Craig Hamilton and Jye Currie unite to make a documentary on suicide prevention

But even after writing two books and making countless presentations around the country, he knows there is much to be done.

"I've got a message," he said. "I've been speaking now for nearly 20 years in this area, talked a lot about my story. A lot of people know I'm big about reducing stigma in the mental health, which is huge. We're getting better, but there is still a long way. I'm about awareness. And about encouraging people to get help.

"Now, I'm at the cutting edge of this, and that is suicide prevention, the elephant in the room. That's the thing no one wants to talk about and it's time we did."

Newcastle filmmaker Jye Currie approached Hamilton last year about making a feature-length documentary about suicide prevention and Hamilton had no hesitation in saying yes.

"We had to make something different," Currie said. "I don't want to make a movie that you just watch it and walk away and there's no call to action afterwards.

"I played around in my head with the idea of what we could do to motivate viewers to take a step straight after, and that's where we introduced the theme of the movie there -- the promise.

"We are going to encourage people to make a promise with a loved one, that if times are bad or if people are feeling down they will speak to with them, and have a conversation."

Under Currie's direction, filming began this week. Besides filming Hamilton, including at the Broadmeadow train station where he suffered a mental meltdown, the film will include Paul Harragon, Wayne Bennett and Professor Frances Kay-Lambkin, a renown expert in mental health at the Hunter Medical Research Institute.

The film will be shot in Newcastle area over the several weeks, with distribution through streaming services.

Currie said the film had been financed by private investors who asked for non-disclosure agreements.