Kate Stevenson

The co-founder and director of creative agency DOTDOT majored in dance studies and took papers in film and media studies, creative writing, anthropology and music. Wanting to pursue a range of interests into her postgraduate studies, she entered a unique arrangement that allowed her to continue exploring dance studies alongside completing the MA screen production course.

It is through this varied educational foundation that Stevenson says she was able to inhabit many different professional and creative worlds. She went from dancing, to directing, to dreaming up gaming universes. In 2014, she co-founded DOTDOT, a creative agency focussed on immersive storytelling.

“I think the place I am now brings together a lot of my capabilities and interests,” she says. “Storytelling, embodied design, media and performance.”

Now with three DOTDOT offices in New Zealand, Australia and the United States, Stevenson says that her time at university was also essential in introducing her to the mentors that changed her life. Professor and filmmaker Annie Goldson supervised her Masters thesis, and gave her some of her first jobs in the industry.

“Through her I was exposed to practical and critical skills as it relates to documentary filmmaking, creative practice, creative project management and the distribution of creative work,” she says.

In dance, it was professor and artist Alys Longley who became a friend and collaborator.

“Alys’s interdisciplinary approach to her creative practice allows for thoughtful, considered and expansive work,” says Stevenson. “I really appreciate having a collaborator who sits within academia, as I enjoy having that lens and critical rigour on the work we make together.”

An example of this is a series of virtual exhibits made during the pandemic, finding ways for artists to “dwell and rewrite our shared world together” online.

These kinds of boundary-pushing, immersive worlds are what have led DOTDOT and Stevenson to global recognition at storytelling festivals like SXSW and Sundance. Closer to home, the Climate Converter installation in Te Papa remains a career highlight for Stevenson. In the immersive room, visitors are invited to interact with the environment using their hands to learn about ways we can mitigate the effects of climate change.

“As a studio we especially like to focus on projects that are free to the public and can create real-world impact,” she says.

The future is always front of mind for Stevenson.

“My biggest commitment outside of work is currently being a parent,” she says. “I am interested in thinking creatively about how we integrate children into our lives and how we think about families and intergenerational relationships.”

Now living in the “enriching and invigorating” New York City, in her spare time, she likes to soak in the art and culture of the city and actively participate in a neighbourhood network of families running local gatherings and events, all of which strengthen community connection.

Although having achieved so much already, Stevenson has many more goals on the horizon. She’s looking to grow the DOTDOT team and the scale of projects they take on, while also adapting and surviving in the face of challenges posed by artificial intelligence. Perhaps that is why her next project is her most human yet, engaging all of the senses in an immersive storytelling experience that brings together theatre and food.

“At the simplest level I love putting experiences out into the world and observing what emerges,” she says. “Seeing people experiencing joy, learning, curiosity, empathy – these are all things that make me feel like it’s time well spent.”