Breaking the Mask
This 30-minute video production is designed to
raise awareness about mental illness in young people. Ten young artists with
personal mental health experience shared their stories through music, drama,
art, poetry, photography. Though none had previous video experience,as a
team they were responsible for every aspect of the production, and the result
is a very moving, honest, and innovative program.
Sponsored by the Homewood Foundation with the participation of
the Schizophrenia Society of Canada, "Breaking the Mask" debuted
in June 2001 in Guelph and at the National Conference for Schizophrenia
in Toronto.The production is meant for national broadcast and distribution
to high schools and health organizations. Beginning in the fall of 2001,
the video will be available as a live presentation for school groups with
partipants describing their experiences and answering questions.
Contact James more information about BREAKING THE MASK.
Press and Reviews about "Breaking The Mask"
NEW VIDEO SHATTERS MASKS OF MENTAL ILLNESS
Guelph Tribune; Friday, June 8, 2001
by Virginia McDonald
The road was rough as times, but Joanne Tofflemire and nine other new
video artists have made the journey.
As a Centennial high school student, Tofflemire struggled with depression
and an eating disorder. At a premiere screening at River Run Centre Wednesday,
she faced 180 students from her former high school as production manager
of the new mental health video Breaking the Mask.
Tofflemire was with two other artists who appear on camera, Melanie Knapp
and Jay Lefler, and with the video's producer, James Gordon, and his son
Evan, its musical director.
"They are speaking from the heart, hopefully in a way that will
reach people like you," Gordon told the students, who were invited
to take part in a question and answer period and fill out an evaluation
form.
The video's artistic and often rock video style is geared to high school
students, an age when the first symptoms of mental illness can appear. It
will soon be available to schools and mental health organizations.
Gordon, a successful artist who helped found the folk group, Tamarack,
was looking for a way to combine his experience as a mental health volunteer
with his artistic experience when he approached Homewood Foundation to fund
the $15,000 video project.
Gordon has some 14 albums and countless television and radio appearances
to his credit. He's also a mental health system volunteer and founder of
the Family Mental Health Network. His son Evan was 15 when he started to
show signs of schizo-affective disorder a few years ago.
Gordon invited young people to take part in the video and tell their
personal stories through music, poetry, storytelling and visual arts. Tofflemire,
Lefler and Knapp came forward, along with Adam DeWitte, Brian Hofstra, Virginia
Massie, Ronnie Scott and Graham Smith. None had any video experience, but
after workshops at the Ed Video Media Arts Centre they wrote, composed and
recorded music, and performed in and filmed the production.
"There's more that can be done through the arts," said Gordon.
"It brings something of the soul and allows you to speak in a way that
perhaps you didn't feel comfortable speaking before."
Knapp drove that point home when talking to students about her own high
school years."The illness hadn't affected me all that much then, except
I felt down but I didn't know why. Classes like English, drama, media literacy,
classes where we could express ourselves a little more and venture out,
were really helpful."
Homewood Foundation chair Ken Murray said the funding committee "very
early captured the passion James has for using the arts to explore mental
illness." Murray also praised the video's creators for producing a
work that can change lives.
Asked by an audience member how it felt to tell their stories publicly,
Lefler answered, "As things progressed the video gave us more and more
confidence in each other. "It's a good feeling."
THROW AWAY THE MASK OR WE ALL FACE THE COST
Guelph Tribune; Friday, June 8, 2001
by Virginia McDonald
Of all the telling moments in the new Guelph video Breaking the Mask,
this opening frame is possibly the most stark.
Ronnie Scott, one of the 10 young people who tell their stories of mental
illness on camera, stands in a local rock quarry.
The piles of rocks represent the people with mental health problems.
The pebble he holds up to the camera represents one person. He turns and
tosses it on to the heap. It is lost.
If the video can save just one person, says Scott, it's worth it.
One out of five people suffer from some type of psychiatric disorder,
and 5.4 per cent of the population has a serious mental illness, says the
video which premiered Wednesday at River Run Centre.
And this just in: a new federal study says that the annual cost of depression
and distress alone (not counting the toll of other illnesses and the cost
of over-counter medications) is $14.4 billion annually, at least 71 per
cent higher than previously estimated.
