2. My Project
This project is based on the mental health of a boy (Arlo) who doesn’t know
how to express how he feels inside. He gets close to a girl (Aaria) who doesn’t
understand some of his issues, but is able to assure Arlo that she is there for
him if ever he needs to talk. Aaria has recently moved to the same area as
Arlo, she is new at their school and doesn’t have many friends. She notices
Arlo sitting alone and decides to go over to join him for lunch, he feels slightly
anxious having a stranger join him, but lets her sit down when she asks. As the
story continues, Arlo becomes to realise that he feels safe around Aaria, he
sees her as a calming influence. When Aaria learns that Arlo suffers from
anxiety when he has a panic attack in front of her, she explains that he needs
to offload all of his problems to her, explain that even if she doesn’t
understand what is causing his panic, that he can still open up to her about is
problems.
4. Primary Research Interview
1. Do you suffer from anxiety/panic attacks?
On occasion
2. How do you manage to overcome them?
Time and support from my friends
3. How often do you feel anxious?
Most days I feel pressured and anxious
4. How would you feel if someone were to create a short film based on this?
Depends on if it was good.
5. What would you like the video to cover regarding panic attacks/anxiety?
How uncomfortable and common they are.
Rhys Sadler-Scott, 18, male – 06.02.2019
5. Primary Research Interview
1. Do you suffer from anxiety/panic attacks?
Yes I used to have a lot of panic attacks at a young age. When exam season started my panic attacks
started up again due to stress.
2. How do you manage to overcome them?
I don’t really know how to overcome them I just let them happen
3. How often do you feel anxious?
I feel anxious quite a lot recently because of pressure and all the deadlines with college work
4. How would you feel if someone were to create a short film based on this?
I feel like the subject needs to be touched on more.
5. What would you like the video to cover regarding panic attacks/anxiety?
I would like to see a persons perspective when they are having anxiety and panic attacks and what
someone could be feeling when they are feeling low.
Abbey Glancy, 17, female – 06.02.2019
6. Interview Analysis
• These interviews came from two people that suffer from different types of
anxiety, so I wanted them to answer these questions as personally as they
were willing to let on. I chose a male and a female to answer these
questions, so I had a different perspective of anxiety/panic attacks from
both genders. Both gave very brief, yet informative answers; I am able to
use this information to help with my final film. My female interviewee
explained that she suffered from panic during exam season, which is very
common amongst young people when it comes to studying or final course
work deadlines. Where as my male interviewee seems to suffer from panic
on a more day to day basis. He explained that he feels very pressured most
days, but didn’t go into detail as to why he felt this way, however he did
confirm that he manages to overcome his panic with help and support from
friends and family, which is what my main character is going to realise in the
film; he’s going to see that everyone around him is there for him when he
does suffer from these attacks. It has also helped me to promote more
realism in the final film as I now have a more accurate account from two
people who suffer from the same type of mental health issue as my main
character.
8. • This question was potentially one of the most important in my survey as I needed to know
the difference in percentage of people who suffer from anxiety and people who don’t. Even
though I only had 3 respondents say they didn’t suffer, I’m glad people were honest,
admitting they didn’t suffer but still partook in my survey anyway which means it varies my
answer which is what I need when creating my film. Upon looking at the figures, it is
noticeable that the number of victims of anxiety attacks is very high, compared to research
found online where it confirms that only 1.7% of the US population suffer from this. When
you look at the UK statistics, anxiety/depression is one of the most common mental health
issues with 7.8% of the country suffering. This shows that there is still room for research
and interpretation on the subject of mental health today as the topic is still not widespread
enough for the public to have a good enough view of how mental health issues affect young
adults.
9. • With this question, I wanted to know who of my audience suffers from anxiety. All of my respondents
were female, however I did have a very different age range. Each person being between the age of 14-27.
I just needed age and gender so I knew who my main target audience was going to be; hence why I didn’t
ask for names within the survey. The main anxiety sufferers seem to be girls aged 16-18, which is prime
time for females to be feeling anxious as they begin to develop into young adult and have to start making
their own choices when it comes to GCSE’s right through to university choices. As my film don’t cover
these specific issues, I will attempt to incorporate it into my film as I feel it is a relatable subject. The fact
that all of my respondents were female is a strong indicator of how mental health issues affect men
differently, they are statistically less willing to admit suffering mental health disorders than women, as
the culture of toxic masculinity makes it more difficult for men to speak their mind in what they class as a
safe environment. This is why it was important to me for my main character to be a male, in order to help
shine a light on this issue, and how it can be worked through healthily.
