Throughout my second year of university, I found myself producing and writing work around the issue of mental health. I wrote an investigative feature back in Easter on the topic of exercise and men's mental health. This piece was designed and written in the style of The Guardian as for my assignment, and furthermore, became the basis of my documentary.
Researching the subject of suicide made me realise how big the crisis is in the UK, particularly for men. The Samaritans Suicide Statistics 2017 Report found that men under 50 years old are most likely to take their own life. One of my case study's in my feature, David Baum, is 59-years-old and was 34 when he wanted to take his own life. His story was such an inspiration to me, that I wanted to develop it into a TV documentary as my final year project. David suffers from Post-traumatic stress disorder following a series of events throughout his life, but turned his life around through counselling and by exercising every day. David's story can show people in the UK, especially men, how physical activity can influence positive wellbeing, whilst challenging the stigma of mental health!
I am now preparing for my pitch this Friday - Wish me luck!