Mental Health: We’re All Talking about It Now, but Has Anything Changed behind the Camera?

Almost a year ago to this day, I first wrote about mental health issues in the industry on this platform, but of course, I've had the problem on my mind for much longer. I knew I wanted to start having this conversation in an open forum and hopefully get others thinking and talking about it, too. I was supposed to deliver this article six months ago (luckily, the LLB team don't have my home address). I blame AI for it not coming sooner, or maybe I had to take a long look in the mirror at myself. But self-doubt hit with a good dollop of no confidence on top; well, a complete lack of it, to be frank. I also couldn't figure out ChatGPT.

But this is not a topic that 1) goes away, and 2) it isn't easy to write about. And I found looking inward a bit whilst on set did me some good.

However, after writing the original article, what I didn't expect was the amount of people who connected with the things I said. It's been a lovely experience to run into people and hear that they thought it was a positive thing to start the conversation. Some shared their stories of mental health struggles, and many agreed that we must do more to address the issue seriously.

Six months is and isn't a long time. Neither is a year! On one hand, we're now starting to share an industry with AI that may or may not begin to make creative decisions, and on the other, I'm still working on a project I started last year, and I’m still figuring out how to write. Essentially, some things change while others stay the same.

That’s where I think we are with mental health. Great! I'm glad we're all talking, listening… and reading… hopefully. We all intuitively know that we can't keep doing things the old way and that people need the right kinds of support.

Over the last year, we have dealt with the writers’ and actors’ strikes, affecting many companies and crew we work with who cross over from long-form to commercials. There is an ongoing 'cost of living crisis' that Sky News keeps reminding me about; living conditions have gotten worse for many while rates of inflation, mortgages, and rents increased. Of course, this is bound to negatively affect how people are doing. And it's easy to see mental health concerns slipping by the wayside as more people, and especially freelancers, fret about job stability and when the phone might ring next. But this is just the time when we should be talking about it more.

Where does that leave us all? I wonder whether those already established in the industry should consider not saying yes to every job. I knowhow difficult that idea is to entertain, but recovering from burnout or unaddressed mental health issues is even more challenging. And missing that one job can often mean it'll go to someone else, especially if you can make a recommendation and personally vouch for new, up-and-coming talent.  

People in full-time employment have different problems and can feel stuck or undervalued where they are. But more companies are now considerate of this industry's effects on everyone. Recently, I spoke to a friend who works for a company in the industry, and they told me that the company has a counsellor who comes in every Friday; staff can book an hour with the counsellor - all on the company's pound. How incredible is that? Sure, it will cost the company, but what's even costlier? Staff turnover and missed projects due to understaffing and declining team morale.  

Working from home has positively impacted people since presenteeism and creativity don't exactly gel. Some companies give their staff reduced hours or summer hours, where every Friday is a half day. I know it sounds scary and like it'll lead to a loss of profit, but look at the findings from the recent 'Four-Day Week' pilot study - 92% of employers that took part said they would continue with a shorter workweek, finding no decrease in productivity.

I'm not saying that any of those things are a sure-fire solution to the mental health problems in the industry - I wish I was sure what would actually work. We need to explore and consider all the possibilities, look beyond the obvious and ask ourselves what might help (hint: it's not a meditation app). When I think about running my own company, I don't just dream about the projects I might take on or the people I'll meet. I spend a lot of time asking myself, how can I create a positive culture where mental healthcare isn't an afterthought or something that only exists as an abstract idea. For now, I'm talking to as many people as possible about the issue and seeing what's already being done; then - maybe one day - I hope to put the best of my research into practice.

Let me tell you a story about a friend. He was not in a good place, and it took a while to realise. He would tell me about the days when he couldn't, “for the love of God", drag himself out of bed, answer the phone or show his face to anyone. "It was as if I had concrete running through my veins," was how he described it to me. He felt like he was letting everyone down. "All you need to do is talk, mate," I would say to him. Yet, in essence, that was the hardest thing to do, but he did, and he opened up.

I reminded him of the great scene from the ‘90s film ‘Swingers’ where Jon Favreau's character, Mike, is given a pep talk by Ron Livingston's character, Rob, to help him get out of bed and his room, which he has been lying in for the past couple of days in a slump. To clip and paraphrase, Ron reminds him: "It all depends on how you look at it [life].You don't look at the things you have. You look at the stuff you don't have…Your money, baby. The future is beautiful. We are here, and everything that has passed is prologue to this.”

How is he now? Well, he's sitting here writing this today, and Jonny gets out of bed every morning and reminds himself of all of the above.

That's the only honest advice I have for anyone reading this. We all know that tackling mental health issues in the industry is a worthy cause while also being incredibly complex. Let's keep talking, making it part of everyday conversation, checking in with each other on set and paying even closer attention to freelancers who are more likely than most to suffer in silence. The wave of change is coming for the industry; slowly, let's all do our bit to usher it in even sooner. Hopefully, my future AI self will be confident, full of self-esteem and, more importantly, can write… and write quickly… otherwise, speak in 12 months. But in the meantime, in the words of Ron, "The future is beautiful and everything that has passed is prologue to this.”