Goshen actor returns to Michiana for new film, inspires local girl

A hometown kid is bringing the glamour of Hollywood back to Michiana.  Saturday afternoon, and all through the weekend, a movie was being filmed in the Niles area. 

A Goshen native is the reason behind it, and is in turn inspiring a local girl to follow in his footsteps. 

"I was at school and my grandma texted me, 'hey do you wanna be in a movie?' I was like huh?," laughs 13-year-old Allyssa Carmichael.

She's now living out the beginning of her dreams: her first role in a movie.

"I would love to be an actress one day," adds Carmichael.

It's a movie that's deeply rooted in Michiana.

"They flew in out of Los Angeles to look at the home to see if they would like to use it to shoot some of the movie in, and they were excited about it and wanted to use it," says Cindy West. 

West is Carmichael's grandmother, and now, her booking agent.

"My husband said to them he would like it if they would use our granddaughter in a scene. A shot of her riding through on a horse or down the road," she explains. 

West also owns the old historic home that will be used in the film.

The film is called "The Shade Shepherd" and is created by, and starring, Goshen native Jordon Hodges. 

Hodges says he wanted nothing more than to bring his movie back home.

"This old home we're shooting at was built in like 1840. They've been holding of on demo-ing it for us so we could shoot it. You don't get that in L.A., and it's always good to be home," adds Hodges. "The support, the community, and the people."

For Hodges, coming back home to share his passion and his calling is something special.

"Just getting to know more of my town is awesome, the area I grew up in," he explains. 

But it's also something inspiring: helping those who call Michiana home, never forget their dreams.

"It's always about the young people and inspiring people," says Hodges.

"Seeing someone from this area, and you know, him being in a movie and then him coming out here and doing all of this...it's really crazy and it's awesome," adds Carmichael.

This isn't the first time Hodges has been back in town for a movie.

He filmed "Sandcastles" in the area in 2014, and plans on coming back to film two more feature films in Michiana in the future. 

"The Shade Shepherd" is expected to premiere in late 2018.