Film Construction eye on Mental Health AU

AUCKLAND, Thursday: Film Construction NZ has produced a timely series of film vignettes for the Mental Health Commission of NSW’s celebration of World Mental Health.

The series are part of a digital resource kit designed to help Australian organisations and health workers better respond to the strengths, needs and preferences of people in their communities.

No ad agency was involved – the project was sealed through connections of Film Construction’s virtual office in Sydney.

Auckland-based Film Construction producer Leah Oram said: “In any given year, 1 in 5 Australian adults will experience mental ill-health. In these challenging times, more people are in distress and are being encouraged to reach out for help.

“Using vignettes helps organisations, managers and frontline staff to tune in to what is happening for someone. It also helps them to generate ideas to improve the access, experience and satisfaction of people using their services.

“The four films and one audio story feature composite characters, based on hundreds of research hours. They represent people in the community who have common health literacy, mental and physical health profiles.

“No ad agency was involved – the project was arranged through connections at Film Construction’s Sydney office.”

“Each character remains anonymous. Yet as they reflect on their experiences, their voices encourage us to listen deeply and consider the unique stories that each person in our community carries with them each day.

“We learnt something too. With much of our region still in lockdown, everybody’s mental health is being tested.”

“We are lucky in so many ways to be in such a resilient industry and to work with a crew that

“This project would not have been possible without the expertise of the courageous and generous people involved. The Mental Health Commission of NSW, our crew, talent, locations, voice-over artists, camera suppliers, and our friends in post-production.

“The hard work and creativity across multiple shoot days with seven locations, in trucks, on buses and on the streets.”

“These stories provide a glimpse into the lives of five people. But they also reflect something back about ourselves. The spaces we find ourselves in and the community we have around us.

“And we all learnt the lesson that listening is the essential first step to help.”

CREDITS

Writer/Director: Perry Bradley
Producer: Leah Oram
Executive Producer/Photography/B-Cam: Belinda Bradley
Cinematography: Fergus Cahill
Audio: Radiate Sound
Editor and Grade: Alex Mitchell

Client: Mental Health Commission NSW
Manager – Health Literacy: Tania Waitokia
Swinburne University of Technology Strategic Research, Programs and Partnerships: Ranjit G Nadarajah (Centre for Global Health & Equity)

• www.filmconstruction.com
• View the full series below