Mental Health, Burnout & Pressure... Let’s Talk About It Early

What happens when the pressure of working in VFX and animation stops feeling motivating… and starts becoming overwhelming?

In one of the most open and honest conversations we’ve had on The ACCESS: VFX Podcast, this episode explores the realities of stress, burnout, anxiety, self-worth, imposter syndrome and emotional exhaustion across the creative industries... and why we need to start talking about these things earlier.

Featuring artists, producers, schedulers, support specialists and industry leaders from across VFX and animation, the roundtable discusses the hidden pressures many people experience behind the scenes: long hours, instability, perfectionism, fear of speaking up, financial stress, comparison culture, and the difficulty of separating personal identity from creative work. But this episode is also about support, recovery, perspective and community.

Featuring:

Kate Lander - Director, Career Expert & ACCESS:VFX Board Member Kali Dronsfield - VFX Scheduling Manager at Electric Theatre Collective Dan Glass - Animator at Framestore Manie Moolman - Service Delivery Manager at The Film & Television Charity Alannah Belanger - VFX Executive Producer at Untold Studios Karina Bhojwani - Production Assistant at Vine FX

This isn’t a conversation about having perfect solutions. It’s a conversation about making sure people don’t suffer in silence while trying to build creative careers.

Support from The Film & TV Charity:

The Whole Picture Toolkit: https://filmtvcharity.org.uk/get-support/support-for-organisations/the-whole-picture-toolkit/

Principles for Mentally Healthy Productions: https://filmtvcharity.org.uk/stories-events/news/principles-for-mentally-healthy-productions-launched/

1-2-1 services including mental health: https://filmtvcharity.org.uk/get-support/