BAFTA winning Danny Brocklehurst, co-writer of Accused and Shameless is helping to launch a new training film to support journalists, TV producers and scriptwriters to portray mental health problems accurately and sensitively. The film is produced by Time to Change, the mental health anti-stigma programme run by the charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness.
The film, presented by ITV News broadcaster Alastair Stewart, demonstrates good practice in the industry and includes interviews with the directors of EastEnders and Casualty, journalists such as Radio 4’s Claudia Hammond and The Guardian’s Mark Rice Oxley, communications strategist Alastair Campbell and EastEnders actress Gillian Wright. It incorporates bitesize chunks of information about how to appropriately report and portray mental health problems and top tips on how to avoid damaging stereotypes that fuel fear and misunderstanding.
The film will take centre stage at this evening's ‘Meet the Media’ event for professionals working in TV soap and drama. The seminar will offer delegates a space to learn how to create compelling and authentic mental health storylines. In addition to guest speaker Danny Brocklehurst, Kate Rowland who runs the BBC Writersroom, will host the evening and together they will offer insider tips and talk about how they dealt with the sensitive topic of mental illness. Bill Lyons, Emmerdale scriptwriter and Dana Fainaru, scriptwriter for Casualty, will also be on hand to talk about their work on the recent Zak Dingle and Dr Ruth Winters stories.
In addition to the stellar line up, a number of people with experience of mental health problems will be sharing their personal stories, including two men who helped to inform the Ian Beale and Zak Dingle storylines – all will be hoping to use their experiences in a positive way to inspire the writers in the room.
Research has found half of UK newspaper reports on mental health to be negative with headlines focusing on dangerous behaviour and homicides . In addition, 25 per cent of people believe that the exaggerated link between mental health and violence comes from film and TV . It is hoped that this work will help to dispel the myths around mental illness and result in the issue being covered with more sensitivity in the public arena.
Speaking about the new work with media professionals, Sue Baker, Director of Time to Change, said:
“The media plays a huge role in shaping attitudes and, if the subject of mental health isn’t handled accurately this can fuel the damaging misconceptions and stigma surrounding mental health problems. We feel that the best way of securing more sensitive and less stereotypical reporting is to showcase some of the many examples of those who have done it well - showing that it doesn’t need to be difficult or dull to tell more authentic and positive stories about mental health. This film and our media advisory service has been set up with the guidance and support of leading media professionals to help others in the industry when they create both factual content and entertainment.”
Time to Change offers a range of services for journalists and programme makers. For more information about the support available and to view our training film please visit our media advice pages or follow us on Twitter @TTCmediaadvice.
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For more information please email Hayley Richardson, Time to Change Senior Media Officer, or call 0208 2152 358/ 07789 721 966.
Notes to Editors
Time to Change
Time to Change is England's most ambitious programme to end the stigma and discrimination faced by people with mental health problems. The programme is run by the charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, and funded by the Department of Health and Comic Relief.
Department of Health
On 2 February 2011 the Department of Health launched No health without mental health, a cross-government mental health outcomes strategy for people of all ages which has the twin aims of keeping people well and improving their mental health and, when people are not well, improving their outcomes through high-quality services.
The strategy is based on six shared objectives, developed with partners from across the mental health sector, and focuses on ‘Recovery’ and the reduction of stigma and discrimination as overarching themes.
To help deliver the objective to reduce the stigma faced by people with mental health problems, in 2011 the Department agreed to support Time to Change, the anti-stigma campaign run by the charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness. The Department of Health is providing the campaign with up to £16 million of funding together with a further £4 million from Comic Relief. This funding will help Time to Change continue their work until March 2015.
Comic Relief
Comic Relief is committed to supporting people living with mental health problems. The projects Comic Relief funds ensure people with mental health problems get their voices heard in the decisions that affect their lives and get the help they need to recover. Comic
Relief also helps people to promote their rights and reduce the stigma and discrimination they face so that they feel more included in society. The £4 million grant to Time to Change is the second time the charity has awarded Time to Change its largest UK grant and is part of Comic Relief's long standing commitment to this issue.