Gen Z Individuals - Growing Up With Nonstop Breaking News
Calling members of Gen Z for a documentary I am making~
I am currently working on a documentary titled Raised by the Headlines, exploring what it was like for Generation Z to grow up during a period shaped by nonstop breaking news, school shootings, lockdown drills, political division, social media, economic uncertainty, war, the COVID-19 pandemic, and one “once in a lifetime” event after another.
For many of us, these events were not simply stories we watched on television. They became part of our childhoods and teenage years. They shaped our fears, beliefs, mental health, sense of safety, and the way we imagine the future.
Other generations watched many of these events happen. Generation Z grew up inside them.
For one segment of the documentary, I want to include the real voices of people from Gen Z. I am looking for participants willing to submit an audio recording describing their memories, experiences, emotions, and perspectives.
I have posted this in a few Facebook groups, and have received many good submissions so far; but I wanted to see if anyone else would like to participate.
There are no correct answers, and you do not have to agree with my personal views or anyone else’s. I want this documentary to represent the different experiences and perspectives that exist within Gen Z, not tell our generation what it is supposed to think or feel.
Possible questions and prompts:
You do not need to answer every question. These are only starting points to help guide your recording. You can answer whichever ones connect with you most or discuss something entirely different that feels important to your experience.
-What year were you born, or what part of Gen Z do you feel you belong to? older, middle, or younger Gen Z?
-What major news event from your childhood or teenage years do you remember most clearly?
-Do you feel that growing up around nonstop breaking news affected the way you see the world?
-Did school shootings, lockdown drills, or the fear of violence affect the way you felt at school?
-What was it like coming of age during the COVID-19 pandemic? How did it affect your education, work, relationships, mental health, or plans for the future?
-How did growing up with social media affect the way you see yourself, other people, or the world? In what ways did it help or hurt?
-Do you feel like Gen Z was forced to grow up too quickly? Why or why not?
-How has growing up during political division, economic stress, war, climate concerns, violence, and constant crisis affected the way you view the future?
-When you think about the future, do you feel hopeful, afraid, angry, numb, motivated, or somewhere in between?
-What do you think older generations misunderstand about Gen Z?
-What do you wish people understood about what it actually felt like to grow up during this era?
-If you could describe Gen Z’s childhood in one word, phrase, or memory, what would it be?
Again, these are only prompts. You can be as detailed, emotional, personal, serious, hopeful, frustrated, or honest as you feel comfortable being.
Recording information:
There is no required length or time limit. You can speak for a few minutes or go into as much detail as you would like. Portions of longer submissions may be edited or shortened due to the final documentary’s time constraints, but I want everyone to have the freedom to fully explain their experiences in their own words.
You do not need professional recording equipment. The voice recorder on your phone is perfectly fine. I only ask that you:
-Record somewhere with as little background noise as possible.
-Speak loudly, clearly, and at a comfortable pace.
-Avoid playing copyrighted music, television, or other audio in the background.
-Speak naturally. Your recording does not need to sound rehearsed or perfect. I want it to sound like you.
Privacy and identification:
You may choose how you would like to be identified.
-To remain completely anonymous, do not say your name in the recording.
-To be identified by your first or middle name only, say that name near the beginning of the recording.
-For privacy reasons, please do not include your full name, address, workplace, school, or other identifying information.
Your privacy preferences will be respected, and nothing will be included in the documentary without your permission.
Everyone who submits an audio recording will also be given the opportunity to view a pre-release version of the documentary before it is made available to the public. Since your voice and experiences will help shape the project, I want participants to see how their contribution became part of the larger story.
If you are a member of Gen Z and would like to participate, please comment below or send me a private message. I will provide instructions for submitting your recording.
You are also welcome to share this post with other Gen Z individuals who may want their voices included.
Thank you for trusting me with your stories and helping make this documentary something that represents more than one person’s experience.
Current planned release date: Early August
Deadline for audio submissions: July 24, 2026