U.K. Film and TV Charity Launches Mental Health Campaign – Global Bulletin
CAMPAIGN
The U.K. Film and TV Charity launched a year-long campaign on Wednesday to tackle the mental health challenges facing the industry. The “Let’s Reset” campaign is designed to tackle the stigma still associated with mental health by challenging common preconceptions, improving attitudes and behaviors across the industry, and by demonstrating the benefits of healthier, more supported, and inclusive working environments, including greater creativity, diversity, and retention of talent.
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New research from the second Looking Glass Survey due at the end of the month indicates almost four out of five workers in film and TV believe intensity of work is having a negative impact on their mental health.
The campaign calls on those in positions of power to act, to effect change, and commit to better ways of working. It will move from awareness-raising in the initial launch phase to showcasing and amplifying tools and initiatives to improve the support available, while continuing to address the root causes of the mental health and wellbeing emergency in the industry through to Sept. 2022.
Top executives of the U.K. industry are supporting the campaign, including Lucinda Hicks, CEO Banijay U.K., Charlotte Moore, chief content officer, BBC, Ralph Lee, CEO, BBC Studios Productions, Lee Jury, senior VP of studio marketing, Disney EMEA, Kate Best, head of production at IMG, Carolyn McCall, CEO at ITV, Zai Bennett, MD, Content, Sky U.K. and Ireland, Ben Frow, chief content officer, ViacomCBS Networks U.K. and Kevin Trehy, MD, Warner Bros. Productions.
APPOINTMENT
Gayathiri Guliani has joined Lionsgate South Asia as VP, licensing and content partnerships and will work closely with Rohit Jain, MD, Lionsgate South Asia and networks and emerging markets Asia. Guliani joins from Sony Pictures India, where she was director, international business and revenues.
A media industry veteran with over two decades of experience, Guliani has had previous stints at Star TV, Channel V, Viacom 18, Reliance Entertainment Group and Sahara One Motion Pictures. She joins at a time when streamer Lionsgate Play is expanding rapidly across Asia.
MTV International
DOCUMENTARY
“Teen Mom U.K.” star Mia Boardman will speak about her experiences as a victim of domestic violence in the MTV International documentary “Domestic Violence & Me: Mia’s Story.” Earlier this year, Boardman revealed to the public her struggle against domestic violence and her escape from a violent attack from her ex-boyfriend. While her ex was sentenced to 12 months in prison, she still relives the abusive relationship and the attack.
The documentary will air on MTV channels outside of the U.S. beginning Oct. 13 and features footage of Boardman sharing her story and speaking to friends, survivors, counselors, police, campaigners, and a former abuser to spread awareness around the issue of domestic abuse.
“Domestic Violence & Me: Mia’s Story” is commissioned for MTV International by Kerry Taylor and Craig Orr, and executive produced by Iestyn Barker and Jamie Brannan. It is produced by True North, with executive producers Jess Fowle and Fiona O’Sullivan.
Rocket Rights
DISTRIBUTION
Rocket Rights has signed the international distribution rights to one-off documentary “Hunting the Essex Lorry Killers.” Produced by U.K.-based Expectation for BBC Two, the film tracks the investigation into the death of 39 Vietnamese migrants who suffocated in the back of a lorry in October 2019 whilst being trafficked to the U.K.
Spanning Britain, Europe and Vietnam, the film shows how Essex police detectives cracked open a multimillion-pound international smuggling ring with its roots in a seemingly innocuous haulage business in the heart of Northern Ireland.
The film will premiere on BBC Two on Oct. 13.
Spun Gold TV
Meanwhile, U.K. broadcaster Channel 4 has acquired three-part series “Inside Beverly Hills: The Land Of The Rich And Famous” from Spun Gold TV. Billed as “gloriously escapist,” the series offers a view into the opulent homes, hotels and businesses of Beverly Hills to see how the other half spend their time at work, rest and play. It meets the entrepreneurs, estate agents, stylists and designers catering to every whim of the Hollywood stars, social media super-influencers, aristocrats and millionaires who have made their fortunes in Beverly Hills.
Michelle Grace Hunder
LABEL
Endemol Shine Australia co-founder Mark Fennessy has launched Helium, an independent production label with a focus on premium scripted and premium factual content. The company’s initial slate includes drama series “Last King of The Cross,” currently in pre-production and feature film “6 Festivals,” both for Paramount Plus. Crime thriller series “Sex and Thugs and Rock n Roll,” a joint venture with Richard Lowenstein and his company Ghost, is in advanced development.
The Helium umbrella includes Helium Studios, Helium Pictures and Helium Records.
Fennessy was in charge of independent production label Crackerjack before forming FremantleMedia in Australia. He launched Shine with brother Carl and Elisabeth Murdoch and oversaw the merger with Endemol to create Endemol Shine Australia.
LAUNCH
Belgian/Dutch unscripted specialist Vincent TV has launched in the U.K. and has partnered with Sony Pictures Television and Stellify Media on a a large-scale Saturday night prime-time gameshow for an as yet unnamed major broadcaster.
The outfit has hired Simon Shalgosky as creative director and Daniel Brookes as development executive.
Vincent TV U.K. will focus on unscripted formats for entertainment, factual, factual entertainment and music.
COMMISSION
U.K. broadcaster ITV has recommissioned a second six-part series of crime drama “Professor T” starring Ben Miller (“Bridgerton”) and Frances de la Tour (“Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”).
Set against the backdrop of Cambridge University, the season will see Jasper Tempest and his mother Adelaide seek help from a therapist, which in turn will uncover more secrets from Professor T’s troubled childhood.
The first season was a ratings success for ITV. Belgian director Dries Vos returns to direct the second season, which will be filmed in during the spring of 2022. Executive producers are Jo McGrath and Walter Iuzzolino and the series is written by Matt Baker and Malin-Sarah Gozin.
“Professor T” is currently available to viewers to catch up on ITV Hub and also available to BritBox U.K. subscribers. In the U.S. and Canada the series is available on the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel.
The second series will be produced by Eagle Eye Drama in association with Caviar and is supported by the Belgian tax shelter. PBS Distribution holds the North American rights. Beta Film will distribute the series worldwide.
ITV
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