We Made a Film — But Not Just Any Film. A Film That Could Save a Life.

Earlier this year, I teamed up with colleagues from UserVoice to visit several prisons across London. Our purpose was simple but important: to speak directly with the men about how they feel supported by staff after a death in custody. Were they checked in on? Were they offered the right support? Did anyone ask how they were coping?

What we heard was honestly shocking. The majority of the men in the room had either witnessed a near miss or had seen someone die in custody. That’s not something you just forget.

From working on this side of the fence now, I understand how stretched staff are, how mentally exhausting the environment can be, and how easy it is to become desensitised to the constant crisis of prison life. But when I was inside, I didn’t see that. All I felt was that staff didn’t care about us because we were “just prisoners.” It’s only now that I see how complicated the reality really is.

After those prison visits, we knew we needed to do something practical, something that would actually make a difference.

So we partnered with an incredible organisation called Your Stance, who train people in life-saving skills: placing someone in the recovery position, performing CPR, and controlling major bleeding. They went into prisons across London and taught the men how to become Zero Responders — people who step in before the first responders arrive, because in prison, those first few minutes genuinely matter.

And here’s the powerful part: these skills can literally save a life.

But there was a problem. With the constant movement and turnover in prisons, not everyone would get the chance to attend the sessions. Many would miss out, and the whole point was to spread these skills as widely as possible.

So we had an idea. A big one.

Let’s make a film. Not a dry training video. A proper, realistic, high-quality film that would show exactly what to do in a crisis.

We wrote a script. We created scenarios based on real events. We brought in actors, a full production team, the whole lot, fake blood included. We didn’t want it to look staged; we wanted it to look true, because the men who watch it will know if it isn’t.

And honestly? What we created is powerful. It’s raw, it’s real, and it could save someone’s life one day.

This wasn’t just about making a film. It was about giving people in prison the knowledge, the confidence, and the chance to help each other because sometimes they are the only ones there in the critical moment.

And that’s something worth shouting about.