Filming Begins on New Web Series Celebrating Kiwi Kids Unplugging from Screens
- Holly Grundy
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Filming has begun on a brand-new web series focused on youth around the Bay of Plenty and their mission to choose nature over screens.
The short documentary series, Kids Unplugged, has been created by local filmmakers Anton and Kylie Steel. Their goal is to shine a light on tamariki getting outdoors and living unplugged lives.
The series follows mountain bikers, conservationists, off-grid families, and outdoor explorers, all highlighting Kiwi kids who are embracing adventure, curiosity, and connection in a technology-driven world.
“This isn’t just storytelling; it’s part of a wider movement away from screens,” says director Anton Steel. “People are hungry for stories that offer hope, and Kids Unplugged does just that. It reminds us all what childhood should look like.”
The first episode is already underway, focusing on local superstar Jack Karetai-Barrett, who is well known in the Whakatāne community for his advocacy for Māori wards. This episode follows his latest initiative, biking from Whakatāne to Wellington to personally deliver a petition to the Prime Minister.
The Steels are also casting for future episodes and seeking out inspiring stories from across the rohe.
While filming is in progress, a Boosted crowdfunding campaign is still open for donations. The funds raised will help cover more than 1,200 hours of filming, editing, and post-production required to complete the five-part series.
“We’ve been blown away by the support and generosity of donations so far,” says producer Kylie Steel. “We’re making this series as a whānau because we care deeply about our tamariki and the world they’re growing up in.”
With strong backing from organisations like RNZ, The Parenting Place, Safe Surfer, Makes Sense, and Stoney Creek, Kids Unplugged is poised to reach thousands of Kiwi families through a multi-platform release this spring.
Backed by research linking excessive screen time to anxiety, poor sleep, and social disconnection, Kids Unplugged offers a hopeful alternative rooted in play, purpose, and real-world learning.
“We’re not anti-technology,” adds Malachi Steel, who gave up his iPad at age 11. “We just want to remind kids there’s another way to live and it’s awesome.”
The crowdfunding campaign closes this Friday, June 29.
