Physical wellbeing in film and TV
A report by the Injury Prevention Consultancy (IPC) titled “The Show Must Go on Safely” was published last week. It details findings from the IPC’s Impact of Injury Survey carried out among people working in film, television and theatrical production, and shows that the occurrence of injury to workers in the industry is shockingly widespread.
Industry-wide concerns about physical wellbeing
Looking specifically at responses from those working as crew in the screen sector, the research shows that:
have been injured whilst working in the industry
say the physical demands of their job have exacerbated or contributed to the recurrence of an existing injury
have, in the last 5 years, worked on a production where other crew members have been injured
What the Looking Glass 2024 and IPC’s impact report ‘The Show Must Go on Safely’ tell us
Adding to this picture, our 2024 Looking Glass survey included, for the first time, questions related to physical health. Responses to these questions, previously unreported until now, show that:
- 61% of the 4,376 Looking Glass respondents feel that their work in the film and TV industry negatively affects their physical health. (Only 8% say their work in the industry has a positive effect)
- Among the 544 respondents with a long-term physical health condition*, 14% say that their condition was completely or significantly caused by their work in the film and TV industry.
*Please note: ‘long-term physical health conditions’ will encompass a wider range of issues, beyond just physical injuries
The link between physical and mental health
Findings from both surveys show that concerted effort is needed to ensure that working behind the scenes in the film and TV industry is not to the detriment of physical safety and health.
It’s also important to acknowledge that physical health and mental health go hand-in-hand, meaning that physical health problems can significantly increase risks of developing mental health and psychological wellbeing problems, and vice versa.
The IPC report shows that increased stress and anxiety were the two most cited impacts of workplace injuries.
Steps towards a safer industry
It is clear from both the Looking Glass research and the IPC’s survey that aspects of the industry’s working culture must change in order to move it towards being a more physically and mentally healthy place to work.
The industry must:
- Implement stronger injury prevention measures
- Create a culture where crew members feel safe to raise concerns without fear of it negatively impacting their future employment prospects
- Recognise that better workplace safety on productions leads to improved worker retention and long term industry sustainability
How the Film and TV Charity can help
If you work behind the scenes in film and TV and are experiencing poor mental health because of an injury, the Film and TV Charity may be able to help through, for example, access to free counselling sessions. To access such support, please call our free and confidential 24-hour Support Line on 0800 054 0000.
Our Stop-Gap grants may of also be a source of support if an injury has caused you to lose work and you are struggling financially.
Financial support
Learn more about our Stop-Gap grants and how to apply