10.
11. • As I’m making a film on this particularly sensitive, worldwide issue, I decided to ask
my audience what they thought of a film like this being created. No one who
completed the survey said no this this, however I did get 7 surveyors saying that it
depended on how anxiety/panic was highlighted. I will have to ensure that I am
careful when creating this film as I don’t want to make any mistakes when it comes to
highlighting key aspects to this mental health problem. In order to get everything
perfect, with no mistakes, I will have to re-look over my research findings and this
survey, as well as doing a little more research if I come to a part of my film that I don’t
100% know how to film to get the correct reaction from my audience.
12. • I asked this question even though I already partly knew the answer. However, I felt
that if I gave my surveyors a space to expand if they wanted, I would get more
detailed answers. Most of my audience said yes or absolutely before moving on.
Others gave me detailed answers as to why it should be talked about more which
helps with my production further. This means I can take on board why they think
anxiety/panic should be talked more and incorporate that into my film towards the
end of it so it helps other people become more aware of why it should be discussed
not only online but in schools and other institutions so people understand what
sufferers go through on a daily basis.
13.
14. • Even though I personally think panic attacks should be talked about more with both
genders, I wanted to see what my audience thought. 27 of my surveyors agreed that
anxiety/panic should be talked about more for both genders, however one person said
they thought it needed to be discussed more with boys. It was good to see that someone
thought that, instead of clicking the both option, as my film is going to be about a boy
suffering from anxiety. The final 2 votes went to girls. I feel that anxiety isn’t talked about
often in general, but it is very rare that you hear of boys having it, hence why I want to
raise awareness within this specific area of the topic. While it is important for both
genders to haver strong representation regarding their mental health issues, there is still a
lack of support in place for males in comparison to females. This is a dated public
perception of women being the weaker sex and men being expected to “toughen up” and
overcome their problems alone. Which is an idea I want to challenge in my film.
15. • This question received a mixed response, I was glad to have a range of different opinions
as it means that not every sufferer thinks the same. The majority of the vote went towards
people saying they sometimes discussed their anxiety/panic attack, depending on what
brought it on. This is true of most sufferers, as there isn’t usually a specific trigger that
causes the attack; they come on when people least expect them to. In total, 9 people
confirmed they have never discussed it/don’t like discussing it which is very
understandable as it could be something very personal to only them they don’t want
anyone else to know. When it comes to my FMP, I will most likely have my sufferer discuss
what brings on their panic, but before that he is going to be very reluctant to discussing
what brings them on. Therefore, pandering to my entire target audience.
16. • As my film is based on a song, I wanted to know if people listened to songs to help
them calm down from their anxiety, and if so, which ones. I had a very broad range of
answers here, very few were the same song and artist, which I thought was
interesting. However, no one said the song that I’m basing my film on, which comes
as a shock as that song is something I personally resonate to anxiety/panic very much;
hence why I chose that specific song. There are songs on this list that were possibly
going to be used in this film, but I’m going to stick with the one chosen originally and
hope I can get the lyrics across to people in my film.
17.
18. • This question is one that I felt was going to be most interesting to see the results, as I
know people personally that can control them and others that can’t. I wasn’t
expecting the majority answer to be sometimes as I feel it is more of a yes/no
question, but I felt I needed to add that extra answer in case some people can control
them. I only had one person admit to not being able to control their panic, I feel this
is brave to admit as panic attacks are a very scary experience to go through, especially
if you aren’t able to overcome them. This will help within my film, as I feel that I can
have the character that suffers be able to overcome these attacks towards the end of
the film, when he is more aware of what his situation is when it comes to
anxiety/panic.
19. • This question is a follow up to the previous. I wanted to know what methods people
used to control their anxiety. Again, a lot of people said they listened to music or
focused on breathing, but others had different coping methods, taking a walk, not
overthinking the situation, one even went on to say that it takes years of practice to
be able to control not having an attack. I think this is very important to my final film
as I can look back at these different coping strategies and incorporate them into my
FMP. I’m glad people were open to explain how they cope with anxiety/panic attacks
as this does really help me to understand what people do to cope. I may not use all
the different strategies, but some of them will be used; some being successful others
not being, as different people cope differently with this.
