Screen Well launch to address industry mental health

Screen Well, a dedicated website and social enterprise established to improve mental health outcomes for the Australian screen industry, has launched.

Co-founded by filmmaker Ben Steel (The Show Must Go On) and producer Margaret Tillson, Screen Well aims to address the ongoing mental health challenges facing Australian screen businesses and practitioners, who are prone to higher levels of suicide ideation, anxiety, and depression compared to the general population.

“Prioritising wellbeing in the workplace starts at the top, but everyone working in screen has a part to play if we want to create mentally healthier screen workplaces, and that’s why Screen Well’s suite of early intervention and prevention services help to support individuals, peers, and workplaces,”said Ben Steel.

“We want screen companies and businesses that care about improving wellbeing to reach out to us, meet with us, and consider using our services because we’re from the industry – we’ve been on the front line for years, and collectively we’ve been working in the mental health space for over 6 years,” says Margaret Tillson Screen Well co-founder.

Screen Well founders will meet industry stakeholders in person at Screen Forever next week, hosting round table discussions exploring wellbeing challenges facing leaders and screen practitioners.

The website includes three best practice industry guides for wellbeing, a research collaboration with Griffith Film School, and a partnership with Ausfilm, FOX Studios Australia, Netflix, and Industrial Light & Magic offering 60 free place across 5 online Mental Health First Aid courses commencing in June 2022.

“As we continue to grow we will be investing our trade-generated income back into to our suite of free screen industry specific resources and initiatives. By investing in us you are investing in your own industry,” concludes Steel.

www.screenwell.com.au