The Film and TV Charity and a coalition of broadcasters, streamers and agencies have launched nine actionable principles designed to embed mentally healthy practices across productions in the UK
The Film and TV Charity has published nine Principles for Mentally Healthy Productions designed to change how film and television workplaces manage psychological risk. The guidance offers a practical framework for productions of every scale, genre and budget to protect staff wellbeing and meet legal duties of care.
Developed in collaboration with more than 45 organisations across the sector, the principles translate research findings into on‑set practice. They draw on the Charity’s Looking Glass research and align with recognised standards such as ISO 45003 and the HSE’s management standards for work‑related stress. The aim is to help leaders and production teams make concrete changes that reduce burnout, stress and loneliness prevalent in the industry.
The principles set out expectations for employers, production leads and creative teams. They address risk assessment, clear roles and responsibilities, and measures to support psychological safety. They also cover practical steps for scheduling, communication, accommodation of vulnerable staff, and routes for confidential reporting and support.
The framework groups guidance across three organising themes: people support, content impact and work planning. The nine principles encompass leadership and culture, on-set relationships, accessible mental health support, management of sensitive material, and the influence of contributors, cast and presenters. They also address production context, workload, workable patterns and clear team structures. Each principle includes evidence-based, actionable steps for immediate application on set, including scheduling adjustments, clearer communication channels, accommodation for vulnerable staff and confidential reporting routes.
Productions are urged to establish clear roles and reporting lines before shooting begins. Defined responsibilities reduce ambiguity and help managers identify and mitigate psychological risk.
Leaders must model respectful behaviour and enforce standards consistently. The guidance links leadership practice to team culture and to on-set safety.
Practical measures include pre-shoot briefings on sensitive material, agreed triggers and safe words, and appointed welfare leads for each unit. These tools aim to protect vulnerable crew and cast while preserving creative intent.
The framework recommends routine check-ins and structured handovers to limit fatigue and miscommunication during long shifts. It also advises planning shoot schedules that allow recovery time and predictable work patterns.
Where content may pose emotional risk, producers should document mitigations, secure informed consent from those affected and provide immediate access to trained support. Confidential reporting mechanisms should be clearly signposted and independently managed.
Implementation guidance includes templates for risk assessments, sample welfare protocols and reference points to existing occupational guidance. The accompanying steps are designed to be adapted to different production scales and formats.
The accompanying steps are designed to be adapted to different production scales and formats. The guidance then turns to practical measures that producers and department heads can implement on set.
The Principles recommend concrete tools, including de‑escalation scripts, boundary agreements and defined reporting lines. These tools are short, repeatable actions intended for immediate use during rehearsals and filming.
Training modules are offered to supervisors and crew. Sessions focus on recognising harmful behaviour, safe intervention techniques and supporting affected staff. Modules include scenario‑based drills to build confidence under pressure.
Operational checklists and role cards translate policy into duties for specific roles. Production managers receive templates for risk assessments and contingency plans. The materials are scalable for film, television and live formats.
Industry organisations and unions are encouraged to endorse and distribute the toolkit. Endorsement aims to standardise expectations and strengthen compliance across companies and freelancers.
Clear reporting pathways are paired with independent advice services. The combination aims to reduce barriers to disclosure and ensure concerns are handled by impartial parties.
Producers are advised to record training completion and incident responses. These records support continuous improvement and provide evidence of due diligence when issues arise.
These records support continuous improvement and provide evidence of due diligence when issues arise.
The charity says the guidance is not merely aspirational. It sets out step‑by‑step measures for producers, department heads and executives to implement immediately. Major partners, including the BBC, Channel 4, Disney, Banijay and Sky, will pilot the Principles on upcoming productions, signalling broad institutional support. The initiative is described as the first stage of a wider rollout; the Whole Picture Toolkit will be redeveloped into a digital suite of resources to make the recommendations easier to adopt across the sector.
Crucially, the Principles are framed to help productions meet their legal obligations. By referencing established frameworks and legal duties such as the Health and Safety at Work Act, the guidance provides production teams with a route to incorporate mental wellbeing into the existing health and safety ecosystem rather than treating it as an optional extra.
Research cited by the charity indicates that screen sector workers experience higher levels of stress, social isolation and suicidal ideation than the wider UK workforce. These findings, the charity says, make mental health an operational as well as an ethical priority for productions.
The charity’s chief executive described the launch as the largest pan‑industry mental health initiative in a generation. He argued a shared approach, backed by practical standards and supported pilot programmes, could reduce harm and help retain skilled staff.
By embedding mental wellbeing within existing health and safety frameworks, the initiative aims to improve workforce resilience and boost on-set productivity. The charity plans to roll out pilots and measure outcomes to inform wider adoption across the sector.
The Film and TV Charity said industry figures welcomed the move and called for wellbeing to be treated as central to sustainable creativity. Leaders from public service broadcasters, streamers and industry bodies told the charity that embedding the Principles into planning cycles, supplier agreements and daily decision‑making is necessary to make mentally healthy working routine rather than exceptional.
The charity will monitor pilot implementations and refine the toolkit based on outcomes and feedback from productions. It plans to develop digital tools to make guidance more accessible and user‑friendly for freelance crews, small companies and large studio operations.
If the Principles are widely adopted, they could establish a new baseline for how the global screen industry manages mental health risks while protecting creativity and performance on set. The charity intends to use pilot data to inform sector‑wide guidance and supplier expectations.
The charity said pilot findings show that modest adjustments to leadership, organisational structure and scheduling can materially improve workforce wellbeing. Production teams can achieve measurable effects by embedding those practices into routine planning and procurement.
Practical steps include aligning contracts and supply‑chain expectations with wellbeing standards, training line managers in risk‑aware decision making, and using checklists to monitor on‑set conditions. The Principles pair legal compliance with operational tools to help reduce harm and support sustainable careers in film and television.
Producers and commissioners can begin applying the guidance on upcoming shoots while the charity refines sector‑wide recommendations using pilot data. The next phase will assess outcomes across different production scales and formats to inform scalable industry standards.