In a world where anyone can post health advice online, how do we ensure people find what’s actually helpful?
That’s exactly the challenge the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) set out to address when they partnered with YouTube Health, a global initiative focused on providing reliable, evidence-based health content to the public. At the heart of this mission was a need for thoughtful, high-quality video production that could bring sensitive mental health topics to life with clarity, credibility, and care.
We were brought on to provide post-production services for the 70+ pieces of content in the series, helping shape CAMH’s expertise into engaging formats for today’s YouTube audience. The project was led by Yotam Dor at BaD Mktg and filmed by DP Ed Middleton, CSC.
The Challenge: Reach More People with Better Information
In an age where anyone can consume information on the web, Canadians are more likely than ever to search for answers on the internet, specifically on YouTube, before speaking to a medical professional. CAMH, Canada’s largest mental health teaching hospital and a global leader in psychiatric research, recognized this as both a problem and an opportunity.
Together with YouTube Health, they aimed to create a comprehensive video library of trustworthy, evidence-based content that would meet people where they already are: online. The videos had to be medically accurate, easy to understand, and, most importantly, engaging. They also had to be available in both English and French, with consistent branding and creative execution across all deliverables.
YouTube’s Head of Canada, Andrew Peterson, expressed the company's commitment to public health, stating, “At YouTube, we want to support making public health truly public and accessible for all Canadians. By partnering with CAMH, Canada’s largest mental health teaching hospital and one of the world’s leading research centres, we can help Canadians connect with highly authoritative health information that is both evidence-based and culturally relevant.”
Trust Begins with a Familiar Face
At the heart of the series was Dr. David Goldbloom, former Physician-in-Chief at CAMH and a highly respected figure in Canadian psychiatry. With his calm presence and bilingual delivery, he became the anchor of each video, making tough subjects feel less overwhelming and more human.
To give us flexibility in the edit, without losing intimacy, a dual camera setup was used. A teleprompter allowed Dr. Goldbloom to maintain a direct eyeline with the audience while ensuring each script hit the key points without going off track.
Tone, Format, and Visual Direction
The tone for the series was designed to feel inclusive, respectful, and informative, not clinical or condescending. We knew we were speaking to a wide audience, composed of people with a broad range of educational backgrounds, the vast majority of whom have no experience with these issues. Everything from scripting, delivery, visuals, graphics, and pacing needed to be universally relatable and understandable.
The entire series was filmed on-site at CAMH, mainly in the Arrell Family Auditorium, a setting that gave the DP control over lighting and sound while still feeling institutional enough to establish trust. Every long-form video followed a consistent format, with standardized lower thirds, custom graphics, and a clean, branded intro/outro.
Execution Built for Engagement
The video series was designed with YouTube’s best practices in mind. Thumbnails followed a consistent visual style. Graphics and color palettes were uniform across the series. The result is a public library of engaging, reliable, and medically reviewed mental health content now live on CAMH’s official YouTube channel.
And while the focus was always on the viewer, our role in post-production was just as intentional. From selecting the best takes to crafting a cohesive, engaging, and memorable narrative, every edit, cut, and animation was designed to make these important conversations easier to access, easier to understand, and harder to ignore.
Looking Ahead
We’re proud to have played a role in this project. We believe that good information deserves great storytelling, and great storytelling needs solid post-production support.
If you’re an organization in Canada looking to create meaningful, high-quality video content, especially around health, education, or public service, let’s connect. We’re here to help you turn expertise into impact.
