Auburn native brings movie magic to Placer County
AUBURN - Some movie magic in Placer County as local filmmaker Zac Hersh shines a spotlight on his hometown. The Auburn native is set to release two films this year — each filmed in Placer County.
CBS13 sat down with Hersh as he revisited his alma mater, Placer High School. The 30-year-old filmmaker shared how his high school journalism and theater teachers poured into him as a student — planting the seeds for his eventual career as a film creative.
Now, Hersh is looking to pay it forward.
"I think when you have such a great experience when you're growing up, it instills wanting to do something with that environment," Hersh said.
Growing up in Auburn, Hersh drew inspiration from the surrounding scenery.
"I would always go for walks and runs along the American River Canyon and I always had this story in my mind that I wanted to make of this couple that gets stranded out there," Hersh said.
Hersh is set to release two films this year. The first, a thriller called, "Followers," introduced Hersh to filmmaking possibilities in his hometown.
"When we left that project and I went back to LA it just burned in my mind that Auburn was such a unique and wonderful place to make movies in," Hersh said. "That's when everything came together and I remembered the story I always wanted to tell of the survival narrative."
He decided to leave Los Angeles and come home – hitting the ground running for his next project, "Confluence," a story about a young couple's struggle for survival following a rafting accident.
As he began working on the project, he prioritized highlighting the local talent.
"I think 97% of our crew was from this area and Sacramento and all such incredible talents," Hersh said.
The same story he dreamed up as a teen is now coming to life on the silver screen.
It's a full circle moment as Hersh shines a light on the place that made him who he is.
"Followers" will be available for streaming on Screambox on March 12. "Confluence" is currently in post-production with Kappa Studios and will soon be at a theater near you.