This week’s guest is Leo Anna Thomas, (they/them) who has twenty years’ experience in the Art Department and six as Standby Art Director on projects such as SMALL AXE, TRIGONOMETRY, HIS DARK MATERIALS and BLACK MIRROR.
They are also the first wellbeing facilitator for the Film and TV industry. Having experienced bullying firsthand they stepped away from the industry in 2009 to look after their mental health. They returned in 2013 and as part of that return they began to develop the role of the wellbeing facilitator alongside 6ft from the Spotlight, where they became a full-time facilitator as of 2020.
We speak about their induction into the world of film through the medium of VHS, a full circle 28 Days Later moment, the role of the standby art director and why it’s not just standing by to become an art director, and their work on the film Pride, and then we segue into the work Leo has being doing more recently in the world of wellbeing and mental health, and how they’ve pioneered a new role in the industry that seeks to prioritise care, calm and compassion to ensure that film & TV productions can be more mentally healthy places to work.
If anything you hear in this conversation chimes with you I urge you to check out the show notes, which contain lots of links to further resources and websites about wellbeing facilitation.
TW: Please note, that today’s conversation includes mention of suicide and bullying, so listener discretion is advised.
SHOW NOTES:
Episode 041: Alexa Raisbeck, Technician/Projectionist
Episode 040: Jess Jones, Script Editor & Development Consultant
Episode 039: Natalie Samson, Head of Production at Into Film
Episode 038: Rebecca Day, Documentary Producer & Psychotherapist
Episode 037: Cate Kane, Head of Acquisitions, Curzon Artificial Eye
Episode 036: Nicole Dorsey, Filmmaker
Episode 035: Robyn Citizen, Programmer & Academic
Episode 034: Pamela B. Green, Director, Producer & Main Titles Designer
Episode 033: Elise McCave, Director of Narrative Film at Kickstarter
Episode 032: Margaret Boykin, Director of Film Development at Ubisoft
Episode 031: Dorota Lech, Lead Programmer at TIFF
SEASON TWO BONUS EPISODE (030): Live at Underwire Film Festival with Roxy Rezvany
Episode 029: Sarah Brocklehurst
Episode 028: Jasmin Morrison
Episode 027: Rowan Woods
Episode 026: Flore Cosquer
Episode 025: Sophie Powell
Episode 024: Ellen Evans
Episode 023: Rachel Pronger
Episode 022: Sima Gonsai
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