Q&A - mental health film

This article supports ‘Film breaks new ground’, published in RCN Bulletin, 1 June 2011, page 1

Cris Allen reflects on a new film produced by the Mental Health Forum

How did the film come about?

After the RCN produced its Pride in Nursing film there was an aspiration to develop wider resources about the image of nursing. The Mental Health Forum sought to capitalise on this so developed a project plan and requested funding. The aim was to portray a positive image of mental health nurses for other nursing staff, educators and aspirant nurses.

What were the issues?

We wanted to show the plurality of mental health nursing with a range of participants – those who work with children, adults, and older people; members at different stages of their career; students and consultants.

We wanted to draw out the ‘invisible skills’ of mental health nursing. Illustrating the subtleties of what happens when the nurse is with a service user, where what may appear to be an ordinary conversation achieves more in terms of engagement, relationship building, assessment, and helping people in distress through interpersonal skills.

Why film?

We have all seen short films that can capture a lot, engage the audience and deliver strong messages. The opportunity was there for us to try this, so we grasped it – and it worked!

What are you saying through the film?

There is an appeal to appreciate the skills essential to mental health nursing. Look at and listen to these people, value their thoughtfulness and commitment, the work they describe, and the goodness that emanates from them. Respect them and their colleagues and if you can be like them come and join us.

Is this part of other work with a similar aim?

This film is the start. We have discussed how this establishes a platform to build other resources, capture conference presentations, and nurses describing other aspects of their work, research, innovations and more besides. The media age presents opportunities to get things out to people and we hope to portray and promote mental health nursing further.

How did you find the experience of putting a film together?

We had the fortune to work with I-Motus, which has done award winning work with the RCN before. Filming from dawn to dusk was shattering – more so for the crew. What struck me was the parallel between their skills and those of the mental health nurse – subtle, attentive to detail, seeing things another might not consider, a grasp of issues to be addressed and a desire to do the best job possible. It was a magical and curiously spooky experience. I also learned that to produce two short films acres and acres of initial footage are required.

How did you decide on content?

It was predicated on the things I have mentioned – subtlety, invisibility, things beneath the surface. We discussed this with RCN colleagues and the film company. A script – or perhaps an interview guide – was created and the director used it to tease from the participants the ways these facets underpin their work. The nurses were stars and needed little prompting to talk with considerable passion.

Any lessons learned from making the film?

Tenacity when you want support to do something worthwhile. Team work reaps rewards. Look at things through different lenses – literally in this case. Despite the rush to get professionalism and a buy-one-get-one-free approach to the acquisition of, perceived, technical and status-laden skills I still believe mental health nursing is nothing without recourse to its core skills, principles and values. Watch the film and you’ll see why, through the stars we were so lucky to have had involved.

Visit the Mental Health Forum online community.