Exclusive – Meeting Gen Z filmmaker Kasha Sequoia Slavner

I was curious to know If Kasha had any creative influences within directing too, and she mentioned her executive producer, Liz Marshall.

Liz has directed a ton of major works, including climate change focused films such as ‘Meat The Future’ and ‘Water On The Table’. She is currently working with Kasha on her project ‘1.5 Degrees of Peace’.

‘She does a lot and I’m very inspired by her work as an environmental filmmaker,’ Kasha explains. ‘The way that she takes these seemingly small and humble stories and relates them to much larger issues of industrialised meat and the agriculture sector is so impressive.’

What advice does Kasha have for other Gen Z creatives?

Kasha’s story is proof that young people can realise their ambitions without huge financial backing or large institutions.

I was curious to know if she had any tips for Gen Z filmmakers wanting to dive into video content but were unsure of where to begin. She was quick to stress that you should focus on topics that genuinely inspire and interest you.

‘It’s really important to tell stories that personally impact you, it’s the best way you’ll get the most powerful and resonant films.’

To that end, Kasha also notes that you can use near enough any gadget to start filming, and that it’s best to just start working to get the ball rolling. ‘I’d encourage young people to be creative, use what you have!’

‘My last film was made on a DSLR and I only had a compact backpack. That benefitted me when travelling because I could be a little bit under the radar. There are so many portable cameras now too and some iPhones even have 4k ability. You can never have too much B-roll, so film as much as you can when you’re there with your subject.’

Getting your work seen by real people is crucial too. Thanks to social media platforms such as TikTok and YouTube, it’s now more possible than ever to accumulate an audience without heavy investment.

‘Sharing your work is really the key to making a positive impact, so putting yourself out there is something I’d encourage all filmmakers to do.’

Digital screenings and online film showcases are becoming more common, especially since the pandemic began early last year. In fact, video consumption rose across the board in 2020, whether it be via Zoom calls, TikTok downloads, or Netflix streaming.

Whichever way you look at it, visual content is the most effective and relevant form of consumption online. Creators need to embrace and experiment with video if they want to reach as many people as possible, and indie films are no exception.

‘We’ve recently started trying out online screenings through Zoom. It’s not always flawless but it helps to get the material out there. It’s all about what you have available to you.’

Career ambitions and launching her next film

Kasha has no doubt made a name for herself already, but where does she want to take things next? Her passions remain rooted in activism and social change.

‘I think I can speak for the next ten years at least when I say I hope I’m still making documentary films. It’s important to get people acting on specific things that affect their communities, and I hope I do more of that. There are things we all need to do to and actions we can all take to improve our world in the next decade.’

She’s adamant that film making will always be an avenue to present her ideas to the world. ‘I’m going to continue as its one of the best ways I can express my activism in a personal and real way.’

Speaking of which, Kasha’s next project is titled ‘1.5 Degrees of Peace’ and documents many stories of young peacemakers and climate activists from around the world. The film intends to explore how both the climate crisis and international conflict are inexplicably linked.

Peace action and global co-operation are vital to achieving our climate targets – and Kasha will be travelling the world meeting those who are already being directly affected by the crisis.

‘We’ll have a trailer out in the next few months. We’re going to do some online screenings with panel discussions and fire side chats, and hopefully we can get more young people involved in these big issues.’

‘We can get a whole bunch of people mobilised to take action. That’s what I’m focusing on right now.’

So, expect to see plenty more of Kasha’s work in the not-so-distant future. For now though, you can sign up to be part of the Global Sunrise Project and check out the organisations official Instagram page here.