20.
21. • This question is one that I didn’t specifically want a detailed answer to, but I gave people
the option to explain it if they wanted. As people have different triggers to their
anxiety/panic. I wanted to know if people knew what triggered it. Most answered
sometimes, but not many talked about how they knew what it was that triggered them,
which will make my work harder. However, through personal experience, I do know that
most panic attacks can come on very unexpectedly. Most people aren’t actually aware of
what causes their panic attacks, one day they can be fine, the next they could be like a
different person because of how their panic attack makes them feel. Some people can pull
themselves out of them, others have to wait it out, so I think it would be interesting if I
incorporate both of these into my film.
22.
23. Secondary Research
• According to research by the NHS, it is seen that women suffer more
severely from anxiety and panic attacks than men do. There are different
types of anxiety disorder, and different reasons as to why it can be brought
on. Most people continue with their day to day lives, even with with anxiety.
Others can have it brought on and not be able to leave the house until they
have calmed themselves down; this could be hours, days or even weeks.
Anxiety isn’t something people are born with, but something that develops
later in life. Panic attacks come on at random moments, you can be fine one
minute, however the next instance you might feel like you can’t breathe and
need an ambulance. Anxiety is in the mind, not anywhere else. Some
sufferers have come to the conclusion that it isn’t going anywhere anytime
soon and they have learnt to live with it; some have gone as far as to say
they see their anxiety as a friend now.
24.
25. Bibliography
• N/A. (2016). Women are more likely to suffer from anxiety than men. Available: https://www.nhs.uk/news/mental-
health/women-are-more-likely-to-suffer-from-anxiety-than-men/. Last accessed 28.01.2019.
• N/A. (2015). Men And Anxiety. Available: https://www.anxietycanada.com/resources/article/men-and-anxiety. Last
accessed 30.01.2019.
• Blum, J. (2017). Global Depression and Anxiety. Available: https://medium.com/@blumfest/global-depression-and-
anxiety-148afd856432. Last accessed 30.01.2019.
• NIMH. (n/a). Facts About Panic Disorder. Available: https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/facts-about-panic-
disorder/. Last accessed 07.02.2019.
• n/a. (n/a). Anxiety Statistics. Available: https://www.nopanic.org.uk/anxiety-statistics/. Last accessed 07.02.2019.
27. Existing Products
• Anxiety - https://youtu.be/mRqR4mOC4gc
This film is a good example showing what I want to create. It shows how much
you can fit into a short time frame, which is exactly what I need for my fil so I
can roughly gage how much I can fit into a 5 – 10 minute time slot. I liked the
simplicity of only having one character throughout the whole film; with the
addition of the voice of another person. I like how they included what the
inside of the main characters head looked like from an outside perspective. I
think doing that really helped to tell the story. I’d like to incorporate something
like that into my final product.
• PANIC - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jlAhe5UUYo
This film isn’t similar to what I want to create, however the editing within this
film is fantastic. I love the quick editing between shots to show the real world
and the world going on inside the main characters head. As the film is so
short, there isn’t any dialogue but I think the way the film has been created
helps the audience understand what is going on without needing dialogue.
29. Camera Use
• As seen on the image in the bottom left corner, the camera is very well
positioned showing the focus is on the main girl, yet her subconscious mind
is still visible in the background, which signifies that what she is saying are
the words going round in the back of her mind. I like the technique they
have used to really make the actress in the foreground stand out against the
less visible background, yet you as a viewer are still able to see what is going
on there.
• The second shot I really liked is one similar to the first I discussed, however
the girls subconscious mind is more visible in the background of the scene.
The director has made this shot a lot clearer and more in focus as the whole
room is able to be seen, instead of having one focus point and the rest of
the room out of focus.
30. Editing
• Of course this short film has more standard cuts within it as that is the most
commonly used editing technique when editing short and long films. The
two scenes between minute 3:45 and 3:50 it is obvious that the editor of
the movie has used a jump shot to show the girl sitting on the stairs
speaking to her friend to trying to sleep in her room. I like the way the
director has done this, as it is obvious from the actions that have taken
place between each of the scenes meaning the director didn’t need to add
the middle part of what was going on to tell the viewer because its obvious
with how its been edited.
