Brick Wall

The writer-director Christian Haywood along with the charity called Mind in West Essex work together on the short film-Brick Wall to remind its audience of the value of continuously improving the quality of life which would be beneficial in the long term through the story of male protagonist Ian Montgomery and his mates at the construction site.

 

The plot of the movie revolves around the workers battling mental health issues and what steps should be taken toward suicide prevention in the construction industry.

 

The film opens with a voiceover with the noise of a work in progress providing even the minute details so that the content can increase audience engagement with it to keep the viewers hooked from the very beginning. The cinematographer Samuel Perry Falvey effectively utilises the camera angles, white, red, black, and grey colour tones, set design, lighting, sound, dialogues, costume, hair, makeup, and props to complement the essence as well as the key messages and elevate the impact of the same making it a learning experience for everyone. A very well-written series of conversations between the various characters and the protagonist assists the filmmakers to add the elements of intensity and depth so that the audience can understand the nuances and Brick Wall stays with them even after finishing the film.

 

Brick Wall talks about the need to prevent suicide by spreading awareness and telling people the importance of asking for help and giving them a platform to share their problems so that the maximum number of lives are saved. The cinematic piece highlights that People dealing with mental issues should understand that they require assistance instead of building a wall around them, this can increase the suffering therefore can be detrimental to loved ones living with them. The short film reiterates that quashing the taboos and fears regarding to every concern related to the mind is crucial. The cinematic piece also tells us that everyone can take appropriate steps to make their lives better with the necessary love, emotional support, and respect. Brick Wall restates the significance of the role of friends, family, and colleagues, or any person one trusts with sensitive topics mentioned in the movie should allow them to be present in times of need for the wellbeing of all the parties affected. Struggling with the problems within seems that the difficulty is even bigger but sharing with someone can calm the person down and also give the confidence to deal with the issue.

 

I want to appreciate the efforts of Christian Haywood and the team for collaborating with Mind West Essex to highlight the cause of mental health at the construction sites that need to be spoken about more and more. I hope many directors take inspiration and make movies on such topics giving a chance to the audience to learn from projects like these.