“Days of our Lives” and “The Young and the Restless” alum Zach Tinker is keeping himself busy outside of daytime with starring roles in several upcoming film projects, including “The Dregs,” “Face of the Earth” and “The Toast.” Meanwhile, Tinker’s latest film, the psychological thriller “Beneath the Light” from writer/director John Baumgartner thatwas co-written and produced by Dr. Cindy Davis Seng, a psychiatrist at the Cleveland Clinic, sees the actor playing a young man who, at the end of his rope, returns to his hometown after his mother’s passing to take a job repairing an isolated, haunted lighthouse.
Shot entirely on location in and around Lorain, Ohio, including the town’s iconic 108-year-old Lorain Lighthouse on Lake Erie, Zinker took time to speak with Soap Opera Network about the film, including how it inspired a murder mystery game and novelization, filming during the Hollywood actor and writer strikes, which required an interim agreement/waiver to proceed with production, and whether he’d be interested in returning to daytime soaps, among other topics.
First things first: “Beneath the Light” is pure fiction, despite a marketing campaign that might make it appear otherwise. “They’re trying to make a real world out of it—a whole inclusive experience. But yes, it’s a standalone, fictional story,” says Tinker, referring to the video game and novel add-on experience that can be had on the film’s official website, beneathelight.com.
As for his own experience shooting the movie in Ohio, particularly the lighthouse scenes, Tinker says the location is “very creepy and isolated and old and run down, which is always nice. The less you have to pretend and the more you can exist in an atmosphere, is always great as an actor, the less you have to be.” That said, he notes that the interior shots were done on a soundstage. Still, his time at the physical location of the lighthouse for exterior shots helped amplify what his character is going through, sharing, “If you’re on a sound stage and you’re like, ‘Okay, I’m in this creepy lighthouse.’ It’s like I was there and we were there. So it was very advantageous, at least to me as an actor, to be on the set, on location, feel the atmosphere, not push anything, and really respond naturally.”
Vision Films
Describing the film as psychological horror with a mystery element, Tinker points out that, for the most part, “Beneath the Light” is like any other movie, easily crossing genres, particularly through its dramatic elements and even comedic beats.
In the film, Tinker plays Jacob, who is left alone for extended periods by the surly lighthouse owner, Jim Murdoch (John Pyper-Ferguson). As his isolation and uneasiness grow, he is forced to confront his past mistakes or risk losing his sanity forever.
While the circumstances wouldn’t be something that Tinker would allow or accept for himself, he says his character “doesn’t have many options, and he’s just desperate enough for work and for purpose that he’s just like, ‘All right, screw it. I got to do what I got to do.'”
As Jacob falls headlong into a series of mysterious and frightening experiences that make him question his sense of reality and confront his long-standing anxiety and memory gaps, a budding romance with his childhood friend, Olivia (Anna Nicolle Chavez), provides comfort for the young man. However, the key to his redemption lies with the lighthouse owner and the unexpected bond they share.
Zach Tinker Vision Films
Laying out the characters and their backgrounds, Tinker reveals, “John’s character, Murdoch, and my character are both very tortured, depressed, and angry individuals, at least at that point in their lives. [Olivia] is troubled, and she’s the only real source of light in the film. So, more than a point of romance. I look at it as if she’s this beacon of hope throughout the course and this source of positivity [for Jacob].”
Shot in October and November 2023, Tinker says that despite the dual strikes taking place at the time of filming, “There wasn’t really a difference to be felt on set. It still felt like a normal movie production.” That said, he did mention that the main difference, if any, was that the actors “weren’t really auditioning for anything else and all your friends were at home just twiddling their thumbs.” Meanwhile, commenting on the lasting impact of that period on productions, he noted that even after the strike ended, he feels “the industry has not really returned to its former self post-Covid [and] the strike.”