• Similar jump shot technique is used between after 5:40 when the girl closes
the closet door, the screen going black, then the girl appearing to be coming
down the stairs she was once sat on fully ready to go out with friends. These
are techniques I’d like to use in my own film as I feel it is an easier way to
tell the story and it lets the audience decide for themselves what happens
between the two actions taking place.
31. Sound
• In the starting segment of this film the main character has a pair o
headphones on, music being heard through them, when the girl takes them
off, the music gets louder as if the headphone was restricting the viewer
from hearing the noise an when it was removed, we could hear it. I like this
effect in not only this film, but all films that do it, I think it really makes the
audience feel included in what is going on within the storyline.
• There are a lot of sound effects used in this film, from the phone buzzing
when a text is received, to the letters making a clicking sound when they’re
tapped as a message is being written. Also when items are being put down
on a table there is a very apparent sound that makes the film seem more
realistic. This is known as synchronous sound.
• In one scene at the start of the film, the main character clicks the house
phone to listen to new messages, as a message comes through, the girl isn’t
in the same room as the phone, thus meaning the noise being made is off-
screen sound, so is still identifiable by the character and viewer, but isnt see
within the current frame.
32. Mise-En-Scene
• Clothing wise, the main character wears simple clothing, they seem to be
bright colours that she wears. Her other persona, however wears dark
clothes and makeup, showing that she is the devil on her shoulder.
• The furniture used in household is very typical, modern furniture that
almost matches the main characters own clothing (in the shot specifically in
the bottom left corner). I like how the director seems to have matched the
colours in the foreground and background to each other, it really brightens
up the screen and shows that they thought about their colour schemes
thoroughly when planning.
• In the bottom right hand image, it is noted that even though in the
background, the main characters “devil” is the main focus subject in the
shot. Both characters are seen to be wearing dark colours.
33. FILM 2 - PANIC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jlAhe5UUYo
34. Camera Use
• The camera use I this film is, in my opinion, better than the other as the
director has used several hand held shots to make the camera more
distorted in order to reflect how the character could be feeling. I like the use
of the over the shoulder shot in the mirror scene where it looks like the
main character has a evil on her shoulder; I like the way the director has
incorporated that.
• Close ups are a very popular camera angle to use when the director wants
to show emotion. There are several close up shots within this film, showing
the main characters emotion as she’s going through her panic attack. The
close up’s show which location she is in when having the panic attack,
except the forest as that seems to be portrayed as the safe place inside her
head that she goes to when she’s suffering.
35. Editing
• The editing within this film is extremely well done in the sense that the cuts
between shots are very fast pace, yet still give an indication on how the
story is going. The fast pace of the edit reflects how the character feels in
her mind.
• The film is also not set in one location, it is set in two (arguably 3) different
locations. One a very calm location, another where the main character is sat
at her desk which could be seen as a stressful environment, especially for
this particular film type and relates to the pressures of what young people
feel today.
• The camera is very distorted when the girl is running through the forest and
high school, I like how the director has cut the shots to look like she’s
running from one to the other in the same shot. The movement of the
camera is really well reflected on the mood the girl must be feeling as she’s
suffering with this panic attack and its something I’d like to use within my
own film as I think it helps the audience to understand how to person must
be feeling.
36. Sound
• This film has non-diegetic sound all the way through the minute long
segment, this means that the character cannot hear the sound but the
audience can. This is a popular technique directors use when their film
doesn’t have dialogue (my film will use this technique). This occurs at the
very start of the film where background noise can be heard before the
beating of the main characters heart begins. There is also a lot of TV static
sound each time a shot is cut between the girl in one location to the next,
matching with the shaking camera.
• Along side the non-diegetic sound of the film, there is also diegetic sound
that is used at the same time, more specifically whispers in the characters
mind as she’s trying to work and, as mentioned above, the beating of her
heart. The audience can also hear her breathing increase as she is seen to
become more stressed in her situation.
• There are several scenes in this film of the girl running through a forest,
however we as the audience can’t hear her footsteps as she runs. However
we can hear the birds chirping in each scene that she is in the forest.
