Mental health is a growing concern in our society, but is the problem even worse in our industry? Back in February 2020 we reported the results of research conducted by the UK based Film And TV Charity in which they found that nearly nine people in ten (87%) working in the UK’s film, TV and cinema industries had experienced a mental health problem, which compares with two in three (65%) people in the UK population,

Among the key findings were:

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

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

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

So has the Mental Health situation in the TV and film industry improved or deteriorated as a result of COVID? The Looking Glass Report 2021 is a survey of nearly 5000 respondents working in the UK TV and Film industry and the picture painted by the results makes interesting reading…

The 2021 Results In Brief

• Mental health and wellbeing: in the 2021 survey the results were almost unchanged with a wellbeing score of 19.3, compared to 19.4 in 2019, compared to a national average of 23.6

• The production explosion: 39% saying they work more than 50 hours a week, compared with 29% in the 2019 survey.

• The case for stronger line management - When asked what practical steps could support wellbeing the most common answer was better line management.

• Covid safety protocols: 42% said safety protocols negatively affected their ability to do their job, and nearly half (46%) said it negatively affected their mental health. On the other hand, a minority (10%) reported that working under Covid protocols had a positive impact.

• Bullying, racism and harassment: 57% reported having been the target of unacceptable behaviours in the past year.

• Industry culture: behaviours, values and mental health stigma are an issue. 51% say that culture and values are having a negative impact on mental health, compared with 29% in 2019.

• Risk of losing people due to mental health concerns: 65% reported having thought of leaving the industry in the last year.

• Positivity?: Respondents were generally optimistic things would get better, and that momentum was building.

• Less positive attitudes towards mental health issues: In 2021 20% of respondents said that people in the industry had positive attitudes towards people experiencing mental health issues. In the 2019 survey it was 24%.

In February 2022 the Film and TV Charity released the data from the second Looking Glass survey conducted in 2021. They summarised the results as a mixture of negative and some positives:

There was positive news as headline wellbeing and mental health measures remained stable compared to 2019, and signs of optimism that the tide is indeed beginning to turn, with mental health more openly discussed than ever before.

However, behind the headlines there were some difficult findings, with the production boom bringing opportunity but also incredibly long hours and the inevitable mental health impacts, with 78% saying that work intensity had negatively affected their mental health compared with 63% in the 2019 survey.

Bad behaviours abound or even flourish in this environment and it is alarming to find that the majority of respondents (57%) had experienced bullying, sexual harassment, racial harassment or discrimination, or other forms of harassment or discrimination in the past year alone. Four in 10 (39%) of Black, Asian and minority ethnic respondents had experienced racial harassment or discrimination (which like all forms of harassment and discrimination relating to a protected characteristic are illegal) – which had caused 43% of them to consider leaving the industry.

Half (51%) of respondents said that culture and values had a negative impact on mental health compared with 29% in 2019. In this context it’s perhaps not surprising that only 10% of respondents agreed that the industry is a mentally healthy place to work.

To read the full survey results click the button below.