Amy Colyer is a university student who is using her studies to make a big statement. She’s working on a short film called EVERYBODY HAS MONSTERS. As producer, director and editor of the film, Amy hopes to spread awareness about mental health issues in children. With so many people dismissing mental illness in today’s youth, they aren’t getting the help they need. Amy hopes to change that.
Can you sum up your film in two sentences?
A short film aimed at children (aged 8-18) to inform them about mental health issues. The film will also be used to show them they are not alone and that there is help available to them.
What inspired you to be involved in this project?
I have a younger brother and I hate to think of him or his friends suffering in silence and not knowing enough about it to help their peers.
What has been one of the biggest challenges in making this film?
The biggest challenge so far has been raising enough money to make the film. If I am unable to raise enough it will affect the level of production which could lower the impact.
What has been your happiest/most rewarding moment in this journey?
Hearing how excited people are to see the film. I have had a lot of praise from people saying that they agree that this area is not widely talked about, and it is not something we should keep in the shadows.
What sort of change do you hope your film instigates?
I hope it helps people realise that mental health is a serious issue and it can happen to anybody at any age. Too many people believe that only adults are capable of developing a mental health illness, which can cause the neglect of children’s issues causing them to think they are alone/different – this can often lead to more fatal consequences.
Where do you take it from here? What’s next?
Once the film has been completed I will take it around different schools in the UK to find out if it is something they will use in their lessons to inform the children. I will also enter the film in several ‘short film festivals’ to increase the amount of people that view the film.
Amy is running a crowdfunding campaign so she can get her film to reach a wide audience. If you want to help, you can donate to Amy’s film here.
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