37. Mise-En-Scene
• There are several different locations used in this film, a school, dorm room
and forest/wooded area. The dorm room is shot from different angles, the
floors next to a radiator, on the bed with the main character surrounded by
papers and at a desk with the girl doing some work. The room is seen to be
a typical student room with a bed, desk, chair wardrobe etc. The scattered
papers on the bed is a good touch to show how the character could be
feeling stressed despite her calm looking face as she’s laid there surrounded
by work.
• In the second image taken from the film, it is clear that this is a students
room the location has been set in. You can see some documents in the
background, a clock and laptop in front of the character showing that she is
working on a potential project herself; she also has papers in front of her.
38. Competition
• All films within this specific plot (anxiety), are competition. Each video I
have seen is different from the other, approaching the anxiety issue in a
different way to the next. I think by watching more videos with this sort of
plot, it will help me to see what people enjoy viewing an dhow each director
has approached the issue differently.
• As my film will be different to most, with it being based on a song, there
aren’t any that have been created in this way so I feel that I a at an
advantage with this because of my unusual way of creating this plotline. I
think that taking lyrics from the song I have chosen to use as the script is
also something that isn’t commonly used, but I am looking forward to
seeing how it works out with the script being from the lines to a song and
general dialogue that I have written myself.
• The closest form of videos that is similar to mine are music videos, however
those aren’t what I want to create for my final product so researching them
isn’t something I have done, but will do if it means I gain inspiration when it
comes to creating my video.
40. Analysing The Song Lyrics
• Fire Away – Niall Horan
The lyrics of this song I feel really resonate with the issues regarding mental health in
young people today. The lyrics within the song are very self explanatory to young
peoples situations regarding their mental health. The chorus to the song really stands
out to me the most when listening to this song as, I feel, it really describes what people
are thinking when they know someone with mental health that doesn’t open up about
having it often/ever. The lyrics are the kind that no matter who you are, could do with
listening to; whether that’s as an anxiety sufferer or as someone who knows someone
who suffers from.
“Darling, you don't have to hold it. You don't have to be afraid. You can go ahead and
unload it. 'Cause you know it'll be okay. Fire Away” I feel these are some of the most
important lyrics within the song, as well as the bridge towards the end. This specific
verse needs to be interpreted in the correct way to really make my audience thing about
the consequences of keeping your feelings inside without discussing your issues with
other people.
41. Creating My Project
• In order to really get my audiences attention when watching my film, I need
to ensure all my camera angles, editing techniques and whole plot of the
film is the best it can be. I need to ensure that the camera isn’t shaking
when filming certain shots. In order to over come this, I will have to use a
tripod when filming all of my scenes, unless having the camera hand held is
appropriate for a certain shot to emphasize a specific situation. The editing
within my film needs to flow well, i.e. each shot needs to easily fade into
the next without the whole film looking a little jumpy and having long
periods of time where the screen is just black between scenes.
• Mise-en-scene is important for this film also as I need my characters to be
convincing with what they are wearing when it comes to showing what
they’re personalities are like without having to describe what they’re like
themselves. All my locations need to be limited so the film can remain
within the 5-10 minute time frame or else it could over run with the mount
of time spent in different locations filming different scenes; as long as I keep
the film short but factual I should be able to accomplish this.
43. My Research
• Looking at the research I have done for this film already, I think it really
helps me to understand the importance of really raising awareness
regarding anxiety/panic attacks. As a lot of my survey results all said the
suffer from anxiety, I do need to be very cautious about the way I put this
across, as a lot explained that they don’t know what the cause to their
attacks are and I don’t want to trigger one when they’re watching this film.
• As panic attacks usually occur randomly, there aren’t many things that
trigger them as they usually just come on from no where, so I will have to
be careful regarding the way my main character has his panic attack and
ensure it remains realistic when filming.
• As I know someone close to me that suffers from panic attacks, my
knowledge on the subject is already greater than most, but I feel this
research ahs helped e understand the condition further and I now know
what I need to create in order for others to be informed and understand
what people are going through behind a front they put up to make it look
like everything is ok all the time.
