The U.K. Film and TV Charity has launched the 2022 iteration of its landmark mental health Looking Glass Survey, alongside a fundraising campaign.
The first Looking Glass Survey in 2019 found that there was a mental health emergency happening behind the scenes in film, TV, and cinema, with 9 in 10 respondents to that survey stating that they had experienced a mental health problem. Following the survey, The Film and TV Charity launched a Bullying Advice Service, a Freelancer Wellbeing Hub, and several practical tools and resources, all available through the charity’s website.
The 2021 survey focused on how industry workers were responding to the challenges presented by the pandemic, and found that just one in 10 people agreed that the industry was a mentally healthy place to work. However, there were also signs of a tide turning, with respondents recognizing that conversations around mental health, culture, and working conditions were starting to take root.
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The charity launched further interventions, including its Whole Picture Toolkit, a free online resource providing U.K. productions with a framework to create a mentally healthy workplace.
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Alex Pumfrey, CEO at The Film and TV Charity, said: “We hope that everyone, from every corner of the industry, will complete this third Looking Glass survey. The data it returns is crucial for helping us – and the wider industry – to understand how we need to improve ways of working and the support people need. Much progress has been made but we also know much more needs to be done. Also donating to support us in delivering those services is an act of community and generosity which we know all our beneficiaries are incredibly grateful for.”
“We’re asking everyone across film, TV, and cinema to take on this challenge by sharing the survey with their colleagues; tell us how you are feeling and what you need,” Pumfrey added. “And while we completely understand that many are feeling the effects of the cost-of-living crisis at the moment, donations from those who are able to help can make a powerful difference to so many people working behind the scenes.”
All donations made by individuals and organizations across the industry will help to ensure that the charity can continue to deliver support to people working in film, TV, and cinema.
The survey can be completed here and donations can be made here.