Umberto Schramm

Umberto Schramm is a London-based copywriter, freelance journalist and author of 'The Happy Prisoner'.

When he was sentenced to prison for causing a fatal accident while under the influence, headlines were swift and judgment absolute. As a respected figure in London’s film industry (having worked on high-profile projects like Kingsman and Rocketman) this now author’s fall from grace was very public. But what the public didn’t see was the transformation that began behind prison walls.

Incarcerated as a foreign national in four different UK prisons, Schramm faced overcrowded cells, relentless uncertainty, and a penal system devoid of hope or purpose. To survive, he wrote. Every day. Not just to document, but to understand. With his journalling becoming a lifeline, and eventually, the foundation for his ironically titled The Happy Prisoner, this author delivers a blistering examination of the UK prison system.

A deeply introspective account of guilt, responsibility, and what true rehabilitation could look like, The Happy Prisoner outlines how the current British penal system functions more like a warehouse of human despair than an institution of correction. Delving into the root causes of incarceration - criminality, poverty, trauma, addiction – Schramm details how the system locks people into a cycle that hardens rather than heals.

A proud Londoner for nearly two decades, Umberto Schramm was born and raised in Meßkirch, a small town in southern Germany.

He studied Psychology at Queen Mary University of London and holds a Level 4 qualification in Copywriting from the College of Media and Publishing. He is currently working towards an accreditation in Freelance Journalism from the London College of Journalism. In his spare time, Umberto is passionate about cycling, running, weightlifting, reading and films. He also volunteers for Friends of the Earth. A keen linguist, he speaks Italian, French, and Spanish, in addition to English and his native German