44. My Research
• In 2013 6,233 people in the UK alone over the age of 15 took their own lives
due to anxiety and depression. Upon looking at the statistics of male mental
health against women's, it is noted that women are seen to suffer more
greatly from mental health. However when you look at the statistics of men
and women who have committed suicide, you will see that 78% of deaths
are from males which is an extremely high number considering the original
statistics that show they suffer as greatly as women.
• I see it that men can’t speak out about their mental health as they have to
keep up with the stereotype of being “the man” and showing their
emotional side will make them seem weak. The reason I have decided to
show my film from a males perspective having mental health is because of
the reason previously shown. I want men to see that it is okay to talk about
their health problems and no one will see them as weak or unable, but they
will admire their honesty and hopefully receive the help they need to
overcome such thoughts.
45. My Research
• Young people relate to music. Music releases dopamine from the brain, the
feel-good chemical. Mind states there is strong evidence linking music and
mental well-being. Music and song lyrics inspire people and help them get
through difficult situations they may face.
• The way I intend to reach this audience is by including music from a popular
UK artist. The song I have chosen has no music video of its own. As YouTube
is an obvious platform for young people to listen to music, it is more likely
they will click to see a visual rather than opting to listen to the song with a
still image visual. The artist I have selected for the music in my film has
almost 40 million Twitter followers, typically aged 14-34. As a fan, having
access to those followers is a huge positive. I intend to use my own social
media platform to share the film amongst this huge network. In my social
media posts, I will share the link to YouTube and tag relevant charitable
organisations such as @mindcharity, @anxietyuk, @anxietyunited,
@familyaware, @rethinkdep, @thecalmzone, @timetochange,
@youngmindsuk, @mentalhealth, @charitysane, encouraging them to
share the link to the film. Posting in relevant online forums is always a good
way to promote the film amongst the people who will benefit the most
from its content and message.
46. My Research
• As a test, I recently gave a video I filmed to a friend of mine to tweet,
Twitter user @tmhfreya. I felt her followers were more likely to resonate
with and share the content. After a few days, the film achieved over one
million views, 118,000 likes and over 14,000 retweets.
• By being a prolific social media user, I see the struggles of young people
suffering from anxiety and depression. There are so many posts online from
people struggling with their day to day lives. Sometimes leaving the house is
a difficult prospect. Social media is definitely the best route in terms of
reach and sharing the film across as many platforms as possible will
guarantee the best reach.
• In the current media, Mental Heath has become a talked about issue. There
is still a long way to go but more people are talking about Mental Health.
Just from my own experience with people I meet of all ages, people are
opening up and admitting their anxieties in social settings for example.
People I would never have imagined worry about anything have been open
and told me of their past and present anxieties.
47. My Research
• Mental health is still a taboo topic in some ways and although people are
being encouraged to ‘open up’, it appears that those who do in the celebrity
world are little heard of again. Celebrities who post on social media about
their mental health and those who mention stays in rehab receive a great
deal of support from the general public, but it seems that after their honest
posts, they don’t have the same level of celebrity status as before. This is
something that needs to change as these people are role models to their
fans and them being the same as everyone else should be highlighted more,
especially if they are recovering, this gives people hope.
• Some high profile celebrities who have spoken out about their struggles
with mental health are as follows: Beyonce, Nicki Minaj, Dakota Johnson,
Adele, Miley Cyrus, Demi Lavato, Emma Stone, Amanda Seyfried, Kanye
West, Kit Harrington, Lamar Odem, Zayn Malik, Prince Harry , Brad Pitt, Ryan
Reynolds, Bruce Springsteen
• Whether this is down to their role model status being compromised by their
outspokenness or whether they simply cannot face the limelight is open for
discussion.
48. My Research
• The good news is, mental health awareness is being represented on TV. In
dramas, soaps, movies, chat shows etc. Where mental health sufferers were
once portrayed as the weird person lurking in the background with
everyone being fearful of them, current representations are more realistic
and less stigmatising. From celebrity guests discussing their struggles on
chat shows to teenagers suffering on Hollyoaks, the media is managing to
reach a huge audience of all ages, with more realistic stories that everyone
can relate to in some way. Whether it’s a first-hand struggle or someone
close to you, with over 1 in 10 people struggling, we all know someone who
suffers in some way.
