Mental health is not a “nice-to-have” extra in film and television, it is the foundation that allows people to do their best work, stay safe on set and build sustainable careers. For a UK industry built on long hours, short-term contracts and intense creative pressure, looking after mental health is now a critical issue, not a side conversation.
To play a small part in that, Fear Screen has created a resource page at https://fearscreen.com/help a space to signpost support, share trusted organisations and encourage open conversations about wellbeing across the screen community. It is not a crisis service or a replacement for professional care, but it is designed to make it easier to find help and to remind people that they do not have to navigate this alone.
Research from the Film and TV Charity’s Looking Glass studies has been stark. The original work, carried out with the Work Foundation, found that almost nine in ten people working in UK film, TV and cinema had experienced a mental health problem, far higher than the estimated two in three in the general population. Workers in the sector were twice as likely to experience anxiety and three times as likely to report self-harm compared with national averages, with over half saying they had thought about taking their own life and one in ten having attempted it.
The 2024 Looking Glass Survey shows that, if anything, the situation has worsened. Over 4,300 film, TV and cinema workers responded; 35% rated their mental health as “poor” or “very poor”, and only 30% felt it was “good” or “very good” – the worst self-ratings across the five-year history of the research. Almost two-thirds (64%) said they were considering leaving the industry because of concerns about their mental health, with nearly a third already taking concrete steps to do so.
Loneliness is a particularly sharp issue. Around 30% of respondents often felt lonely, compared with an approximate 8% national average. Separate research for the Film and TV Charity with the Centre for Loneliness Studies estimates that the impact of loneliness-related poor mental health could be costing the UK film and TV industry around £400 million a year in lost productivity and related costs.
Behind the headlines is a simple truth: the industry’s current way of working is damaging too many people. For a sector that prides itself on storytelling and imagination, that should be a wake-up call.
The Looking Glass research points to three main drivers of poor mental health in the UK screen industries: working conditions, culture and the sector’s ability or inability to provide support.
Periods of intense overwork are often followed by stretches of unemployment or underemployment, especially for freelancers. This “feast or famine” pattern creates financial stress and uncertainty, which are strongly linked to anxiety and depression. The 2024 survey found that job insecurity and the recent production downturn have significantly increased financial worries, with 79% of respondents reporting that financial concerns were affecting them.
Add to that the emotional load of working with traumatic stories or vulnerable contributors. Many workers report not receiving proper support when handling distressing material or content involving real-life trauma. Over time, this can contribute to burnout, secondary trauma and a sense of emotional numbness or cynicism.
The 2024 survey underlines that perception. Only around 12% of respondents felt the industry is a mentally healthy place to work, and 77% disagreed with that statement outright. When a workforce believes that the culture is fundamentally unhealthy, it becomes even harder for individuals to speak up.
Poor mental health does not fall evenly across the industry. The latest Looking Glass report highlights several groups at greater risk, including freelancers, disabled and neurodivergent workers, LGBTQ+ people, carers, and those from Black and Global Majority or working-class backgrounds.
The loneliness research found that many from underrepresented or marginalised groups feel “invisible” at work and in wider industry networks, which adds another layer of stress to already precarious careers. For people who already face systemic barriers around access and progression, the mental toll can be particularly severe.
This is not just a workforce crisis; it is a diversity crisis. If those most at risk of poor mental health are also the voices the industry says it wants to elevate, then failing to tackle mental health is, effectively, a barrier to representation.
The picture painted by the data is undeniably bleak, but there are signs that collective action is starting to make a difference. The Film and TV Charity has used the Looking Glass findings to drive a series of interventions, including its 24/7 Support Line, financial advice, counselling and grants, and the Whole Picture Toolkit – a free online resource designed to help productions build mentally healthier working practices.
The 2024 survey suggests that these interventions are having a positive impact for those who can access them. Among workers who had been on a production using the Whole Picture Toolkit, the proportion describing their mental health as “poor” or “very poor” dropped from 35% overall to 23%. The percentage who felt the industry was a mentally healthy place to work rose from 12% overall to 25% for those who had experienced the Toolkit in practice.
Other organisations, such as ScreenSkills, have integrated mental health awareness and resilience training into programmes for new entrants and industry leaders, including specialised mental health first aid for VFX and animation professionals. The BFI has also invested in initiatives focusing on dignity, respect and better working practices across the screen sector.
