Agency:.Co-produced by Sky Works Charitable Foundation and the NFB in association with TVOntario, with the participation of Ontario Ministry of Health, Whitby Mental Health Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Saskatchewan Communications Network, RBC Dominion Securities and the Ontario Trillum Foundation. Study guide available.

Director, Gwynne Basen, Laura Sky ; producer, Gwynne Basen, Laura Sky, Adam Symansky ; photography, Jim Aquila ; sound, Ross Redfern, Mark Obradovich, Doug McPherson ; editing, Patricia Tassinari ; music, Judith Gruber-Stitzer ; executive producer, Sally Bochner ; sound, John Martin.

Recorded 1999.

Working Like Crazy is a fresh look at the struggles and victories of some former mental health patients who work in businesses owned and run by other psychiatric survivors. Labelled "unemployable," they have given themselves a safe space among peers. A place where they can earn an income and rebuild their lives. Laurie spent years in psychiatric isolation and now runs a courier business; Diana has transformed rage and family violence into work for the Ontario Council of Alternative Businesses; since Graham has a job at Fresh Start Cleaning, his plan is "to get back to being a man"; now that Susan works as a courier, she can afford to care for her pets--and the neighbourhood kids don't think she's so crazy anymore. Illuminating the tears and laughter, the isolation and friendship, the rejection and acceptance, these and other stories reveal a rare glimpse of this complex community. Working Like Crazy is about alternatives to conventional community mental health and economic development. It portrays work as a human process that rebuilds people's connections with each other. In the end, this is a film about hope.

Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Description based on online resource; title from title screen (National Film Board of Canada, viewed 2023-08-10).