The Brief
LoveLove Films were commissioned by Bournemouth University along with partners Dorset Mind, Dorset Mental Health Forum and Healthwatch Dorset, to create a video that had been developed by an inspiring group of young people. The young people wanted a short film for social media to “raise awareness that we all have mental health and pressures to deal with and there are things we can all do to support ourselves and each other and if you do have mental health problems, you can learn to cope with them, that there is hope and things can get better”.
The Process
The LoveLove Films team met with the young people and ran a workshop to get their thoughts on what they wanted to the say and how they wanted the short film to look. Together we decided on a unique visual style that combined real images of the young people with animation and double exposure effects that would be an honest portrayal of the difficulties that the contributors face every day, whilst working to the tight deadline of the project. Each of the contributors also recorded a voiceover, which we spliced together to create a heartfelt and honest poem about the mental health problems they had encountered.
The young people visited the LoveLove Films studio on numerous occasions to shoot in front of the green screen, watch the animators at work and give constructive feedback on the editing and animation process. Also, the LoveLove team met with the students to gain feedback in review sessions with both themselves and the key partners.
The Result
The overall video is an immersive way of putting viewers into the shoes of a young person with mental health pressures, and uses double exposure photography to show the problems that young people face everyday.
To mark World Mental Health Day on 10th October, Bournemouth University held a sold-out screening of the film in the Inspire Lecture Theatre. The young people presented the film in front of guests that included the Mayor and Mayoress of both Bournemouth and Poole and other key partners.
On working on the film, LoveLove Films’ Managing Director Georgina Hurcombe said: “We were delighted to be commissioned by Bournemouth University to produce the #lifeunfiltered short film with a group of remarkable young people from the Dorset Area. We ran numerous workshops with the young people to develop the short film, from scripting sessions to blue screen shoots and showing the young people the editing process in our studio. I was truly touched by the young peoples stories and the confidence they showed at the screening, I have no doubt we will see great things from these young people.”
The young people who developed the film have big aspirations for it, planning to nationally tour schools to raise awareness about mental health issues in young people.
For more information on mental health and support:
Equality and Diversity at BU: https://www.facebook.com/EqualityatBU
Dorset Mind: www.dorsetmind.uk
Dorset Mental Health Forum: www.dorsetmentalhealthforum.org.uk
Healthwatch Dorset: www.healthwatch.co.uk
Helpline:
020 8215 2356