Mental health is a growing concern in our society, but is the problem even worse in our industry?

Last year the UK based Film And TV Charity asked people in the film, TV and cinema workforce to tell them about their mental health as part of ground-breaking research into the wellbeing of people working in our industry.

What They Found

The centrepiece of the research was an online survey – over 9,000 people responded. The Looking Glass survey results reveal a mental health crisis in the workforce.

Nearly nine people in ten (87%) working in the UK’s film, TV and cinema industries have experienced a mental health problem, which compares with two in three (65%) people in the UK population,

Among the key findings:

• Workers are twice as likely to experience anxiety compared with the national average

• Workers are three times as likely to have self-harmed compared with the national average

• Over half of workers have considered taking their own life (compared with one-fifth nationally) and one in 10 have attempted to do so

In this video, The Film and TV Charity have brought together some of these stories behind these shocking numbers…

The analysis of the underlying causes reveals three areas that interact to create a perfect storm for poor mental health – the conditions of work, the industry’s culture, and its capability to provide support. Alex Pumfrey, CEO of The Film and TV Charity told Variety.com…

“There isn’t sufficient support for people in the right place at the right time and in the right way. There are big, seismic shifts that need to happen and they are certainly not going to happen overnight.

There aren’t any easy answers as to how you change culture and behaviours – particularly not at a large scale – but we do know from the research we’ve done that it will only work if it’s done on an industry-wide, collective basis with shared commitments that run right across the industry.

Our sense is that the dial has moved on sexual harassment since the revelations of widespread sexual harassment in our industry here and abroad in 2017, but bullying is still endemic within (film and TV). The levels still feel far too high, and we can see clearly for the first time how that is a key determinant of mental health outcomes.”

Looking further into the report the post-production, animation and VFX sector discussed social isolation, alcohol and drug dependency.

In broadcasting, bullying, poor mental health and a desire to leave the industry were contributing factors, while in distribution, anxiety, an alcohol-focused culture and feeling undervalued were common complaints.

Within cinema and exhibition, respondents admitted to self-harm, suicidal thoughts and attempts.

However, only 7% of survey respondents – and just 2% of freelancers – said they would broach the topic of their mental health with their manager. Of those who had discussed a mental health problem at work, only 28% said it had improved the situation, compared with 41% in a survey of over 100 organisations by U.K. mental health body Mind. Their Chief Executive Paul Farmer CBE told us…

“The Film and TV Charity’s research has revealed the scale of the mental health crisis in the film, TV and cinema industry – and a collaborative and industry-led approach to tackling this is crucial. I am totally behind the principle that ‘it will only work if we do this together’ and am really pleased to see such widespread and positive engagement from the industry. At Mind we look forward to working with the Film and TV Taskforce to make a real difference for the mental health of the industry.”

What Next?

This report has prompted an urgent action plan and task force backed by leading studios, broadcasters, production companies and cinema groups.

Recently The Film and TV Charity convened a summit on mental health. Industry leaders including Banijay, Channel 4, Disney, Endemol Shine, ITV and Sky have already agreed an initial £3 million commitment to fund an urgent action plan, known as The Whole Picture Programme, which will launch in April. The industry-led Film and TV Taskforce on Mental Health aims to work closely with experts in mental health. The action plan – to be co-designed by industry partners – will include an enhanced 24/7 Film and TV Support Line and industry-wide behaviour change campaign. Companies that have already committed to developing the strategy include Universal Pictures, ViacomCBS and Paramount Pictures and Vue Entertainment.

Heather Carey, Research Director at the Work Foundation, told us that “The film and TV industry is one of the most creative and rapidly growing parts of the UK economy.” British Film Institute figures show that spending on film and high-end television production in the UK was the highest ever recorded in 2019, hitting £3.62 billion ($4.7 billion), an increase of 16%. The growth was driven by high levels of international production investment in the U.K., which topped the £3 billion ($3.9 billion) mark for the first time, but the results from the Looking Glass survey paint a concerning picture of working life in this industry. Heather Carey continues…

“Across a range of measures, those working in the sector experience significantly worse mental health outcomes. Our research has surfaced the underlying and interlinked causes – from working conditions and culture to the capability of the industry to provide support to those that need it most. Many of these risk factors are heightened amongst the diverse talent the industry is working hard to attract; and it is particularly concerning, given skill shortages evident in UK film and TV, that 63% of workers have considered leaving the industry because of worries about the impact it has on their mental health.”

Do Not Suffer In Silence

If any of this resonates with you then do not suffer in silence. the Film and TV Charity already has support available…

They have Professional Advice designed to offer a fresh perspective about legal, human resources or career issues.

Need help now? Just shout. there is a 24/7 Support Line and their team is here day or night to give free and confidential advice. You can contact them via phone, email or online chat.

Are you struggling with rent? Can’t afford a train ticket or a vital piece of production kit? they can offer immediate financial support or help with your ongoing commitments.