​Matthew trained as a theatre director at Hull University Drama Department, where he directed numerous stage productions and studied under Anthony Minghella. Then he went to The National Film and Television School where he trained as a film director, graduating in the early 1980s as both a writer and director. After a short run directing pop promos he got the opportunity to direct a BFI short and as a result of his successes as a TV writer he started to get the opportunity to direct his own scripts and adaptations. Then after a long spell of writing American TV and Film he has recently returned to directing independent feature films and is currently available to direct new projects.

FEATURE FILMS: 
BAR AMERICA (2015 Kinonation/Rockbridge)  - Winner Napa Valley Film Festival Audience Award
YOUR GOOD FRIEND (2014 Kinonation/Dovetale Films) - Boston Jewish Film Festival
MOTHERTIME (1997 BBC Screen Two/BBC Worldwide) - Seattle Film Festival, Mill Valley Film Festival, winner best feature Flagstaff Film Festival, nominated best TV feature BANFF. 
HALLELUJAH ANYHOW (1992 BBC Screen Two/British Film Institute) - Centerpiece Film London Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, Seattle Film Festival,
DOCTOR WHO AM I (in post-production) a documentary co-directed with Vanessa Yuille - an intimate portrait of the American Doctor Who fan from the perspective of Matthew Jacobs on 20th anniversary of the release of his Doctor Who Movie in the 1990s.

SHORTS: 
VARDO (1984 BFI/Working Title Films) - London Film Festival, Edinburgh Film Festival, Sydney Film Festival, winner of Sunday Times Script Competition
DARKNESS FROM THE TREES (1981 NFTS Graduation film) - San Francisco Film Festival, Karlovy Vary International Student Film Festival.