Burnout has become a defining experience for many young adults in the UK. A new report from Mental Health UK reveals that 91% of adults experienced high or extreme levels of pressure or stress in the past year, with younger workers aged 18–24 disproportionately affected. Nearly one in three adults faced such pressure often or always, and 21% needed time off due to poor mental health caused by stress. Among 18 to 24-year-olds, 35% required time off compared to only 10% of those aged 55 and over.
Filmmaker Ryan J. Smith channels that reality into his latest feature Kid, now available on digital platforms. The film follows a talented music producer facing burnout as he struggles with constant deadlines, financial worries and family responsibilities. “The idea came from real conversations with friends,” Smith says. “People are working themselves into the ground while trying to keep up with bills, housing and relationships. It feels relentless. A lot of personal experience went into this one. It’s cheaper than therapy.”
At just 27, Smith has already made three features through his Lancashire-based production company Skint Film Company, founded in 2019. His earlier projects, Lottery (2022) and Talking to Ghosts (2023), both released digitally to international acclaim, cemented his reputation for original British storytelling using minimal crews and budgets.
The main character in Kid works late nights in a cramped home studio, anxious about letting others down, while his sister’s struggle with endometriosis adds another emotional layer. Shot on a BlackMagic Pocket 4K camera with vintage Soviet lenses, the film captures the grit of northern England and explores how ambition, exhaustion and family ties intertwine. Despite being made for only £4,500, its themes are universal. “Kid is a reflection of today’s culture where young people are not allowed to ask for help without being vilified,” Smith says. “If people want to disagree with that, that’s fine, but they’re often the same people who aren’t to be trusted with simple tasks.”
Mental health research supports the film’s message. Studies from the Karolinska Institute show that writers face elevated risks of anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, unipolar depression and substance abuse, with suicide rates nearly twice as high as the general population. A study by well-being charity Inspire and Ulster University found that creative industry employees are three times more likely to experience mental health problems, with 36% affected by anxiety and 32% by depression. These pressures appear throughout Kid in small, telling details such as skipped meals, broken sleep and the inability to disconnect from work.
In the UK film and TV sector, 35% of professionals rate their mental health as poor, and more than half have considered quitting. Precarious employment and constant connectivity intensify burnout, anxiety and self-doubt. Yet Kid also finds warmth through humour and music. The sibling relationship provides moments of tenderness that counterbalance the tension. “Recovery is possible,” Smith says. “But it starts and ends with yourself.” He adds, “The most liberating moment of a young filmmaker’s life is when they realise no one is coming to save them. That’s what led me to produce my own movies and start my own journey instead of trying to imitate somebody else’s. The phrase ‘buy the ticket, take the ride’ springs to mind.”
Kid premiered on 19 March 2025 at the BAFTA-qualifying Manchester Film Festival, held at ODEON Great Northern and other venues from 14th to 23rd March. The event featured 37 films, including 15 UK premieres and four world premieres, sparking discussions about work, ambition and mental health in creative industries. The film’s reception was positive, with audiences drawn to its raw depiction of burnout and resilience.
Trained at MetFilm School, Smith has developed a documentary-style approach that values storytelling over perfection. He often works with small teams, sometimes just himself and his dog, to produce authentic stories that resonate beyond their modest budgets. His experience demonstrates that success in film can coexist with self-care and balance, a message aligning with World Mental Health Day on 10 October. Observed annually since 1992 by the World Health Organization, this year’s theme focuses on access to services in catastrophes and emergencies. As economic pressures grow, with 84% of UK desk workers doing regular overtime and 68% working weekends, Kid reminds audiences that sustaining creativity and well-being requires collective awareness as much as personal resilience.
