From Technology to “Hollywood North”: The Unexpected Start
The featured image is from Jason’s appearance on Season 21 Episdoe 9 of Murdoch Mysteries.
Sometimes opportunity does not arrive with fanfare or dramatic timing. Sometimes it comes quietly, through a forwarded email, a passing comment, or a moment that feels small at the time. For Jason Carson, the principal of Carsonix Inc, his journey into film began that way. What started as something playful and unplanned slowly turned into a path with meaning, growth, and community.
Over time, Jason has worked on multiple film and television sets, steadily gained experience in background and atmosphere roles, completed the requirements to become an ACTRA union member, and began participating in conversations that are shaping the future of performance work. His involvement with ACTRA’s AI Subcommittee adds another layer to his story. It reflects not only where he has been, but where the industry is going and the role he hopes to play in protecting people’s identity and likeness in a rapidly changing world.
Jason’s IMDb page can me found here: imdb.me.jasoncarson (more to come!)
Jason’s full list of work can be viewed here: backstage.com/u/jasoncarson78/
The featured image is from his appearance on Murdoch Mysteries.
Now, we look back at how it all began.
Q: How did your first connection to acting happen?
Jason: It actually started as a joke. A friend of mine, Karen Gan, who works as a hair and makeup artist in the industry sent me a casting call looking for people to play computer nerds. She jokingly said, “Hey Jay, you should apply; you’re a nerd!.” So I thought why not and I did. I wasn’t chosen for that role and I didn’t think anything more about it. Little did I know they had kept my information in their database…
Q: When did things start to move forward?
Jason: About five months later, a casting coordinator named Veronica reached out to me. She offered me a small background role in a non-union production. The role was an upscale party guest. It was my first time on camera and even though all I had to do was walk across the room, I was sooooo nervous! I walk all the time but at that moment I became extremely self-conscious of every move I made. The director understood it was my first time and was very supportive, and after a few takes I began to feel comfortable. That experience opened the door.
Q: How did you begin getting more roles?
Jason: I started meeting people are learned about several talent databases; I submitted my information and was accepted. Every role I got I added it to the list when applying for my next role, showcasing my experience to build more experience. It was not fast and it was not instant, but it was steady. One job led to the next.
Q: How did ACTRA membership happen?
Jason: To join ACTRA as an ACTRA Additional Background Perfomer (AABP), you need to earn fifteen “white vouchers” within a 12 month period. I collected them in 4 months to the day. April 17th, 2025 was my first one and August 17th, 2025 was my fifteenth. Each filming day earns you a voucher. When I reached fifteen, I went to the ACTRA office in Toronto and became a member. It was a milestone that represented patience and commitment more than anything else. A professional credential in the industry.
After joining, I completed the required training as well, including online Zoom classes for new performers. Those sessions helped explain how sets work, how to handle contracts, and how to navigate the film environment confidently. It made everything feel clearer and more accessible.
Q: How did you become involved in the conversation around AI and likeness rights?
Jason: At a welcome event for new members, there was a discussion about how there is no legislation protecting not just actors but the general public to own the rights to their own likeness (look, voice, etc..) and how AI can use our likeness to create characters without our express permission and without compensation. Right now, performers do not have legal ownership over their own likeness. I have a background in AI (Here is an article about me in The AI Journal), so I shared my experience and previous published work. That led to me joining ACTRA’s AI Subcommittee to help advocate for protections. This affects actors, but it also affects the general public. We all deserve control over our identity.
Q: Which streaming platforms can we see you on?
Jason: I have appeared in background and atmosphere roles in productions that stream on Network Television as well as platforms like Netflix, Apple TV, Paramount Plus, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu and various other streaming services. As I just began filming this year most of the content will be released in 2026 after post production is complete. However I can be seen briefly in the new television series Boston Blue, which airs on CBS (CTV in Canada) and streams on Paramount Plus. It’s a fun experience in my spare time.
What began as a light moment between friends turned into something steady and meaningful. Acting became a space for creative expression and community, and it continues to be something Jason Carson takes part in when the timing aligns. His experience in technology naturally intersects with this work, especially now that conversations around AI and identity are shaping the future of film and performance. Through his adventures he managed to land a film production company as client of Carsonix Inc.
His path did not take a sharp turn. It expanded. One step at a time. With curiosity, consistency, and a willingness to stay open to possibility.
The journey is still unfolding.