That staggering figure tallies some of the costs for treatment, medication,
lost productivity and premature death, but it may still be too low, says
a Canadian Press report this week.
What the latest Health Canada report doesn't count, or quantify, is the
human cost.
Some of those stories are recorded in Breaking the Mask through the voices
of young people trying to reach their peers.
They count the losses: "When my depression was at its worst, I couldn't
stop thinking about suicide." ... "I've often been the victim
of abuse because of my vulnerability." ... "I felt like I was
walking around with a label across my face." ... "I was basically
living in the dark. I had no information. All I knew was that things were
different." ... "I drank coffee and smoked cigarettes all day
so that I wouldn't eat." ... "I used to drink a bottle of wine
a day."
And they count the gains: "Don't take the label too seriously."
... "I realize now that my family and friends suffered with me all
the way." ... "My depression was a teacher." ... "Hoping,
for anything, is not wrong. Accepting defeat is wrong."
As a mental health volunteer, artist James Gordon said he had seen and
heard from so many young people "suffering from a mental illness that
have this spark of brilliance, this gift. I didn't know why. I wanted to
find out." Why not, he proposed, have young people use or find their
own voice as artists and tell their own stories. When the group first met
they weren't confident they could produce a video. That changed, said Gordon,
as they realized that what they were saying would have value to others.
Asked by an audience member at Wednesday's video premiere to talk about
the scene where cocktail party guests wearing plaster masks suddenly dash
them on the floor, Evan Gordon called the scene "a statement about
the stigma... the labelling involved in having a mental illness."
The final frame shows a broom that sweeps up the shattered masks. Because
the masquerade is over. Is it? That's up to you and me.
VIDEO PUTS A HUMAN FACE ON COPING WITH MENTAL ILLNESS
Guelph Mercury; Thursday, June 7, 2001
by Joanne Shuttleworth
The scene is a posh cocktail party where the guests mingle and laugh.
It could be anywhere, probably has been just about everywhere, except each
of the guests is wearing a white face mask.
Inane chatter about the weather becomes the backdrop to one man's eyes.
They shift from behind his disguise. He is increasingly agitated until finally
he pulls off the mask and smashes it on the ground.
This is mental illness a cloak, a disguise, a false face, a shield. A
prison.
In producing the video "Breaking the Mask, which premiered at the
Guelph River Run Centre Wednesday afternoon, those involved in the project
took part in a journey toward acceptance and understanding.
In breaking the silence around their personal mental illness experiences,
the 10 artists, who wrote, performed, produced and polished the film over
the last nine months with the help of Guelph musician James Gordon and a
$15,000 grant from the Homewood Foundation, hope to reach young people who
may be experiencing symptoms of mental illness for the first time.
They hope parents, teachers, principals and doctors will recognize the
early signs of mental illness. Early intervention increases the odds of
successful treatment.
"Adults have the most to learn about mental illness, explained Melanie
Knapp, who provided music and appeared on camera. "They have to allow
there to be differences between people and remember that from day to day.
We're not all alike.
But the film is geared to young people and the audience at the premier
of the video, students from Centennial Collegiate Vocational Institute,
were impressed by the talent and the powerful statement the film makes.
"It,s not what I expected, said Rebecca Sikkes, a Grade 11 student
at Centennial. "There weren,t so many facts and more an expression
of how people with mental illness feel. I think the scene where the guy
talked about drugs and alcohol will really reach other students.
It was Gordon,s vision to produce the video and as the artists came forward,
none were sure how they could add to the project. Gordon said it was exciting
to watch the 10 volunteers find their voices and grow in the process.
For the six on the team who attended the screening, it was an emotional
experience to see their work on the big screen.
"The more I did, the more I gained confidence. Seeing it now, I
realize how good it is. It,s very emotional, explained Jay Lefler, who also
contributed to the project.
"Four years ago I really struggled with telling my story. But I've
learned that the best way to deal with it is to speak out, said Joanne Tofflemire,
who acted as production manager. Tofflemire is a Centennial graduate who
suffered from depression and an eating disorder through high school.
