On the 6th may 2024 the Prodigal monster feature film, a motion picture launched by Therapeutic productions went into production once more as a crew and cast of 30 artists pushed forward shooting in West kensington, Croydon, Algate East and Southfields. It was a pleasure to be joined on set by MindfulnessUK Karen Atkinson.
Over 7 days the team shot over 30 scenes in Wimbledon and Croydon depicting the plight of psychiatric patients kept in secure hospitals. Scenes depicted hospital admission as well as the transformative power that both alternative therapies such as Mindfulness and peer training can have on facing these circumstances. We also sure Moving and powerful examples of how a new generation of peer mentors are using their lived experience of the shared issues they face with others like them to work as professionals in the criminal justice and mental health sectors and helping those they work with to overcome adversity.
During the shoot the team worked with service users from the Royal Bethlem hospital to create costume and illustrated designs and went on a recruitment serge with Mitcham jobcentre to recruit production staff and actors, many diagnosed with conditions and others who had come out of the system.
Our group also included a number of individuals diagnosed with learning disabilities and ex offenders who have been released from custody which were referred from the job centre.
Meanwhile we have been working with Battersea based mental health organisation Sound Minds who referred a group of artists who have spent time in psychiatric institutions to create music for the production.