Latest posts from National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI)

At the National Screen Institute, we are proud to support our alumni and their achievements. Through Focal Point, we aim to extend our support to our alumni as well as industry professionals making positive change within the film and television industries.

Daniel Northway-Frank started an important conversation about mental health within the industry though a blog post on Bell Let’s Talk Day. The post garnered attention from his peers and other industry leaders – accumulating over 1,000 views and counting.

During this time of isolation and hardship, his story resonates with many in the industry and instills hope for better working conditions in the future.

• • •

Working long hours with endless deadlines seemed to be just part of the job for Daniel Northway-Frank – until his mental health reached a breaking point which forced him to work on himself.

As an enthusiastic and hardworking senior administrator at one of Canada’s leading non-profit film organizations, Daniel viewed his career as a chance to make positive change in his community. As responsibilities grew year after year, so did Daniel’s depression and anxiety surrounding his year-end goal: leading a film festival to success.

“You take a job at these places because you have care and passion about the mission, the vision – it’s an emotional connection. You’re not working for a bank, you’re working for activism,” says Daniel. “But, in the non-profit system, we all give way more than we get.”

Just prior to the start of the 2018 film festival, at the pinnacle of Daniel’s stress, he reached a breaking point and did not see a way out of his depression.

“I felt confined to a hot box of personal and professional pressure that I realized, in my darkest moment, was one of systemic contradiction, resulting in a personal toll that, for me, I could no longer tolerate,” says Daniel.

According to the Government of Canada, only 23% of Canadian workers would feel comfortable talking to their employer about a psychological health issue. Daniel believes these issues are rooted in a lack of funding for non-profits.

“There is a huge need, and there isn’t a funding system there to address it,” says Daniel. “The stigma will be there until the leadership de-stigmatizes it and resources are made available for non-profits.”

Daniel went on sick leave and returned with a new understanding of his health and what success could be for him, leading him to leave the organization and begin his own consulting agency. In January 2021, he voiced his concerns about the lack of mental health support in the non-profit sector through a blog post on Bell Let’s Talk Day. The post was seen by many of his peers in the industry and beyond – starting a conversation he now wants to build upon.

“You can’t change the system, but in non-profits we have a conscience. We need to have a conscience about mental health and wellness.”

Daniel believes social supports such as wellness checks, one-on-ones and therapy resources are pivotal in creating change within a workplace. Blocking out time in a workday to invest in staff wellness and other proactive measures can help employers assess their organization’s internal health state before an incident occurs.

“Nobody deserves to feel like less than a human being because they can’t be as successful as they’ve always been.”

Daniel is motivated to create change within non-profits, starting with allocating funding towards mental health. He hopes to initiate a future petition and call for letters of support by organizations for such change. Daniel hopes his story inspires employers and employees to work towards an open and accepting work environment which encourages those suffering to speak up. Mental health concerns in the workplace often go unspoken but Daniel is ready to have his voice heard.

Interested organizations and individuals supporting this change are welcome to email [email protected] for more information.

• • •

Resources on mental health in the workplace

• Guarding Minds at Work: 13 psychosocial factors that lead to a healthy workplace
• Canadian Mental Health Association Ontario: Mental health in the workplace brochure
• Workplace Strategies for Mental Health, from Canada Life
• Bell Let’s Talk Toolkit
• Mental Health Commission of Canada

The post Focal Point: Daniel Northway-Frank advocates for mental health supports in the industry appeared first on National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI).

Telefilm Canada has launched an online survey to gather information about training initiatives from across the country, including programs that support traditionally underrepresented creators.

The data collected from the survey will be used to inform the future training strategy of Telefilm Canada, from local grassroots initiatives and festival partnerships with streaming platforms, to national training schools and post-secondary institutions. The goal of the survey is to highlight gaps that exist across the industry and help streamline Telefilm’s Promotion Program.

Telefilm is encouraging everyone in mentorship or training programs to take the survey. The form can accommodate up to five different programs. The deadline to submit is March 19.

The post New online survey from Telefilm Canada aims to gather information about industry training programs and mentorships appeared first on National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI).