Against a backdrop of rising youth violence tearing at Caribbean communities, local film producer Kerri Birch has launched a groundbreaking creative project named “Once Upon a Frame” — a labor of love and activism built to honor the life of 13-year-old Shawnathon Chase, who was killed in a fatal shooting last year while attending a community netball match at Silver Hill’s hard court in Christ Church.
Shawnathon was not just a victim of senseless violence; he was an aspiring young writer with a growing body of work, and his death has become a catalyst for change. Reflecting on the tragic loss, Birch emphasized that Shawnathon’s killing is far from an isolated incident, pointing to a worsening pattern of youth violence that is eroding community cohesion, destabilizing family units, and putting an entire generation of young people in danger across the region.
Developed in partnership with production company 13 Degrees North and Shawnathon’s grieving parents, Sean and Zabida Chase, the initiative will transform original short stories written by young creators into four completed short films. Among the adapted works is “Kite Heist”, a story penned by Shawnathon before his death, alongside another youth-created story “Intergalactic Pup”, which Birch confirmed will be produced entirely using artificial intelligence technology.
Once post-production is complete, the four films are scheduled to premiere on national public television, with additional selections planned for screenings at leading international film festivals to spread the project’s message to a global audience.
Birch, who has centered her work on community-centered storytelling, explained the core philosophy behind the initiative: youth violence takes root when young people are disenfranchised, feeling invisible, unheard, and cut off from opportunities to build stable, fulfilling futures. Instead of leaving vulnerable teens to fall through the cracks, “Once Upon a Frame” replaces idleness with creative imagination, replaces social isolation with collaborative skill-building, and replaces risky, empty lifestyles with a clear sense of purpose. Beyond creative expression, the project also equips participating young people with professional film production skills that can open doors to sustainable careers in the creative economy.
The initiative has already secured backing from a coalition of corporate sponsors, and Birch’s team is currently holding exploratory talks with officials from Barbados’ Ministry of Innovation, Industry, Science and Technology to expand support for the program. In closing, Birch issued a call for broad national investment in youth-focused interventions, arguing that the critical policy question facing the country is not whether public and private stakeholders can afford to fund programs like “Once Upon a Frame” — but whether the nation can afford not to prioritize the safety and opportunity of its young people.