As for working in Ohio itself, he says, “It was interesting. It’s very different from L.A. It’s a very different world from L.A., especially in Lorain, a small, quiet town that’s rebuilding. It went through hardships, and now it’s trying to rediscover and rebuild itself. And I think that was the coolest part: when I went out there for the premiere [in early September], the best part was when the film referenced certain things. In the movie, there’s a line where I’m saying, ‘Oh, I went to Lorain High School,’ and then my character goes, ‘Go Steelman,’ which was their mascot, and the whole audience was like, ‘Whoa!’ and freaked out. And that was really charming and really made me happy to see people find this joy in seeing their town be represented.”
Speaking of the premiere, we wondered how different it was from the typical Hollywood style, which Tinker recalled as “less glitz and glam, but more hometown pride and real care. It didn’t feel like —and this is no shade to Hollywood and premieres out here —but a lot of the time, people go to premieres to be seen, meet people, and network, and that’s part of the industry. I do that too, but it was literally just people going to see a film that was filmed in their hometown, or they knew people involved in the film, or they supported the director in making the film. And so that was it.”
The time he spent in Lorain was memorable for Tinker, who says he’d love to go back even if just to hang out. “It’s a very quaint, smaller town, so there’s not a lot to do and explore, but I lived there for a month filming the movie, a month and some change. So really, when I went back to the premiere, I remembered my routine when I was there. I’d film, but on the weekends, I’d go to this gym, and I remember the drive and the routes.” Further, “It really felt interesting going back to this place where I lived for some time, and it’s got a real charm to it, and I have a real place in my heart for the people in the town.”
Considering his background in soaps, particularly with actors mastering the skill of memorizing lines and dialogue, Tinker says he carries that experience with him in everything he does. “You’re forced to memorize not only lines, but sometimes not very natural dialogue. And so it’s always helped me in everything I’ve done. Also, you have to have your #$#$ together —pardon my French —because you really only get one take and one shot at doing it. So I think it helps me, because I’m not an actor who needs four takes to get my lines and be in it. I can hit the ground running.”
Outside of “Beneath the Light,” Zinker just wrapped the comedic horror film “The Dregs,” which was shot in Canada and also stars Nava Mau, Maddie Phillips and Charlie Gillespie, among others. “It’s an ensemble comedy about this group of friends that goes to Italy for a friend reunion, and they drink this cursed bottle of wine, and then one by one they start exploding and [they try to] reverse this curse.”
Another film coming out soon is “Face of the Earth,” which was shot in Puerto Rico a few years ago, as well as “The Toast,” which follows a desperate wedding party scrambling to prevent the drunk Father-of-the-Bride from giving a disastrous welcome toast.
Zach Tinker Todd Williamson/Peacock
Despite a thriving film career, Tinker wouldn’t say no to returning to soaps, revealing if producers called him tomorrow asking for him to come back, he would. “It’s ironic, I was there for a year and a half or two years on ‘Days of our Lives,’ and they asked me to re-up, and I turned it down and left, and then I did ‘Fire Country.’ And, at the time, it felt like the right move. I’ve been doing a lot of indie films, and they’re creatively fulfilling, but man, they don’t pay the same. So now I’m like, ‘Man, I should have just stayed there.’ But look, I’d be more than thrilled to go back and get to play with that group again, whether it be ‘DAYS’ or ‘Y&R’ and explore Fen and who he’s become, because I know last time I was there, there was a big revelation. So I’m sure he has some backstory to unpack. I’d be thrilled.”
With Halloween right around the corner, Tinker looks forward to audiences giving “Beneath the Light” a chance, saying, “I think it’s a really fun ride. I think a lot of people would enjoy it, and I think it’s worth a watch. I would encourage people to watch it and try to guess the twist ahead of time, and it’s something to watch in October for sure. It’s a spooky movie with scares and mystery, and I think it’s a fun ride. I would encourage people to take a peek.
“Beneath the Light” is now available to rent or purchase on several major streaming platforms, including Fandango, Prime Video and Apple TV.
