ScreenSkills is part of an industry coalition behind The Whole Picture Toolkit launched by the Film and TV Charity to support mentally healthy productions. The launch marks the next phase of the charity’s campaign to redefine working culture in the film and tv industry.
A free to use website has been created by the charity and a coalition of industry partners and bodies, freelancers, individual trailblazers, mental health experts, and sector practitioners. It gives anyone working in production – from those working on large scale productions to those operating on a shoestring – the tools they may need to improve working environments and the industry’s wider approach to mental health.
The launch of the Toolkit comes after the charity unveiled its Let’s Reset behaviour change campaign in October 2021, calling on leaders from across the industry to commit to the action needed to improve wellbeing and to destigmatise the conversation about mental health. The Whole Picture Toolkit is the key to the ‘how’ the industry can action changes.
It follows the charity’s launch of the Mental Health Training: Guidance for Employers framework in partnership with ScreenSkills at the beginning of 2022.
Alex Pumfrey, CEO at The Film and TV Charity, said: “Our recent release of Looking Glass ’21 shows that there is still a long way to go to improve the industry’s mental health, but The Whole Picture Toolkit represents a pivotal moment on that journey. Those who adopt the Toolkit as a whole or in part are immediately grasping the challenge of changing behaviours, adopting healthier working practices, and making a real, practical difference.
“Now, we want to see the Toolkit put to work and hope to reach the milestone of 100 productions doing so by the end of 2022, each one of them sending a vital message to people working behind the scenes – only 10 per cent of whom currently believe the industry is a mentally healthy place to work.”
Seetha Kumar, Chief Executive at ScreenSkills, said: “I think what's been absolutely brilliant is the power of collaboration, the power of partnership, the power of acknowledging, yes, there is a problem. And we've acknowledged this problem, and we are all collectively working together to try and do something about it.”
Users visiting the Toolkit’s website will be greeted with a comprehensive package of mini guides for all stages of production, from development and pre-production through to production and post, with subjects including:
- Creating a wellbeing plan and mental health risk assessment
- How to include wellbeing messages throughout production
- How to support a team’s training needs
- Planning for rest and time off
- Debriefing senior leaders
The Whole Picture Toolkit is supported by The Film and TV Charity’s Mental Health Task Force, comprising senior leaders from Amazon, Banijay, BBC, BBC Studios, BFI, Channel 4, Disney, IMG, ITV Studios, Sky, Sky Studios, Sony Pictures Entertainment, ViacomCBS and WarnerMedia. It has been developed with the support of organisations including Apple, Leopard Pictures, Mini Productions, Offspring, See-Saw Films and many more.
You can access The Whole Picture Toolkit: For Mentally Healthy Productions and help improve the mental wellbeing in our industry by visiting www.wholepicturetoolkit.org.uk.