Dead free to view on my YouTube Channel on Halloween 2022 – which resulted in over a thousand new subscribers to my channel in less than a month. The other two films in the Sekurig Trilogy were also put free to view on YouTube too.
Since then, I moved straight into a fourth horror film (and second to be shot this year!) H.P. Lovecraft’s The Shadow Over Innsmouth (2023) which I’ve written directed and already shot – a four day shoot which took place on location in Staithes and Whitby in early December. The film is (of course) based on H.P. Lovecraft’s tale of terror in a seaside town.
Lovecraft Adaptation
The film stars Ashe Russell and Tony Coughlan (who were both in the Sekurig trilogy) but this time the film is a straight forward Lovecraft adaptation (we’ve updated it to the present day).
This film will be in colour, and will finally feature some old school stop motion animation – done by the guys at Warehouse Transmedia.
The film will be released sometime before April 2023.
Amazon Comedy release for Sober (2023)
I have another completely different feature film to direct in April 2023 – SOBER – a comedy, which will be a welcome change of pace. We have high hopes for that film – and an Amazon streaming release WILL be on the cards for that film (and hopefully a slightly wider audience).
Moving further forward – there will be another HUGE trilogy in the works – this time it will be a sci-fi / fantasy / horror – hybrid, mixing old school SFX with Unreal Engine tech.
On top of all this my bread and butter work as a script writer for hire and UK script consultant keeps me busy.
So, I think this will be my blogpost of the year. Merry Christmas and good luck for 2023. Keep checking back next year, for more regular updates.
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 and his third horror feature film (and final part of The Sekurig Trilogy) When The Earth Gives Up The Dead (2022) was released on Halloween 2022.
You can find some of his broadcast credits on the IMDb.
When The Earth Gives Up The Dead – YouTube release…
They’re here!
That’s right, my new film ‘When The Earth Gives Up The Dead‘ has landed. The last film in the loose ‘Sekurig’ series of horror films based on the work of H.P. Lovecraft. Not only has the film landed – its free to view on Halloween 2022.
So now, you can enjoy all three films in the Sekurig Trilogy free of charge:
When The Earth Gives Up The Dead
At The Mountains of Madness
Markham
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 and the first part of a trilogy of horror films based on the work of H.P. Lovecraft – called the ‘Sekurig trilogy’ , his second feature film as director (and second in the trilogy) ‘At The Mountains Of Madness’ hit the screen in 2021, and the final film in ‘When The Earth Gives Up The Dead’ was released on Halloween 2022 – you can watch all three films for free on Mat’s YouTube Channel.
When The Earth Gives Up The Dead – release date drops on GOTH CHRISTMAS 31st OCT 2022
Crash bang wallop – When the Earth Gives Up the Dead the last of the Sekurig trilogy of horror films will be released on HALLOWEEN 2022 – that’s right GOTH Christmas.
Keep checking back for more updates…
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. Matthew is also a judge in the Page Turner Awards 2022.
When the Earth Gives Up the Dead (2022) – directors sleeve notes – part one
My new feature film ‘When the Earth Gives Up the Dead’ (which is the final part of a trilogy of low budget horror films) is due to be released soon.
When I first released ‘Markham’ (2020) – the first film in the ‘Sekurig’ trilogy I did a few blog posts on the films that influenced Markham and these proved popular and stirred up some debate like this Reddit thread here.
Now all the three films in the trilogy ‘Markham’ (2020), ‘At The Mountains of Madness’ (2021) and ‘When the Earth Gives Up The Dead’ are influenced and based loosely on stories by horror writer H.P. Lovecraft, and visually I’m very keen on the same look (and style) in all three films.
The look of all three films influenced mainly by Rumblefish. Sure there’s a little 2001 / Full Metal Jacket (and even The Shining) in each as well. All three films are shot in stark black and white which leans itself towards the look of Rumblefish – but the horror atmosphere is also influenced by Carpenter’s The Fog (his most sumptuously shot film). However, as we move towards the last film in the trilogy – which is by far the most ambitious (and expensive) of the three films – different influences came to the fore.
When the Earth Gives Up the Dead – has a huge set-piece (for a zero budget film) at the top of some high crags – where Cthulu is being summoned from the heavens – this sequence (and the build up to it) was heavily influenced by Close Encounters of the Third Kind (the sequence where the aliens land at the rock). It’s a large set piece of special effects – all achieved on an almost zero budget.
In this sequence – there are the following elements:
- There’s live action actors – acting in a green screen environment
- There are matte paintings (actually done with photo shopped photographs on plates)
- There are some digital affects
There are various layers – so, a mix of live action, green screen and optical – some of these plates had multiple runs of chromakey (green screen). In some shots, there are four or five levels of chroma just in the background alone: These can be things like – fake clouds, moon effects – all of which required multiple runs to just create the background action.
