About Screen Well

Our Story

Screen Well is the go-to organisation for mental health and wellbeing training, advocacy and insight for the Australian Screen Industry.

Screen Well began by delivering Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training to screen workers and with the support of our advisory group, founding supporters and partners, we have become the go-to organisation for mental health and wellbeing training, advocacy, and insight for the screen industry.

Screen Well was born following Ben Steel’s transformative experience of writing and directing the 2019 documentary The Show Must Go On. Alongside the release of the film, Ben and the team at Film Art Media created and delivered a series of wellbeing events designed specifically for screen workers. This journey led Ben to the conclusion that the industry required specialised mental health and wellbeing support, which was the driving force behind Screen Well’s founding in 2021.

In addition to continuing to support individuals with subsidised MHFA training and a range of free resources, Screen Well also supports:

  • Screen businesses with training, resources, and services designed to improve the wellbeing of teams, as well as creativity and productivity.

  • Educators with training and workshops designed to support the next generation of screen workers.

  • The broader industry with research, resources, advocacy, and initiatives designed to improve the mental health and wellbeing outcomes of the industry.

Everything we do at Screen Well is about creating a more sustainable and mentally healthy screen industry.

We would like to acknowledge our incredible founding supporters, that were with us as we launched and grew in our first 2 years.

Our Vision

To foster a culture within the Australian screen industry where mental health and well-being are prioritised, empowering individuals and organisations to thrive both on and off set.

Meet the Team

Screen Well is led by a team of experienced professionals passionate about building a safer, smarter, and more sustainable screen industry.

  • Ben is passionate about improving wellbeing for the screen sector, and he has spent the last six years speaking to arts & entertainment industry leaders and experts in mental health about the wellbeing challenges and solutions creative practitioners experience, an exploration which culminated in him making the acclaimed ABC documentary The Show Must Go On released during mental health week 2019.

    Ben is an accredited Mental Health First Aid instructor who brings this training with his knowledge and 30 years of work experience in the screen sector, alongside his personal lived experience with anxiety & depression to the Screen Well team.

  • Margaret co-founded Screen Well in 2021, working alongside Ben Steel with the shared vision to help improve mental health outcomes for the Australian screen industry. She brought her 20 years’ experience in screen production, screen policy and advocacy to help establish Screen Well at its foundational stage, contributing to many aspects including the establishment of its advisory board, impact strategy, government, and industry engagement.

    Previously, Margaret gained her accreditation as a Mental Health First Aider in 2020 and led a live-streamed panel for the AFTRS, discussing the importance of supporting the mental health of the workforce in COVID-safe production environments. Margaret has moved on to pursue her passion for screen policy accepting a role within Screen Australia but remains a champion for improving the mental health & wellbeing outcomes for the Australian screen industry.

    Margaret holds a Master of Arts - Screen Arts and Business, from the Australian Film, Television and Radio School.

  • Jonathon has worked in the screen industry for over twenty years as a director/producer and as an independant screen industry consultant. He has directed over 50 hours of broadcast television; he has produced and directed hundreds of commercial and social impact projects; and he has an Executive MBA from RMIT.

    Jonathon partnered with Screen Well and the University of Melbourne in 2023 on a leadership and culture research project designed to understand how leadership impacts the screen industry’s known cultural and wellbeing challenges. Following this, Jonathon has continued working with Screen Well as an Advisor and Senior Consultant, including leading the Breaking Down the Barriers to Job-Sharing initiative.

Founding Advisory Group

We are delighted to have the support and extraordinary guidance of our founding advisory group.


  • Monica is an award-winning expert on the creative industries, who began her professional life as a freelance journalist, performer and filmmaker.

    After twenty years running her own production company, Monica completed her Masters in Screen Arts and Business at AFTRS, and in 2016 founded Creative Plus Business, a social enterprise dedicated to helping creative people learn more about small business, financial literacy and marketing.

    In 2019 Monica won the QUT CEA Trailblazer Award, and in 2020 was named an AMP Tomorrow Maker for her programs assisting creatives to survive the pandemic.

  • Lisa Colley is Manager of Cultural Strategy at the City of Sydney.

    Prior to starting at the City in February 2016 she was the Director of the Creative Industries Innovation Centre, an Australian Government funded program supporting the business of creative enterprise.

    Her previous roles include Director Exhibitions and Events at UTS, Manager New Media Arts Board and Executive Director Communications Policy and Research at the Australia Council. She was a founding member of the Institute for Creative Health the organisation that led the development of the National Framework for Arts and Health endorsed in November 2013 by Ministers of Health and Ministers of the Arts in every Australian state and territory. Lisa is currently training to be an accredited meditation teacher.

What Drives Us

Expertise
We provide evidence-based training and guidance tailored to the unique demands of screen work.

Advocacy
We challenge outdated norms and push for real, lasting cultural change.

Care
We’re here for the people. Our work is grounded in compassion, respect, and community.

Our Impact So Far

  • We’ve trained professionals across film, TV, and education sectors in mental health awareness and peer support.

  • We’ve hosted and facilitated national conversations that address burnout, toxic culture, and mental health leadership.

  • We’ve been invited into classrooms and lecture halls to help prepare the next generation of screen professionals.

  • We’ve worked alongside creatives and companies to design wellbeing strategies that work in the real world.

  • We’ve used storytelling, webinars, and social media to spark meaningful conversations across the industry.

We’re building a safer, more sustainable screen industry.

One set, one school, one conversation at a time.