Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland as part of S481 Skills Development Screen Talks in association with production company Cable Rock Pictures, is delighted to present an industry talk with writer and showrunner Joel Church-Cooper, whose TV comedy series, Going Dutch, filmed in Ireland and is now on airing on Fox and streaming on Hulu, Disney+ and Apple TV+. This talk will take place online on Tuesday, 28th January 2025 from 7pm to 8pm.
Joel Church-Cooper is a writer for TV and film, and a TV showrunner, known for his ability to develop shows around the best comedic voices in the business. Joel is the Creator/Showrunner of FOX’s newest ½ hour comedy Going Dutch which premiered in January 2025, to great reviews and strong ratings. Joel was the co-creator and showrunner for the acclaimed IFC series Brockmire, starring Hank Azaria. All 4 seasons of Brockmire are streaming on AMC+, and the pilot is available for streaming on IFC. Joel was also recently a Co-EP on season 2 of Lionsgate’s Minx from Paul Feig on Starz. On the feature side, Joel recently wrote a feature film for Tolmach/Sony, and is currently writing a feature for Warner Bros/Megamix/42, with Nicholas Hoult attached to produce and star, and Jonathan Levine attached to direct. His spec feature script American Escape has Beau Bauman attached to produce, and is currently being packaged. Previous TV credits include seasons 2 and 3 of the Hulu series Future Man, produced by Point Grey. He was staffed on the Bill Lawrence/Doozer hit series Undateable, and spent 2 seasons on the Warner Horizon/TBS TV series Ground Floor (also from Bill Lawrence/Doozer). Joel wrote for the Broadway Video/Universal TV/NBC show Up All Night, and before that wrote on Men At Work for Fanfare/Sony TV/TBS. Joel has also written for HBO, the ESPY Awards, Funny or Die, ABC, Fox Sports, and Comedy Central.
Joel will be in conversation with Tony Cantwell, a comedian and host of the chart topping podcasts Tony Cantwell’s Hit Show and Young Hot Guys with Shane Daniel Byrne and Killian Sundermann. His standout performance in Amazon Prime's LOL: Ireland in 2024 earned acclaim from host Graham Norton, who called it “The funniest thing I’ve seen in a long time.” He also starred in the Netflix film Apocalypse Clown, which won Best Feature at the Galway Film Fleadh in 2023, and appeared in Amy Huberman’s Finding Joy. He’s made a significant mark online, where his sketches have amassed millions of views. His Soft Drink sketch was hailed by JOE.ie as “the funniest Irish sketch of all time.” In addition to his online success, his live shows are a hit, selling out venues in Ireland and the UK, including multiple nights at Dublin’s Vicar Street. Hot Press magazine called him the 2nd best comedian in Ireland. Aside from acting and comedy, Cantwell's voiceover work has connected him with several brands, including Dunnes Stores, AIG, Frank & Honest, Tayto, and a recent collaboration with Arnold Schwarzenegger for Lidl. His voice can also be heard in the RTÉ Kids animated series Doodle Girl. Tony co-wrote and starred in RTÉ Player's first original comedy sitcom Good Boy which premiered in October 2024.
The masterclass is open to all screen industry professionals, and will give participants a first hand insight into the knowledge, expertise and working processes of a US-based film and TV series writer and showrunner.
Register for the S481 Screen Talks: In Conversation with Joel Church-Cooper
For any queries, please contact skills.info@screenireland.ie
Screen Ireland skills opportunities are open to all regardless of gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. If you require supports, please let us know in advance so we can put these in place to assist your learning.
