CALM Shares Cost of Living Confessions in Taboo-Tackling Series

Feb. 19, 2024

Suicide prevention charity, Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), has teamed up with Great Guns director Calum Macdiarmid for a third time, confronting the taboo topic weighing on the nation’s mind: money.

In conjunction with MoneySuperMarket, the "Money Talks" campaign comprises three honest and intimate interviews about financial pressures, and the relief that stems from opening up about them. The charity aims to destigmatize such conversations in the current climate plagued by cost of living stress, as 80% of CALM respondents are worried about money but 75% haven’t spoken to anyone about these feelings.

Each film spotlights a different public figure: journalist and podcaster, Sam Delaney; content creator, podcaster and singer/songwriter, Milena Sanchez; and social housing campaigner Kwajo Tweneboa. Champions of the concept, they speak candidly on how bottling up money worries has impacted their relationships and how stressful an uncertain cash flow can be when caring for a young child, while also sharing tips on how to make these chats easier.

To overcome the main challenge of production - putting interviewees at ease - the Great Guns production team created an informal, conversational environment, with only the occasional scripted moment. Cutaways where viewers can hear the crew laughing and interacting with the spokespeople further foster a feeling of authenticity throughout the series. A final dose of energy is injected via an assortment of shooting angles, chopping in and out for emphasis and incorporating slow push ins for emotional moments.

Director Calum Macdiarmid commented: 

"This has been my third set of films for CALM and I have to say I can't get enough! I love their message and I also love the way they work, which is super collaborative and open to ideas."

 

He added: 

"An interesting side effect of these chats was that it was an incredibly cathartic and almost meditative experience. Both I and others on the set came away from it feeling quite rejuvenated and de-pressurised on our own personal finance. It's such a simple yet effective exercise - just hearing people talk about it honestly makes you feel so much better!"