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“Days of our Lives” and “The Young and the Restless” alum Zach Tinker is keeping himself busy outside of daytime with starring roles in several upcoming film projects, including “The Dregs,” “Face of the Earth” and “The Toast.” Meanwhile, Tinker’s latest film, the psychological thriller “Beneath the Light” from writer/director John Baumgartner thatwas co-written and produced by Dr. Cindy Davis Seng, a psychiatrist at the Cleveland Clinic, sees the actor playing a young man who, at the end of his rope, returns to his hometown after his mother’s passing to take a job repairing an isolated, haunted lighthouse.
Shot entirely on location in and around Lorain, Ohio, including the town’s iconic 108-year-old Lorain Lighthouse on Lake Erie, Zinker took time to speak with Soap Opera Network about the film, including how it inspired a murder mystery game and novelization, filming during the Hollywood actor and writer strikes, which required an interim agreement/waiver to proceed with production, and whether he’d be interested in returning to daytime soaps, among other topics.
First things first: “Beneath the Light” is pure fiction, despite a marketing campaign that might make it appear otherwise. “They’re trying to make a real world out of it—a whole inclusive experience. But yes, it’s a standalone, fictional story,” says Tinker, referring to the video game and novel add-on experience that can be had on the film’s official website, beneathelight.com.
As for his own experience shooting the movie in Ohio, particularly the lighthouse scenes, Tinker says the location is “very creepy and isolated and old and run down, which is always nice. The less you have to pretend and the more you can exist in an atmosphere, is always great as an actor, the less you have to be.” That said, he notes that the interior shots were done on a soundstage. Still, his time at the physical location of the lighthouse for exterior shots helped amplify what his character is going through, sharing, “If you’re on a sound stage and you’re like, ‘Okay, I’m in this creepy lighthouse.’ It’s like I was there and we were there. So it was very advantageous, at least to me as an actor, to be on the set, on location, feel the atmosphere, not push anything, and really respond naturally.”
Describing the film as psychological horror with a mystery element, Tinker points out that, for the most part, “Beneath the Light” is like any other movie, easily crossing genres, particularly through its dramatic elements and even comedic beats.
In the film, Tinker plays Jacob, who is left alone for extended periods by the surly lighthouse owner, Jim Murdoch (John Pyper-Ferguson). As his isolation and uneasiness grow, he is forced to confront his past mistakes or risk losing his sanity forever.
While the circumstances wouldn’t be something that Tinker would allow or accept for himself, he says his character “doesn’t have many options, and he’s just desperate enough for work and for purpose that he’s just like, ‘All right, screw it. I got to do what I got to do.'”
As Jacob falls headlong into a series of mysterious and frightening experiences that make him question his sense of reality and confront his long-standing anxiety and memory gaps, a budding romance with his childhood friend, Olivia (Anna Nicolle Chavez), provides comfort for the young man. However, the key to his redemption lies with the lighthouse owner and the unexpected bond they share.
Vision Films
Laying out the characters and their backgrounds, Tinker reveals, “John’s character, Murdoch, and my character are both very tortured, depressed, and angry individuals, at least at that point in their lives. [Olivia] is troubled, and she’s the only real source of light in the film. So, more than a point of romance. I look at it as if she’s this beacon of hope throughout the course and this source of positivity [for Jacob].”
Shot in October and November 2023, Tinker says that despite the dual strikes taking place at the time of filming, “There wasn’t really a difference to be felt on set. It still felt like a normal movie production.” That said, he did mention that the main difference, if any, was that the actors “weren’t really auditioning for anything else and all your friends were at home just twiddling their thumbs.” Meanwhile, commenting on the lasting impact of that period on productions, he noted that even after the strike ended, he feels “the industry has not really returned to its former self post-Covid [and] the strike.”
