Why I Made the Video?
My name is Daniel Shipway and I am a freelance videographer for my business Mint Jelly Media in the Sheffield and Rotherham area. Being short of video work due to current restrictions has given me time to work on my skills and try to improve on some things. While improving my skills, I wanted to make a project that would help others as well as giving myself a focus and helping my own mental health as well as others.
While scanning through social media I noticed many people were posting about all the things they can’t do because of the pandemic. This made me think of all the things that people can do. Although the pandemic has stopped people from doing many things, it has also opened the door for people to do things that they might ordinarily not get the chance to do.
I decided to make a video to try and help people with their mental health. The concept I came up with was titled “Don’t think of what you can’t do, think of what you can do.” I wanted to use the video to spread positivity. I would then finish the video off with details of places to call if they need support as I believe people shouldn’t be ashamed to ask for help and with the current pandemic, many people will have fewer places to seek help from.
How I Made the Video?
To make the video, I decided to write a catchy poem. I wanted the video to be humorous. I thought it would be a good idea to get people’s reaction to the prime minister’s announcement. This would form the negative part of the video where people are thinking of what they can’t do. For this, I wrote a short rhyming poem. I made sure that the poem was funny rather than downbeat to keep the video as positive as possible. For the second part I chose to move away from a rhyming poem and wrote lines about people realizing what they could do.
I then thought of how I could present the poem, deciding it would be a fun idea to have people saying each line as if they were reacting to the announcement. I felt it would also be fun for people to act out the scenario. I looked around for actors. In my time at university in Rotherham, I met many actors who were doing a course in performing arts. Some of these had started a business called The Anti-Social Theatre. The business does a lot to help people who suffer from mental health problems so I contacted them to see if they were interested in being involved. I also found some friends who I believed were good actors.
The actors had to film themselves saying the lines because of lockdown, so I sent them a storyboard to help them see my vision of what I wanted the video to look like. I received the footage from the actors and edited the footage together. I tried to make the video stylistic and humorous using graphics and music to work hand in hand with the actor’s performance. I finished the video off by giving details of charities that people could contact if they feel the need to. Thank You. Daniel
You can watch Daniel’s video here; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AftDOmykjM&t=65s
How can No Panic help?
No Panic specialises in self-help recovery and our services include:
Providing people with the skills they need to manage their condition and work towards recovery.
Our aim is to give you all of the necessary advice, tools and support that you will need to recover and carry out this journey. No Panic Recovery Programs