Portrayal of Mental Illness: Media and Short Film

Mental illness is portrayed differently in films than in short films. Generally in the media, people who suffer from a mental illness are represented badly and inaccurate, which makes the audience think they are completely different people to the rest of us and are dangerous. For example, in ‘slasher’ films they are presented as homicidal maniacs, which are obviously not the case in most situations, however these myths are still being portrayed in films. Although, there are many major films that do a good job representing them and it is becoming common for directors/producers to hire psychologists as consultants.

A common myth in film is that people with mental health issues are dangerous and violent individuals, and people with Schizophrenia for example are always the victim. People with mental illnesses are the ones who are robbed, raped, murdered, so therefore they are seen as a weak character in films. This is obviously a bad portrayal for people with issues and can make an audience feel a certain way about them, which is inaccurate and harsh on the individuals who are suffering.

In films or TV, people with Schizophrenia are stereotyped as being dangerous, for instance over 80% of main characters with a diagnosis of Schizophrenia displayed violent behaviour and almost a third engaged in homicidal behaviour, but in reality this isn’t true for every single person suffering from Schizophrenia, and I think it’s important for people to realise that this is a harsh interpretation and stereotype of the illness and be able to understand it better.

Short films interpretations of mental illnesses are quite different. They don’t necessarily give a positive interpretation of the illness but by the use of art in the films they give a more truthful image of mental health. Because the films are short it gives a chance for the audience to have an intimacy between the characters and really get into their head, as the focus is on these people. For example, in the short film ‘Disorder’ by Dan Micheels, it shows the process of a young man suffering with social anxiety, struggling to leave the house to meet his friends who are giving him a hard time about staying indoors. He is the only character shown in the film, which makes the audience sympathise with him as we are put into his shoes. The use of close ups in this short film also gives the intimacy between the character and audience and helps us understand his emotions. Short films like these make the audience understand these mental illness better, which I think is important because a lot of people, injected with thoughts from the media, have the wrong idea about mental health.

Disorder from Dan Micheels on Vimeo.

I would like to produce a short film based on a mental illness, focusing on Schizophrenia. This is because they are made to look dangerous when in fact they are not, so I would like to make a very raw and true film about a man suffering from this illness, to make people think more about it and how it affects people’s lives.