Mark Murphy

Writer/Director

AGENT

Christina Pickworth
+44(0)7876 685515

From humble beginnings on an east midlands council estate, Mark’s appetite for the arts was awakened by inspired teaching and a need to escape. This led to a decade as an internationally renowned choreographer, many more years directing and writing for the theatre and in the continuing creation of award-winning, civic celebrations, outdoor spectaculars, global sporting ceremonies and highly unusual TV projects.

This deviant trajectory led him to develop his screenwriting craft and as a result, he has never felt more rejuvenated or inspired. Now longing to move audiences in film and TV, Mark creates multi-faceted, unashamedly popular and heartfelt, human drama.

IN DEVELOPMENT

THE DEBRIS FIELD
(writer)
TV crime drama.
Reeling from a bitter divorce and a failed suicide attempt, a suspended Air Accidents Investigator sees a shot at revenge and redemption when a passenger plane crashes close to the city of his birth. But when using a visit to his Alzheimers stricken mother as cover for his own, secret investigation, she reveals a family secret that threatens to ground him for good.

THE ESCAPE VELOCITY
(writer)
Action-adventure feature film.
As Russia invades Finland, a Finnish astronaut’s launch is dramatically aborted two minutes into the flight at the Russian-controlled Baikonur Cosmodrome. He and his guests are taken hostage and after he is murdered, his wife – a seasoned combat medic – must transform from healer to killer then fly the only escape vehicle left… the Soyuz rocket.
*SHORTLISTED BBC Writers Open Call 2024 – top 3%
*SHORTLISTED Studio21 script competition 2023

UMBILICAL
(writer)
Feature film. Heartbreaking sci-fi drama.
In a desperate attempt to outrun his pain, a grief-stricken father take refuge in the outer space of his own imagination. So far, so sci-fi but back in the real world, dealing with her own grief, his midwife partner issues an ultimatum – come home before she cuts the umbilical for good.

WHAT ANY FATHER WOULD HAVE DONE
(writer)
Standalone drama. Unconventional revenge thriller.
A bereaved father working as a showbiz production manager, traces the tyre tracks of the infamous Dominic Cummings road trip. But after discovering fresh evidence that implicates the Prime Minister, he resolves to honour his nurse daughter’s life with an act of astonishingly, creative revenge.
*SHORTLISTED BBC Studios Writers’ Academy 2022, top 10% of overall submissions

THE GREEN REAPER
(co-writer)
TV series. Black comedy satire.
We’ve all been there, one minute you’re Googling whether those black pads in the bottom of perishable good containers are recyclable, the next working out how many people you’re going to have to slaughter to off-set your flight to see your dying mum. No? Okay, strap in. Young environmental activist by day, young environmental activist assassin by night. But as the body count grows, what lengths will Greta with a gun go to to stay carbon neutral?

LOBBY CAM
(writer)
TV series. Comedy thriller.
The intertwined lives of a community of residents living in an apartment high-rise are explored through the building’s live entrance camera TV channel. By creating cryptic messages, visual gags and elaborately staged vignettes, the clandestine ‘lobby cam’ community use this portal to entertain each other but when a new resident arrives, with serious main character vibes, their set-pieces take a darker turn.


THEATRE, BROADCAST, OUTDOOR & SPORTING CEREMONIES

ABOVE THE EARTH BELOW THE STARS
(writer / live action & film director / editor)
BBC1 Countryfile Special / Unboxed Festival / Walk The Plank 2022
*OFFICIAL SELECTION – Mendi Film Festival, Kendal Mountain Festival, Dundee Mountain Film Festival, Torello Film Festival, Echo Mountain Festival.

REMATCH WIMBLEDON
(writer / director)
ReMatch / All England Tennis Club. Unique theatrical recreation of the iconic Borg v McEnroe 1980 Wimbledon final.
*WINNER Campaign Experience GOLD & SILVER Awards 2020

ICC 2019 CRICKET WORLD CUP OPENING CEREMONY
(writer / show director)
Sky TV Main Event / ICC / ECB.
2019 UK Cricket World Cup Opening Event on The Mall, London.

OUT OF THIS WORLD – A MARK MURPHY PROJECT
(writer / director / video designer)
27 date UK middle scale theatre tour.

BAKU 1st EUROPEAN GAMES FLAME CAPTURE CEREMONY
(writer / director)
AZ TV / Betty Productions.
2015 Presidential Flame Capture Ceremony.

GLASGOW 2014 COMMONWEALTH GAMES CLOSING CEREMONY
(writer / director / production designer)
BBC1 / Jack Morton.

WHITE GOLD – THE 2014 GLASGOW COMMONWEALTH GAMES CULTURAL FESTIVAL
(writer / creative lead)
Site specific show in the Sugar Sheds in Greenock.

SEEDS OF CHANGE – THE 2013 DUBAI / ABU DHABI GLOBAL SKILLS AND EDUCATION FORUM OPENING CEREMONY
(writer / director)
*WINNER Eventia GOLD Award 2014

THE PRESTON PASSION
(writer / live action director)
BBC1 / The Preston Guild.
Easter Monday BBC1 live broadcast.
*WINNER – RTS Best Live Event

LAND OF GIANTS – THE LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC CULTURAL FESTIVAL / LEGACY TRUST / WALK THE PLANK
(writer / director / designer)
Outdoor show on the historic Titanic slipway, Belfast.

THIS SIDE, THE OTHER SIDE
(writer /director / production designer)
Yle TV1 / Walk The Plank Turku European Capital of Culture Opening Ceremony – Turku, Finland’s 2011 opening night show.

AISLING’S CHILDREN – SCOTLAND’S YEAR OF THE HOMECOMING / EDINBURGH CASTLE
(co-writer / director)
Large scale, outdoor show in the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade.

THE PEOPLE’S OPENING – THE 2008 LIVERPOOL EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE / WALK THE PLANK
(writer / director)
Liverpool’s European city of culture opening night show.

THE NIGHT SHIFT – FUEL THEATRE / BATTERSEA ARTS CENTRE
(writer / director)
Edinburgh Festival at the Traverse Theatre / UK theatre tour.
Published by Nick Hern Books.

ON THE CASE – LEGS ON THE WALL / THE 2006 MELBOURNE COMMONWEALTH GAMES CULTURAL FESTIVAL
(writer / co-director)
Outdoor aerial show.
*WINNER Best Direction & Best Choreography, Helpman Awards