As well as the green screen and optical – for this sequence alone which had to do multiple location shoots – at Brimham Rocks in Yorkshire – these shoots were very quick half days, and we shot with a small gimbals (a steadicam type device) we also needed drone footage, and normal action type shots in the build up to the sequence.
The sequence itself – is probably the most action – film type sequence I’ve ever put together – it includes a shooting – a high fall – and then characters whisked off by a super natural force.
Also in this sequence is ‘The Child’ which was shot using forced prospective and Chroma key – ‘The Child’ character is in heavy SFX latex make-up.
The crag sequence is also cut and edited to an existing music track.
When putting together the loose script of this film (again, much of the shoot was improvised by the actors) I was pretty clear to myself (and the actors and prod team) that IF THIS SEQUENCE didn’t work – NOTHING in the film afterwards would work at all.
Matthew Cooper Director
The editor and I have spent over a week on the sequence alone in the edit – and finally – we’ve got something that works very well (and will carry the rest of the film). For a zero budget film – THE CRAG sequence was a hugely ambitious thing to try – especially when you think most low budget horror films stick a few actors to a confined location (Like a Cabin in the Woods, or broken down train etc). It was a massively ambitious thing to try within the realms of the money we had (almost nothing).
On top of all this – the sequence takes place mostly at night – and that requires careful lighting and grading (esp when the film is in black and white).
So, if anyone fancies analysing how we pulled of this sequence – these sleeve notes might help understand how we did it.
But why did we do this sequence- why even attempt something so ambitious on a zero budget?
All three of these films have been an experiment in shooting a film for no money – and to be honest – all three films have exceeded what we set out to do and each film has taught us something vital – about the limits we can go to with very little resource. When we planned the last film in the trilogy we really wanted to PUSH the envelope as far as we could go on a meagre budget. And while The Crag sequence shot for shot was the most complex – the whole film is peppered with sequences that were hard to achieve. For example.
The film has a four minute sequence in shot in New York (and none of the actors in that sequence ever travelled to the states). There is shot on Super 8mm exorcism sequence that is very convincing. There is an extended period set in Vietnam during the 90s that pays tribute to Apocalypse Now – we never went to Vietnam (or anywhere near) to shoot it. There are endless bits of creativity and trickery in all of the sequences and most impressive of all.
Nearly the WHOLE live action portion on the film – the actors themselves – was shot in just five days (this is an 80s minute film) where the actors (who are in every scene) got most of their performances down in just FIVE DAYS.
Special mention has to go to Tony Coughlan (who plays two roles), Ashe Russell (who plays two roles) in particular – their work over the five day shoot was very gruelling and non-stop and they nailed (both) of their roles (and managed to be funny and dramatic when required).
Shooting a low budget films is hard – but shooting a zero budget film (this was shot for less than £2k) is one of the hardest things possible.
Keep checking back – I’ll blog more about ‘When The Earth Gives up the Dead’ prior to its release
There are stills from the sequence below: and you can buy all three films here: on DVD click here or you can buy Markham on VOD here. You can also buy At the Mountains of Madness on VOD here.
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. Matthew is also a judge in the Page Turner Awards 2022.
Heads up! Matthew Cooper director interviewed on The Light on Leeds podcast
Hey, just a quick update – The Light on Leeds podcast recently featured an HOUR LONG interview with yours truly – taking about my work as a script consultant and director.
Check it out here: Episode 64: Mat Cooper – Script Doctor — Light On Leeds
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. Matthew is also a judge in the Page Turner Awards 2022.
Is there a film version of ‘At The Mountains of Madness?’ – YES and you can buy it here!
‘At The Mountains Of Madness’ is horror writer H.P. Lovecraft’s most famous and chilling story – and when it comes to chilling and unknowable horror – Lovecraft is one of the genre’s masters. Has the story ever been made into a film? Yes, it has.
Lots and lots of filmmakers have attempted to change the story into a film, including James Cameron and more recently Guillermo del Toro who tried to get NetFlix to finance a version featuring Tom Cruise. But neither Del Torro or Cameron could get the film finance together and both of their versions of the famous story withered on the filmmaking vine.
The only version of the film that made it to production is a low budget, arty black and white indie horror directed by Matthew Cooper (your’s truly) and starring Tony Coughlan, Ashe Russell and Gary Geeson.
At The Mountain of Madness – feature film
The film was made in 2020/21 during the height of the Covid Pandemic, on a budget below £10,000 and was mostly shot in and around Yorkshire in the UK – although you wouldn’t be able to tell from the snowy wastelands on screen.
You can also buy At the Mountains of Madness on VOD here or for the DVD click here.
The same team of filmmakers made Markham which was released in 2020 and are currently in post production on When the Earth Gives up the Dead (2022) both of which are also inspired by H.P. Lovecraft stories.
All three films are great additions to the Lovecraft cannon – and no matter what you make of the low budget version of ‘At The Mountains Of Madness’ – at least these filmmakers made it – which is a step further than Del Toro or Cameron ever managed.
At The Mountains of Madness – film version
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.