Meet Casey Nelson | Actor and Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Casey Nelson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Casey, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I think the most important factor behind success is endurance. You have to understand that for most people, success does not come over night. I recently went back to my Alma Mater, the University of Georgia, to screen the film that I wrote and directed, BLACK WHITE AND THE GREYS. One of the students asked if I had any advice for them, and I simply said, “Stick with it.” Acting and the film industry as a whole, are one of the toughest fields in the world to break into. If someone had told my college self, that twenty years from now, it would still be a grind, and I’d still be struggling to “make it,” I honestly don’t know if I would have pursued a career in acting… But if you truly love what you do, no matter what field that is, and you can’t imagine doing anything else, then stick with it. I firmly believe if you work hard, put out good work, and just hang in there long enough, success will come.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I attended the University of Georgia, where I majored in Dramatic Arts, and competed on the school’s Cross Country and Track Teams. Upon graduating, I moved to Los Angeles to pursue film and television acting. In my early 30s, I discovered a passion for photography, and I also started writing screenplays. Writing was mostly for fun at first, and to create acting opportunities for myself, but I quickly fell in love with storytelling and filmmaking as a whole. I’ve now written fourteen feature screenplays, a pilot, two commercials, and six short films. When people ask what I do, I never really know what to say anymore. I suppose I’m kind of a “Jack of all Trades” at this point. Acting will always be my first passion, but right now I’m an actor, writer, producer, director, and photographer.” And I love them all…

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would start the day with a run along the Chattachoochee River, and then grab wings at Clay’s Sports Cafe in Sandy Springs. After that, I’d probably go for a walk on the belt line and grab a beer at Ladybird over by Krog Street Market. Next I’d probably need a nap, so we could go to Piedmont Park, lay out a blanket, and take a snooze in the shade. Then I’d shower up and head to a Braves or Hawks game, depending on the time of year. After the game, we could head to the Clermont Hotel Rooftop Bar.

Later that week, we could go to Stone Mountain and maybe take a drive up to the Blue Ridge Mountains or Amicalola Falls.

We’d definitely have to hit up Fellini’s Pizza, Game Day Grill in Woodstock, and Nuevo Laredo for Mexican. If we had time, I’d take them up to Athens, to see where I went to college and hopefully catch a Georgia game.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have a lot of people to thank for where I’m at. My mentor and dear friend, to this day, is my high school track coach, Mike Morris. My father passed away when I was fifteen, and as fate would have it, I started running a few months later, where I met Coach Morris. He coached me to seven county championships and one region championship. I vividly remember running with him one Sunday morning, and he asked me why I wanted to be a runner. I told him, “I had never been great at anything, That I wanted to be truly great at something.” He said, “If you work hard and stay consistent, you can be a great at this.” I think I’ve carried that with me my entire life, even into acting and filmmaking. The key is just “Showing up” everyday… Consistently showing up is half the battle.

I’d also like to give a shout out to my buddy and writing partner Simon Sorrells. Simon and I were in Drama School together at UGA, and moved out to LA around the same time. We became roommates and fast friends, and went on to write four screenplays together. LA can be very tough and lonely town for a twenty something kid, trying to make it in show business, and Simon was always my rock. We always had each other’s backs and he helped get me through some pretty difficult times back then. He’s also an incredible writer and actor, His talent and drive have always helped motivate and inspire me.

A few other folks that have helped me along the way are my family, my buddies Jason Duda and Art Moore, and my producing partner Jay Jablonski, to name a few.

Website: www.blackwhiteandthegreys.com

Instagram: @caseynelson23

Other: www.caseynelsonphotography.com