"I don't know if I can overcome (those issues) but I can learn to
cope with them.
The Homewood Foundation hopes the video will find air time in high schools,
mental health centres and even television.
As Ken Murray, chair of the Homewood Foundation, congratulated the production
team, he spoke of the need to break down the stigma that surrounds it.
"You don't know how far the ripple will spread and all because you
threw one stone into the water, he said.
What People Are Saying About "Breaking
the Mask"
"We continue to rave after shock ripples of delight
and excitement from the video."
"This message needs to be heard."
"I changed my mind about the future of young people
who are diagnosed with mental illness. Good things can happen! There is
hope!"
"I learned that I, too, must break the mask."
"Very impressive. I congratulate the team on their
wonderful effort. I am very proud of them for their courage."
"It was really a spiritual experience."
"I learned about the significant potential of those
who are mentally ill."
"Touching, emotional, beautiful, informative."
"I was surprised to see the creative result, the quality
of the film, good depth of feeling and insight."
"It confirmed my belief in the power of the individual;
of optimism."
"It helps support transparency, and decrease guilt
and shame."
"I learned that I am not alone."
"A walk in the shoes of those suffering from mental
illness."
"An emotional, impressionistic, artistic expression
of mental illness from the inside out - - the "real experience."
"A personal journey of discovery, both for the makers
and the viewers."
"Moving, informative. It reaches the heart.
"A marvellous, poetic and beautiful film."
"An informative collection of artistic self-expression."
"Most profoundly touching... you could feel their pain
and their hope."
"Almost a first hand sharing of pain and direction
came across the screen."
"I learned that mental illness does not equal
violence."
"Fantastic film about inner sufferings."
"A breath-taking learning experience."
"It shows the hidden talents within these minds that
need to be expressed for us to benefit from their artistic work."
"A video of hope and love."
"We all have masks that should be broken."
Participant Comments
"My confidence in myself, my work abilities, ability to communicate,
etc., has skyrocketed. One of my duties is to set up meetings with the team
members. The first time I sat down to call everyone on the list, I was terrified
to call the other participants. Four months later, I found myself eagerly
volunteering to speak to a crowd of strangers at the Homewood Foundation's
New Year's Celebration in the Homewood Lecture Theatre. - J.T.
"I've enjoyed learning how to use the video equipment. It has given
me ideas for my future career. - G.S.
"There is not enough learned about mental illness in schools. When
I was in high school, I didn't know anything about mental illness. It will
help a lot for people to hear about it from the video. Maybe hearing about
it will help someone know that they have a mental illness and they will
get help sooner. It's also been very enjoyable. I learned quite a bit about
making videos. - A.D.
"Making this video has been an incredible opportunity to learn new
skills (videography, dubbing, "acting", voice recording, editing,
etc.). I've especially enjoyed the amazing experience of artistic collaboration.
- J.T.
"Making the video was a good experience because I got to see, through
interacting with other participants, that mental illness doesn't [have to]
cripple you. - A.D.
"It's opened my eyes a lot to the community and just friendship,
basically. I've gained a lot of friends out of this project that I wouldn't
have made otherwise. I guess we're like a big family now. That's how I feel.
And we'll always be a close knit type of group because of one project. We
wouldn't have this if there had been no project. I can say that I've achieved
something through this video. Good friends that are caring (aside from learning
about video production and editing). - R.S.
"It was a good way for me to express myself and understand myself
better. - B.H.
"I hope that this project will help people in the future to realize
that when people act strangely that they shouldn't think that person is
a freak. They should always consider the fact that people may have a mental
illness and may need medication. I was happy to have contributed to making
this video in hopes that it will help educate people in this way. - V.M.
"It was great to meet other young adults who have had challenges
and are doing some interesting things with their lives, like hearing about
one person's new job at a nursery and seeing some of the wonderful artistic
endeavours. This gave me a sense of doing with purpose. People finding interesting
things to do. - M.K.
"It's been really inspiring to meet with other people who have mental
health challenges. Generally, people with mental illness meet in hospitals
or at support groups, but we got together to create. Mental illness is not
what connects us primarily, but our creative energy and vision, and people
just being people making friends. - J.T.
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