The Inspiration behind generation z
The idea for Generation Z didn’t just come to me — it came from a need. During quarantine, as I watched the news and saw one event unfold after another, I found myself feeling overwhelmed and uncertain amid all the chaos. If I was feeling this way as an adult, I couldn’t help but wonder how were the kids processing it all?
I wanted to understand their mindset in a moment unlike anything they’d ever experienced. That curiosity became the heart of Generation Z. I reached out to young people from Rochester, Buffalo, Jamestown, Brooklyn, and even Texas, inviting them to share their thoughts and emotions on film.
As I began listening to the kids, I learned that many of them were struggling with depression and anxiety, overwhelmed by everything they were seeing and hearing on TV, the internet, and even in adult conversations around them. I wanted to find a way to help them release those feelings and express what they were going through.
That’s when I realized how much talent they had. I decided to channel that creativity into something healing — a musical documentary that combined spoken word, dance, and song, much like Zoomed Out. I began dreaming about the music and themes, and soon my husband and daughter joined in to write the spoken word piece. From there, it all began to take shape.
I watched as the kids lit up with excitement and confidence, and I felt that same renewal within myself. It proved to me that through music and creative expression, we can begin to heal and build a new foundation for this generation.
Generation Z is available to rent or purchase here.
Generation Z Documentary Participants