Developing a Documentary Supervision Model

Film In Mind offers mental health and support services to the independent documentary film sector.

In 2019, the Film and TV Charity's Looking Glass research found that a shocking 9 in 10 of nearly 10,000 respondents had experienced a mental health problem -- well above the 65% UK-wide figure -- and worse, that more than half had considered taking their own life. As documentary filmmakers often work with traumatic material, and research demonstrates that repeated exposure for journalists and filmmakers can cause depression, anxiety, and PTSD through vicarious trauma, documentarians are at even greater risk for mental health crises than the wider film-industry.

Over the last five years, we have developed a Supervision model which offers professional support to documentary makers. In Film Supervision a documentarian works with their Supervisor (a qualified therapist and experienced filmmaker) to help them understand how their film impacts them and to establish ethical practice and safeguards for themselves and their participants.

Our goal is to see Film Supervision become standardised across the industry. With this investment, Film in Mind will refine and evaluate the Film Supervision Model, and co-design a package of mental-health services for film production companies, documentary makers, Universities and Film Schools.