Upskilling: An Introduction to The Whole Picture Toolkit with the Film and TV Charity

As part of WFTV's Upskilling programme, the Film and TV Charity invites WFTV members to an introduction to The Whole Picture Toolkit, a resource which is helping to make positive changes towards mental health on productions.

Hear from Film and TV Charity representatives Sophie Freeman and Kate Atkinson, alongside advocates and toolkit users Kirsty Bysouth (Production Executive) and Melissa Brown (Executive Producer) at Wall to Wall.

Event Schedule:

13:55: Please join the webinar waiting room

14:00: In conversation with Sophie, Kate, Kirsty & Melissa

14:45: Attendee Q&A opens

15:00: Finish

About The Whole Picture Toolkit:

The Toolkit is a free resource created by the Film and TV Charity and a coalition of industry partners, freelancers and experts.

It gives anyone working on film and TV productions – from large scale to low-budget – the practical tools they need to improve behaviours, working environments and the wellbeing of everyone.

About the Film and TV Charity:

If you work behind the scenes in film, TV or cinema, the Film and TV Charity is here to support you. Whether you’re a researcher or a writer, in casting or production, editing or sales, distribution or exhibition, the Charity has support available to help with your emotional, financial and practical wellbeing. Visit their website for more details.

Last year, the charity launched The Whole Picture Toolkit: for mentally healthy productions. Easy to navigate and completely free to use the Toolkit offers practical solutions for production companies, to help improve working practices in the industry. The Toolkit was also developed so everyone, from managers to senior leaders, has the practical means to support the mental health of their teams and crews - from pre-production planning, on set, and right up until the finished edit.

Sophie Freeman

Sophie is an Engagement Producer for the Film and TV Charity’s Whole Picture Toolkit for mentally healthy productions, spreading awareness of the charity’s free resources, and supporting productions with a framework for better mental health.

She’s currently also producing BFI Network short film Homegrown by Corinne Walker and is taking the NFTS Script Development Diploma.

With 13 years’ experience in the film and television industry, Sophie has worked in development, production, marketing, distribution, exhibition and festivals. She has worked across features and TV, including Sarah Gavron’s Suffragette, Mike Leigh’s Peterlooand BBC’s There She Goes.

As Producer for BBC/ACE talent development scheme New Creatives Southwest, she helped commission, develop, and produce short films, audio and interactive work for BBC platforms.  Sophie is mentored by Element Pictures' Producer Emma Norton via BIFA, and was selected for BAFTA Connect, Edinburgh Talent Lab 2022 and BFI NETWORK Creative Producer lab 2021.

Kate Atkinson

Kate is an Engagement Producer at the Film and TV Charity and was instrumental in the creation of a first-of-its-kind resource for mentally healthy productions, the Whole Picture Toolkit. She is passionate about mental health and inclusion in the TV industry and now works with a team to encourage companies to use the charity’s resources and support them to implement the Toolkit with the aim of improving mental health on productions.

She’s also an experienced Development Executive and Senior Producer with over a decade of experience working across multiple genres in the industry. She has worked on TV productions including, One Born Every Minute (C4), A Killing In My Family (C4) and Inside Birmingham Children’s Hospital(C4) and was pivotal in the development of many factual TV series including Emergency(C4) and Ross Kemp and The Armed Police (ITV). She also has experience working in both drama and children’s television.

Melissa Brown

Melissa joined Wall to Wall as an Executive Producer in 2016 and currently oversees The Nevermets for Channel 4 and Glow Up for BBC Three. Wall to Wall credits include ITV's 100 Years Younger In 21 days and Channel 4's Hello Stranger and Child Genius.

Melissa has developed and produced a selection of award-winning and channel-defining factual entertainment, features and formatted programmes. Past credits include Naked Attraction (Channel 4), TOWIE (ITV2), The Baby Borrowers (BBC3) and most notably The Great British Bake Off (BBC2).

Melissa’s early Producer credits spanned across many reality formats such as Big Brother, Space Cadets, The Salon, Fame Academy and I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.

Her skills are known and recognised within the industry for taking on large, first-time projects and building brands.

Kirsty Bysouth

Kirsty joined Wall to Wall in January 2012 to line produce The Voice UK before becoming the Production Executive across their Fact Ent and Entertainment slate – shows since include the BBC Three/Netflix 8-part make-up competition Glow Up: Britain's Next Make-Up Star along with the recently released BBC Three reality series  Go Hard or Go Home, The Voice (BBC), Little Big Shots (ITV) Child Genius (C4), Growing up Animal ( Nat Geo/Disney+) and Nadiya Hussain’s chop & chat series (BBC).

Prior to joining Wall to Wall, Kirsty worked at the BBC managing many of their top Entertainment shows from Top Gear to Eurovision to Strictly Come Dancing.

This event is for existing WFTV members only.

If you are not a member and would like to join, membership costs just £100 + VAT/yr , please click here or email admin@wftv.org.uk

At WFTV, we want our events to be accessible for everyone. If you have any access requirements, please let us know in advance and we will do our best to accommodate you. Please contact admin@wftv.org.uk and we will get back to you as soon as possible.