Mind Matters: Mental Health Film

CONFLICT

In an industry consisting of high performance tasks, endless competition, and social media, the creative field takes a toll on many.

It became apparent that the conversation of mental health amongst black creatives in Toronto was non-existent.

WHAT WE DID?

During Black History Month, our team collaborated with Artscape Daniel’s Launchpad to highlight the importance of mental health amongst the black creative community in Toronto. The Mind Matters campaign was designed with inspiration rooting from discussions found on social media. Many individuals found themselves overworking, over thinking, and overwhelmed with responsibilities, environment, and lack of success. In an effort to bring attention towards these mental health concerns, we produced an unscripted film and organized a mental health workshop. The workshop was divided into two days, each designated to experiences online and offline. We invited Funmilade Taiwo, a Mental Health Specialist, whom offered helplines, mobile applications and websites for any one in need. Following the workshop, we took to Instagram to conduct a quiz using content we discussed prior.

Questions: Do you take social media breaks? How often do you hang out with friends? Do you feel successful?

The aim was to raise awareness regarding relationships and identity in the digital age amongst others in similar situations. Each workshop was broken down into segments where we discussed our frequently faced issues, remedies, and common habits. We then released the official short film, below.

Director: Seyi Akinlade / Producer: Josef Adamu / Event Curation: Vincentia Amoako & Launchpad Toronto

RESULTS

A strong bond was established through the guests that attended the workshops. The online mental health experience was a lot more conflicting than the offline experience as many participants found themselves comparing their success through social media channels. Some individuals opened up about their troubles, and their goals in attending a workshop to find solutions. Guests left the workshops much more informed, and the short film reminded them that they were not alone.