Nashport child actor gets start in acting thanks to Chillicothe zombie film "How I Got Here"
NEWARK― After landing roles in a few local stage productions, 15-year-old Jace Carson asked his mom if he could audition for movie roles. Her first response was, "Good luck, we live in Nashport, Ohio." Then, Jace landed his role in the Chillicothe film "How I Got Here," a movie that started his acting journey.
"How I Got Here" focuses on a group of survivors, including a young boy played by Jace who grows up during the outbreak and learns to survive. The movie premiered at Studio 35 Cinema & Drafthouse in October and sold out 200 seats.
Before he landed his first film role, he was a Licking Valley student who enjoyed marching band, lacrosse and acting in local children's theatre. After earning the role, Jace and his mom, Amber Eagleson-Carson, spent every weekend driving over two hours to Chillicothe, spending the day on a movie set and sleeping in hotels or campsites.
Jace and his mom agree that the film was an amazing place to start his acting journey.
"Probably the best people that I could have worked with for my first [movie]," Jace said. "Everyone was supportive. They knew what they were doing for the most part and they were great people to watch and observe and try to improve my acting based on them."
He said he loved spending every weekend hanging out with people who also loved acting. There was a learning curve to transfer from stage acting to film, but he adjusted quickly with the help of his castmates.
Dylan Hughes, creator, producer and actor for "How I Got Here," said Jace has a future in acting.
"When we had the casting call, I didn't think we were gonna find a kid with that acting ability," Hughes said. "It was his first project ever. His first film ever and he blew us away in the audition. He blew us away on set. If I had known this kid could do this, I would have given him way more stuff do to."
Director and co-producer Eric Zanni said they all watched Jace grow up on set, with him starting the movie at 13. He said they would often shoot Jace when he didn't have lines to get his reactions to the scene around him because of his acting skills.
Zanni said that Jace initially was acting towards the camera on the first day on set, similar to how theatre actors must act toward the audience during stage performances. Besides the quick adjustment, Jace was a natural in front of the camera.
Playing the role of a young boy in a zombie movie, Jace was one of the younger actors on set. However, Amber said the age difference never stopped him from bonding with his castmates.
"They did everything they could on set to make him comfortable and making sure that he was feeling seen and heard and comfortable and not awkward," Amber said. "As a mom, I could not have asked for a better first experience for Jace... Even following the filming of "How I Got Here" they continually support Jace's projects."
The cast members have also stayed friends since wrapping the film. Hughes, who played Jace's on-screen brother, spent the day with Jace in the hospital after his appendix ruptured in October. Amber said she was thankful that Hughes was there for Jace when she couldn't be in the hospital with him.
Since working on "How I Got Here," Jace has taken acting classes, attended a camp with the New York Film Academy and has worked on several other movies. Although it can be time-consuming for Amber who has to find Jace's auditions, provide transportation and stay with her son on set, she said it's rewarding to see her son doing what he loves.
"Watching him do what he does and how much enjoyment he's getting out of it and then seeing the final product is so worth it to me because he's growing so much as a person and we get to be around some amazing people," Amber said. "I think I enjoy it just as much as he does."
Jace hopes to continue acting. After graduating from high school, he hopes to study acting or astrophysics.
"How I Got Here" will have two Chillicothe showings on Dec. 18 at the Majestic Theatre, located at 45 East 2nd St. There will be a showing at noon and 6 p.m. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the How I Got Here Movie Facebook page.
CEO of Ohio Creations Daniel Griesheimer, who was a producer and actor in the film, said production for a "How I Got Here" sequel will begin in the summer of 2023. Jace and many of the principal cast members have agreed to return for the sequel.
Megan Becker is a reporter for the Chillicothe Gazette. Call her at 740-349-1106, email her at mbecker@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @BeckerReporting.
This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: Nashport child actor gets start in acting in Chillicothe zombie film
