About
Experience of working in a wide range of sectors has allowed me to develop the flexibility and confidence to excel at any task in any situation.
My strengths are in planning, scheduling, development of ideas, budgeting, and organisation.
Aspiring to script editor, production management or producing.
ScreenSkills Training Passport
Matt Coot has completed the following modules within the ScreenSkills Training Passport.
Experience
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Writer & Performer
Developing my craft as a scriptwriter, I have submitted work to competitions and production companies, I've worked with a script consultant, and I have performed autobiographical monologues. This role has allowed me to develop the following transferable skills: passion for storytelling, excellent attention to detail, self-confidence, strong writing and editing skills.
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Assistant House Manager
Supervised Front of House team; co-ordinated with all departments to ensure smooth running of shows; maintained health and safety of all theatre users (front and back of house). This role has allowed me to develop the following transferable skills: leadership, excellent communication (including use of radios), ability to prioritise and juggle workload, flexibility, strong interpersonal skills, and able to work in a confident and collaborative manner.
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Customer Service Advisor
Call centre operator in a corporate workplace handling complaints and taking telephone orders. This role has allowed me to develop the following transferable skills: interpersonal and communication skills, ability to work with discretion and respect, prioritising workload, multitasking under pressure whilst maintaining a calm composure.
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Library Manager
Managed the school library whilst providing support to students who struggled with their literacy and/or confidence skills. Also provided extra-curricular opportunities including a creative writing club, a journalism club (with monthly publication in local magazine), and an annual week-long murder mystery activity that had the students learning forensic science and other investigatory skills to solve a fictional murder in which members of staff were the suspects. This role has allowed me to develop the following transferable skills: administrative (paperwork, filing, database management, photocopying, etc.), finance (spreadsheets, budget responsibility, purchase of stock), keen attention to detail, discretion, knowledge of copyright law.
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Town Councillor
Elected in a by-election to represent electorate of Saltash. Volunteered with several community groups during this time. This role has allowed me to develop the following transferable skills: communication, compassion, integrity, finance and accounting (responsible for monitoring public spending and authorising payments), confidence conversing with the public and press whilst maintaining confidentiality.
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Teaching Assistant
Responsible for providing literacy support to Free School Meal (FSM) students (from Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 5). This role has allowed me to develop the following transferable skills: patience, compassion, communication.
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Head Producer
Elected as the voluntary Head Producer of the Student Union's own television station. Commissioned projects, recruited crew, filmed live comedy events.
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Steward
Production: 'Flog It!' Assisted runners with setup and running of location shoot at Bath Assembly Rooms. Included: queue management, collaboration and teamwork, and an opportunity to shadow different members of the crew. This role has allowed me to develop the following transferable skills: good communication, hardworking, willingness to learn.
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Front of House Assistant
General front of house responsibilities, including bar work and ushering.
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Sales Assistant/Duty Manager
Weekly duty management responsibilities, leading a team of part-time sales assistants. This included: opening/closing the store according to Sunday trading laws and company policy; cash reconciliation and till management; ensuring coverage across store including during breaks; allocating tasks to team members according to skill and level of responsibility; dealing with complaints and queries; monitoring store radio (linked to city-wide security) and dealing with any issues arising from this. During other shifts, I worked as a senior sales assistant in the stationery and news department. Skills: customer service, organisational skills, stock management, interpersonal skills, leadership, teamwork.
Education and training
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Getting into the screen industries
ScreenSkills Funded
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Work well series
ScreenSkills Funded
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Coronavirus basic awareness on production training
ScreenSkills Funded
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Diversity, equity and inclusion for the screen industries
ScreenSkills Funded
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Safeguarding for all: basic awareness for the screen industries
ScreenSkills Funded
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Coronavirus basic awareness on production training
ScreenSkills Funded
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Addressing unconscious bias: basic awareness in the workplace
ScreenSkills Funded
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Introduction to mental health awareness at work
ScreenSkills Funded
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Tackling harassment and bullying at work
ScreenSkills Funded
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How to perform well in a screen industries interview
ScreenSkills Funded
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How to apply for work in the screen industries
ScreenSkills Funded
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How to find work in the screen industries
ScreenSkills Funded
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How to identify the right role for you in the screen industries
ScreenSkills Funded
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Introduction to working in the screen industries
ScreenSkills Funded
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First Break Beyond Paradise - Open Doors
ScreenSkills Funded
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First Break Bootcamp: Beyond Paradise
ScreenSkills Funded
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Digital Cities virtual: Impactful CVs for the Screen Industries
ScreenSkills Funded
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Creativity Diversity and the BBC
ScreenSkills Funded
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The Making Of David Harewood: Psychosis and Me (BBC2)
ScreenSkills Funded
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MA Creative Writing
Passed with Distinction. Studied part-time, over two years, and had built up a substantial portfolio of work-in-progress along with fully completed work. I explored magical realism in short stories; the dangers of underfunding mental health care in a theatre script; and an interesting topic in my family history through creative non-fiction. My MA dissertation was a sci-fi police procedural television screenplay exploring a potential future in which humankind has begun to expand into space. It was also during my postgraduate studies that I finally gained the confidence to write poetry and other performance related writing. I’ve loved this so much, that I now perform autobiographical work on stage.
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BA (Hons) Creative Writing
During my studies, I experienced a major mental health crisis and had to take a year out and had retaken another year so, by the time that I had finished, I had built up quite the portfolio of work! I had explored screenwriting, playwriting, short stories, creative nonfiction, and novel writing. I had also worked on the production on several short films – one of which, Remember This, I had written and directed. This taste of production gave me the hunger to work in television. In my final year, I was elected the ‘Head Producer’ of SpaLife TV (the student union’s television station) and enjoyed developing several projects. It was during these studies when my passion for dramatic writing was brought alive. I was inspired during a lecture presented by Doug Chamberlin (one of the co-writers of Toy Story 2). Until that point, I hadn’t thought of being a scriptwriter as a potential career path. Doug Chamberlin opened up that possibility and it changed the direction of my life. Since then, I have been working towards a ‘portfolio career’ that encompasses scriptwriting, working in television production, and writing crime fiction novels.
Certificates
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Diversity, equity and inclusion for the screen industries
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Safeguarding for all: basic awareness for the screen industries
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The Mark Milsome Foundation - Film and TV Online Safety Passport Course
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Introduction to mental health awareness at work
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Tackling harassment and bullying at work
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Getting into the screen industries