UK directors charity the Directors Charitable Foundation (DCF) is launching a well-being and mental health support service for screen and stage directors, in partnership with UK psychotherapy support company Solas Mind.
The DCF Directors Wellbeing Hub will provide directors with one-to-one therapy from Solas Mind, plus access to an online support hub tailored specifically to the needs of directors.
Solas services are being provided at discounted levels. In addition, grants are available from DCF that will enable eligible directors to access the therapy for free. DCF is partnered with professional screen directors association Directors UK.
Solas provides therapeutic support services to productions, studios, crew and creative freelancers; and is experienced at working around production schedules, providing accessible slots for directors.
“Our research has shown that directors often feel isolated and pressurised in their role, both in and out of the workplace, lacking support when they need it most,” said Andrew Chowns, DCF chair and former Directors UK CEO.
“Three of the common barriers to directors seeking help are time, money and stigma. We hope that by offering discounted therapy to those in need at a time of their choosing, we are helping to remove the barriers to entry, and this will encourage more directors of stage and screen to seek help and resources when they need it most.”
“Whilst we are aware that many of the issues affecting directors and our fellow freelancers require industry change, at the DCF we are focussed on providing immediate help and support for our fellow directors in need,” added DCF trustee and TV director Dan Zeff.
“Finding a therapist that will have an understanding of our working situations and crucially at a time that fits should help encourage many to seek support when they need it. In addition, by offering funding where necessary, we hope to reach directors that might otherwise consider this kind of support out of reach; no-one’s mental health should be a luxury.”
In a study by the Film and TV Charity released in February of this year, 78% of respondents said that the intensity of their work had negatively affected their mental health; with one in six respondents working more than 60 hours a week, compared to one in 50 as a UK average.
The Charity subsequently launched free-for-use resource The Whole Picture Toolkit to destigmatise poor mental health in film and TV, with an adoption goal of 100 productions by the end of 2022.
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