CALM offers hope amid the storm

Suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) has released its latest film which features a track donated to the project by New Order.

Created by Witness Studios’ Simon+Ben, the film features Your Silent Face taken from New Order's seminal album Power, Corruption & Lies. The film, called Stopping Suicide, is based on real stories from CALM service users and supporters and in it we see how we can all play a role in suicide prevention. 

“We know first-hand how devastating it is to lose someone to suicide."

Featuring four key storylines; a suicide survivor who used CALM’s services; a fundraiser who has been bereaved by suicide; someone experiencing suicidal thoughts; and someone calling the helpline to support a loved one they’re concerned about, the three-minute film is a powerful and affecting look at the struggles some people encounter and how we can all help those people face them. 

“We know first-hand how devastating it is to lose someone to suicide," said New Order who, in their previous incarnation as Joy Division, experienced the loss of lead singer Ian Curtis to suicide. "That’s why we’re CALM ambassadors and why we didn’t think twice when they asked if they could use Your Silent Face for this film. We’re honoured that it’s been used to spread this vital message and show that we all have a role to play in ending suicide.“

“It can be incredibly difficult to convey the work we do because suicide is such a complex issue and people using our life-saving services do so in total confidence," said CALM CEO, Simon Gunning. "The typical image of suicide is a terrible stock photo of someone with their head in their hands - the work we do at CALM is so much more than that, so we were incredibly proud to work with Witness and our fantastic Ambassadors New Order to tell the story of CALM in an authentic, compelling, three dimensional way which shows people what support is available and how we can all do our bit to support the people around us who might be struggling.”

"We were incredibly proud to work with Witness and our fantastic Ambassadors New Order to tell the story of CALM in an authentic, compelling, three dimensional way."

Below, Witness Studios’ directing duo Simon+Ben, aka Simon Frost and Ben Hanson, who worked with CALM on the launch of their Stay campaign a few years ago, talk us through the campaign 

What was the brief for this project and why was this the approach you wanted to take?  

BH: CALM told us that whilst they are well known, people don’t know the full breadth of what they do and all the ways people can use their services. We wrote a script which intertwines several characters who interact with CALM in different ways. We wanted to create something that felt unquestionably real and relatable. People come to us for authentic performances, whether it’s branded documentary or narrative work, and we have a lot of experience working with sensitive topics. 

We worked really closely with CALM to ensure the characters and stories were based on the lived experience of their service users, and also to ensure that we were dealing with this difficult subject with the sensitivity it deserves.  

The cast are all great; can you tell us about that process? 

SF: We worked with a brilliant casting director, Anna McAuley, who we have done several projects with recently. We gave all the auditionees the chance to share any experiences they have of suicide if they wanted to. It quickly became apparent just how many people are touched by suicide and its consequences. 

"We ended up with a really talented cast who were incredibly passionate about the subject matter, and we think that really showed in the power of their performances."

What we ended up with was a really talented cast who were incredibly passionate about the subject matter, and we think that really showed in the power of their performances. We didn’t work to tightly scripted dialogue. Leaning on our documentary sensibilities, we attempted to create an environment in which the cast felt free to perform and communicate in ways which felt authentic to them. 

What about New Order's track fit with the tone you were aiming for?

SF: Despite the seriousness of their work, CALM focus on hopeful and positive messages about what we can do to end suicide. The obvious music choice might have been something more downbeat or sorrowful, but we love the emotional complexity of Your Silent Face. It teeters between melancholy, hopefulness and the aching nostalgia that we associate with New Order. The fact that they are a band so closely affect by suicide makes it all the more poignant. We’re so grateful that they lent us their amazing music for this project.