These changes are not yet enough to reverse the overall trend, but they demonstrate a crucial point: when productions and organisations deliberately design work around people’s wellbeing, outcomes do improve. Mental health in film and TV is not simply “the price you pay” for a creative career; it is something that can be protected and improved through better structures, policies and leadership.
Improving mental health in the UK screen industries will require action at every level – from government and broadcasters to indies, training providers and individual productions. Some of the key features of a healthier culture are already clear from the research and early interventions:
Realistic schedules and safer hours – planning shoots and post-production so that regular 60+ hour weeks become the rare exception, not the norm; respecting turnaround times and rest. Psychologically safe sets and offices – clear anti-bullying and anti-harassment policies, enforced in practice; routes to report concerns without fear of blacklisting or retaliation. Better support around traumatic content – debriefs, supervision and access to specialist support when working on distressing material or with vulnerable contributors. Inclusive hiring and progression – addressing the particular risks faced by freelancers, disabled workers, carers and underrepresented groups; ensuring mental health support is accessible, culturally competent and not just aimed at staff on payroll. Trained leaders and managers – heads of department and producers equipped to spot warning signs, hold supportive conversations and signpost to appropriate help. Normalising conversations about mental health – treating mental health like any other health and safety issue, rather than something shameful or “unprofessional” to mention.
For individual productions and companies, adopting frameworks such as the Film and TV Charity’s Whole Picture Toolkit provides a practical starting point, offering checklists, templates and guidance tailored to UK film and TV work.
No single person can fix a systemic problem, and it is important not to put the burden of “resilience” back onto individuals who are already exhausted. That said, there are steps people in the industry can take to look after themselves and each other while the bigger battles continue:
Name what is happening If your work is affecting your sleep, mood, appetite or relationships; if you are drinking more to cope; if you feel numb or hopeless – these are not just “part of the job”. They are signs you deserve support. Reach out early Trusted colleagues, supervisors you feel safe with, union reps, and professional organisations can all be points of contact. The Film and TV Charity’s Support Line offers confidential, 24/7 help on issues ranging from debt and housing worries to anxiety, bullying and harassment. Set boundaries where you can This may mean being clearer about availability, building in time between back-to-back projects, or agreeing expectations around out-of-hours contact. Boundaries are easier to hold collectively – if whole departments push back against unhealthy norms, it is harder for those norms to persist. Look after the basics Sleep, food, hydration and movement are not glamorous topics, but they make a significant difference to how people cope with stress. On long shoots or in crunch periods, consciously planning around these basics can help. Stay connected The data on loneliness in the industry is sobering. Keeping in touch with people who understand the pressures, joining professional networks or peer support spaces, and checking in on colleagues who have gone quiet are all small but meaningful acts. Know that help exists beyond the job GP services, NHS talking therapies, independent counsellors, national charities like Mind and sector-specific organisations such as the Film and TV Charity can all form part of a support network. If you are in crisis, you can contact emergency services or reach out to Samaritans any time, day or night.
Why Fear Screen is sharing this – and how our resource page fits in
Fear Screen exists because people love horror on screen – the crafted scares, the catharsis, the chance to explore fear in a safe, contained way. What should never be acceptable is real-life horror playing out behind the scenes in the form of burnout, bullying, financial precarity or silent suffering.
The help page at https://fearscreen.com/help has been created to make finding support a little easier. It brings together signposts to organisations and resources that specialise in mental health and wellbeing in the UK, with a particular focus on support relevant to people working in or around film and television. The aim is to reduce the time spent hunting for trustworthy information at the very moment when someone is least able to do that emotional admin.
The page is not exhaustive, and it is not a replacement for professional medical advice or emergency care. But it is a starting point – a reminder that if your mental health is under strain, you are not being “difficult”, “weak” or “ungrateful for the opportunity”. You are having a human reaction to very real pressures, and there are people and organisations ready to listen and help.
If you are currently feeling overwhelmed, unable to cope, or having thoughts of harming yourself:
Seek immediate help from emergency services if you feel you are in danger. Contact a GP, NHS 111 or your local crisis team if one is available in your area. Reach out to Samaritans for free, confidential support 24/7. Consider contacting the Film and TV Charity’s Support Line if your difficulties are connected to work in the screen industries.
Whatever your role – crew, cast, student, critic, programmer, festival organiser or fan on the fringes of the industry – your mental health matters. The work will always be demanding, but the toll it takes does not have to be this high. Talking about it openly, pushing for better conditions and making use of the support that does exist are all ways to start shifting the story.
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