• The mental health charity Mind conducted a poll about mental health
storylines on TV. The storylines varied, covering conditions such as bi-polar,
anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and personality disorders. The results of
the poll determined that 60per cent of those who participated felt the
storylines involving bi-polar, anxiety and depression increased their
understanding of the conditions whereas the same percentage felt
conditions such as schizophrenia are still negatively portrayed in storylines
on TV.
49. My Research
• The stigma surrounding mental health issues can lead to misunderstanding
and bad experiences for sufferers. TV and film can contribute to changing
people’s perceptions especially when the film’s character is likeable, popular
or kind, people always back an underdog. Stigma lessens when the viewer
can relate to or feel empathetic towards the person with mental health
problems.
• Corrigan and Kleinlein (2005) found that stigma leads to stereotype, in this
case based on mental health characteristics. This then creates a prejudice,
or example negativity towards the mental health sufferer. This then leads to
discrimination which can be used to isolate the sufferer. An example used by
Corrigan and Kleinlein (2005) is someone being rejected for a job
application from a belief that their condition may prevent them from
carrying out the prospective role effectively.
50. • Mind uses video case studies to promote its mental health work. The
short films it creates use real people who are suffering from conditions
ranging from PTSD to Schizophrenia. People involved in group
discussions are filmed talking about their mental health issues, sharing
experiences and offering tips on how they cope. Viewers can see if they
relate to any of the members of the group and hopefully gain
understanding and help from the experiences of others. Mind also has a
film section called, In Your Own Words. This segment films real life
people discussing their mental health experiences.
• Due to Mind being a charity, they have a very low budget which is clear
in the types of films it creates. Despite not having a budget to recruit
actors, write scripts, hire film crews etc, they still maintain a good
presence online and deliver valid and relatable content that assist
people in their struggles.
• Interestingly, one of Mind’s most successful short films is an animation
entitled, What Are Mental Health Problems? This was posted on
YouTube in March 2019 and has achieved 267,599 views in just 3
months
My Research
51. My Research
• There were positive reactions from therapists as follows:
• David Ezell. Lead Therapist and Clinical Director of Darien Wellness felt that 13 Reasons
Why was far more likely to save a life than end one.
•
• This quote from David Ezell has really inspired me to make my movie. I can’t even try to
imagine saving a life or bringing awareness to a family member or friend to reach out and
offer more help. Making a film with this type of content is a great responsibility. I have had
concerns about triggering content, so this puts my mind at rest.
•
• Rachel Kazez, Chicago-based therapist specializing in teen intensive therapy said 13 Reasons
Why is an opportunity for kids to think and talk about suicide.
•
• This has greatly assisted me in how I can present my film. It has made me consider the
content carefully including the ages of the actors I will use as well as the location of the film
to make sure it’s relatable to everyone. I now feel confident in approaching the subject of
suicide in my target audience.
•
• Dr. Gary Brown, licensed marriage and family therapist felt, for emotionally stable teens, 13
Reasons Why could help raise awareness.
•
• This is brilliant. It’s exactly what I want to do in terms of reaching young people who are not
mental health sufferers themselves and has proved to me that this is achievable for me and
that it has been proven to work.
52. My Research
• On the other hand, many therapists opposed the idea of the films storyline as follows:
• Dr. John Mayer, clinical psychologist specializing in adolescents, children, families felt that
13 Reasons Why sensationalises suicide.
•
• This has helped me understand how my film could be interpreted if I don’t make it in the
right way. This is so important to me and although an obstacle, I feel I can overcome it by
avoiding glamorising or sensationalising suicide in any way.
•
• Lynn R. Zakeri, licensed clinical social worker said, the show inaccurately depicts a very
serious mental health problem.
•
• It is so important that I do my research into anxiety and depression, the key elements of my
film. I feel I can then create an accurate representation of these conditions and do them
justice.
•
• Dr. Fran Walfish, Beverly Hills family and relationship psychotherapist, author, The Self-
Aware Parent, and co-star on Sex Box, WE tv said, for teens who are vulnerable to suicide
attempts, shows like this are risky.
•
• This is so important; it is an opposing view to David Ezell and as I mentioned previously, I
must take great care not to use any triggering content. I must take care to handle this topic
in a very sensitive way and not provoke any negative thoughts from the viewer.
