Jake Raymond completed his feature film, Ashes, which will be making the festival circuit starting with a world premiere at the 2017 Milledgevile Film Festival in Georgia. The film is about a man who explores and experiences his grief in losing his parents by fulfilling their final wishes. Jake talks to us about creating, writing and what inspires him. Check out the interview below.

Tell us about Ashes and your character, Liam. What was it like playing a character who experienced tragedy and going through that journey? 

Ashes is a passion project and my first feature film as a writer and producer. The motivation for the film was to create an acting opportunity for myself and my friends. There are so many talented actors these days, most of the time just getting an audition is a win in itself, so I wanted to write a script that I could cast my friends in and give us all an opportunity to work together. Along the way I found a whole new love for film-making and I’m excited to continue my career not only as an actor, but also as a filmmaker.

In the story, we find my character Liam, after discovering his parents’ final wishes are to have their ashes scattered where they first met. Joined by his closest friends, they set out to explore the place for themselves as they navigate old memories while creating new ones.