UK’s Film and TV Charity unveils mental health resource

The UK film and television charity has launched a major free-to-use resource as part of its campaign to de-stigmatize poor mental health in film and television, with the aim of it being adopted by 100 productions by the end of 2022. .

The Complete Imaging Toolset was designed in collaboration with industry partners, mental health experts and industry professionals to offer guidance, advice and resources, as well as examples of industry best practice, for incorporating mental health and wellness into productions.

Designed for production companies of any size, the free resource is part of the next phase of the Film and TV Charity’s campaign to redefine workplace culture.

Comprises a package of mini-guides for all stages of production, with topics including creating wellness plans and mental health risk assessments, supporting a team’s training needs, and reporting to senior leaders .

The charity has also appointed 15 industry “change agents”, industry leaders and individuals who helped develop and test the resource, including ScreenSkills CEO Seetha Kumar, Equity Diversity and Equality Officer , Ian Manborde, and See-Saw Films Marketing Director Sam Joly.

The release of The Whole Picture Toolkit follows the Let’s reset the behavior change campaign in October 2021which urged industry leaders to make public commitments on the steps they are taking to create mentally healthy work environments.

The charity aims to have 100 productions using the toolkit resource by the end of 2022, with chief executive Alex Pumfrey highlighting their stat Looking Glass Survey 2021 that only 10% of those who work in the sector currently believe that the industry is a mentally healthy place to work.

“Our recent launch of Looking Glass ’21 shows that there is still a long way to go to improve the mental health of the industry, but The Whole Picture Toolkit represents a pivotal moment in that journey,” he said. “Those who adopt the toolkit in whole or in part immediately understand the challenge of changing behaviors, adopting healthier work practices and making a real, practical difference.”

The Whole Picture Toolkit is supported by the charity’s Mental Health Task Force, which includes Amazon; Banijay; BBC; BBC Studios; BFI; Channel 4; Disney; IMG; VAT; Darling; sky studies; Sony Pictures Entertainment; ViacomCBS; and WarnerMedia. It has also been developed with the support of organizations such as Apple, Leopard Pictures, Mini Productions, OffSpring, and See-Saw Films.