Mental Health Awareness Week

A warm cinematic portrait series created for the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand. This case study video series centres one of the Five Ways to Wellbeing in each film, crafted using a colour theme designed to evoke emotional connection.

The project required extensive planning wardrobe styling colour design and gentle direction to help participants feel safe supported and confident sharing personal experiences.

The project

Mental Health Awareness Week is one of the most recognised wellbeing campaigns in Aotearoa. For this edition the theme was the Five Ways to Wellbeing. Each story needed to feel human warm and grounded in real experience.

Antworks led the creative development cinematography and direction on set. A stylist was brought in to build wardrobe that matched the five campaign colours. Make up and lighting were planned to create a consistent visual identity across all talent.

The biggest challenge came when several participants withdrew the day before filming. We rebuilt the schedule overnight found new contributors and created a calm safe environment on set. The result was a relaxed shoot day where talent felt supported and confident.

These films were delivered in five formats for social and online use and became some of the campaigns most shared and engaged with assets.

Credits

• Director of Photography, Editor — Diego Opatowski
• Director — Tom Groenewegen
• Colorist — Colourspace
• Styling — Elise Anderson
• Client — Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand
• Talent — Sourced by MHF
• Five films delivered for online and paid campaign use