As for working in Ohio itself, he says, “It was interesting. It’s very different from L.A. It’s a very different world from L.A., especially in Lorain, a small, quiet town that’s rebuilding. It went through hardships, and now it’s trying to rediscover and rebuild itself. And I think that was the coolest part: when I went out there for the premiere [in early September], the best part was when the film referenced certain things. In the movie, there’s a line where I’m saying, ‘Oh, I went to Lorain High School,’ and then my character goes, ‘Go Steelman,’ which was their mascot, and the whole audience was like, ‘Whoa!’ and freaked out. And that was really charming and really made me happy to see people find this joy in seeing their town be represented.”
Speaking of the premiere, we wondered how different it was from the typical Hollywood style, which Tinker recalled as “less glitz and glam, but more hometown pride and real care. It didn’t feel like —and this is no shade to Hollywood and premieres out here —but a lot of the time, people go to premieres to be seen, meet people, and network, and that’s part of the industry. I do that too, but it was literally just people going to see a film that was filmed in their hometown, or they knew people involved in the film, or they supported the director in making the film. And so that was it.”
The time he spent in Lorain was memorable for Tinker, who says he’d love to go back even if just to hang out. “It’s a very quaint, smaller town, so there’s not a lot to do and explore, but I lived there for a month filming the movie, a month and some change. So really, when I went back to the premiere, I remembered my routine when I was there. I’d film, but on the weekends, I’d go to this gym, and I remember the drive and the routes.” Further, “It really felt interesting going back to this place where I lived for some time, and it’s got a real charm to it, and I have a real place in my heart for the people in the town.”
Considering his background in soaps, particularly with actors mastering the skill of memorizing lines and dialogue, Tinker says he carries that experience with him in everything he does. “You’re forced to memorize not only lines, but sometimes not very natural dialogue. And so it’s always helped me in everything I’ve done. Also, you have to have your #$#$ together —pardon my French —because you really only get one take and one shot at doing it. So I think it helps me, because I’m not an actor who needs four takes to get my lines and be in it. I can hit the ground running.”
Outside of “Beneath the Light,” Zinker just wrapped the comedic horror film “The Dregs,” which was shot in Canada and also stars Nava Mau, Maddie Phillips and Charlie Gillespie, among others. “It’s an ensemble comedy about this group of friends that goes to Italy for a friend reunion, and they drink this cursed bottle of wine, and then one by one they start exploding and [they try to] reverse this curse.”
Another film coming out soon is “Face of the Earth,” which was shot in Puerto Rico a few years ago, as well as “The Toast,” which follows a desperate wedding party scrambling to prevent the drunk Father-of-the-Bride from giving a disastrous welcome toast.
Todd Williamson/Peacock
Despite a thriving film career, Tinker wouldn’t say no to returning to soaps, revealing if producers called him tomorrow asking for him to come back, he would. “It’s ironic, I was there for a year and a half or two years on ‘Days of our Lives,’ and they asked me to re-up, and I turned it down and left, and then I did ‘Fire Country.’ And, at the time, it felt like the right move. I’ve been doing a lot of indie films, and they’re creatively fulfilling, but man, they don’t pay the same. So now I’m like, ‘Man, I should have just stayed there.’ But look, I’d be more than thrilled to go back and get to play with that group again, whether it be ‘DAYS’ or ‘Y&R’ and explore Fen and who he’s become, because I know last time I was there, there was a big revelation. So I’m sure he has some backstory to unpack. I’d be thrilled.”
With Halloween right around the corner, Tinker looks forward to audiences giving “Beneath the Light” a chance, saying, “I think it’s a really fun ride. I think a lot of people would enjoy it, and I think it’s worth a watch. I would encourage people to watch it and try to guess the twist ahead of time, and it’s something to watch in October for sure. It’s a spooky movie with scares and mystery, and I think it’s a fun ride. I would encourage people to take a peek.
“Beneath the Light” is now available to rent or purchase on several major streaming platforms, including Fandango, Prime Video and Apple TV.
For more information about the film, visit beneaththelight.com.
Watch the trailer below.
Note: The post Zach Tinker Goes ‘Beneath The Light’ In Latest Film – INTERVIEW first appeared on Soap Opera Network.
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