“a champion of imaginative thinking and a natural judge of the best ways to inspire and evolve complex narratives. Meroë is excellent at connecting ideas, research, and people in the best ways.” (Producer)
“The Don of research". (Writer)
I am an independent story and production research consultant for film and television. In practice this means, I help find, research, develop and produce original ideas for screen and on air with a focus on real life inspired stories. I work independently across many production companies and have established relationships with screenwriters, directors and producers who I support to develop authentic, inspiring stories. After five years of working on other people’s ideas, I am also developing my own real life story dramas in collaboration with production companies.
Since 2018, I have worked with AbbottVision, Blueprint, Headline, See-Saw , Chapter One, Ray Pictures, Broke and Bones, Fable Pictures, Duck Soup Films, Clerkenwell Films, Little By Little Films, DNA, The Forge Entertainment and House amongst others. And with writers/directors such as Jonny Sweet, Claire Wilson, Ed Whitmore, Robin French, Laurie Nunn, Peter Moffatt, Craig Pearce, Camilla Blackett, DC Moore, Sarah Gavron, Abi Morgan, Marc Munden, Michael Keillor, Jack Thorne, Nick Payne, Sarah Page, Clio Barnard, Paddy Considine, Jonathan Glazer, Carol Morley, Paul Viragh, David Proud, Harry MacQueen and Rachel Tunnard.
My expertise is in world building, uncovering and researching true stories, storylining with writers and other creatives, creating research bibles, connecting, interviewing and co-ordinating subject specialists, and supporting real-life contributors in the development and production process. I am also unique in offering flexible support for producers and commissioners to support their duty of care, ethics and compliance processes. I have extensive contacts in science, medicine, history, ethics and law as well as the charity sector and am experienced in working with vulnerable individuals to help them tell their stories.
Before my independent career, I worked for the Wellcome Trust where I built and lead their arts, film and broadcast drama programme. During this time, I commissioned and developed over 30 scripts, was Executive Producer on 5 film productions, built partnerships with many of the UK commissioners, and strengthened relationships with high-level talent, production companies and commissioners. I was also the architect of a unique film award, the Wellcome Screenwriting Fellowship in partnership with BFI and Film4 alongside other major screenwriting and talent development initiatives.