Because of it’s sensitive subject matter, we cast an actor to portray someone suffering from mental health issues who spoke about their thoughts and feelings in the form of a monologue.

Scroll down the page to see the screen shots from this television documentary, along with sections of the shooting script from this video production made in Belfast.

Summed up in two phrases – because developing coping skills to successfully live with a serious mental health condition is of primary importance, we named the production Holding Together. Ending the video’s title on a positive note, the words ‘and pulling through’ were added to indicate things can be so much better than expected when coping skills becomes part of everyday life for someone with a mental health condition.

Affecting the family – this split screen technique was used to illustrate how the family of someone living with a mental health condition are also affected by it.

Straight form the heart – portrayed by an actor, words spoken were written by someone living with schizoaffective disorder to best illustrate life lived through their eyes.

Doped up – we tilted the camera to illustrate the effect strong medication can have on someone recenty admitted for a serious mental health condition.

Into the unknown – as limited understanding of mental health support practices in hospitals and special care units can be frightening and confusing for the family of someone recently admitted, we framed our actors small in the frame to illustrate their emotions.

Inside out – we focused tight on the face of the actor portraying a young male living with adverse mental health conditions, illustrating that the stongest remedy for mental health problems often comes from within.