FEATURED FEARMAKER: Carlos Omar de Leon

There used to be a time when filmmakers were forced to flock to main cities, like Los Angeles, to pursue a career in showbusiness. Int the past, the West Coast held a majority of the key elements to a successful film industry. In the past couple decades, however, technology has moved the film industry out of Los Angeles and into the rest of the world. Not using tons of expensive celluloid film, cameras being cheaper, and editing software being accessible all made it possible to open source the business once held firmly in Hollywood and New York. This advancement opened a new world for people wanting to tell their stories, including this week’s Featured FearMaker, Carlos Omar de Leon. Originally from Nebraska and currently living in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Carlos has been a horror fan from the beginning, and his own films are something to be reckoned with

Originally from South Sioux City, Nebraska, Carlos was introduced to horror by his siblings. They would rent horror films by the dozen, everything from mainstream films like Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th to cult classics like Hellraiser and the Puppet Master films. Carlos would often sneak behind his siblings to watch the films, being locked away if he was found, mainly because the films gave him nightmares. He was relentless, eventually using these early horror films as inspiration for his own films.

To Carlos, making films was a calling heard long ago. As a child, he would often cast his own family and friends to play roles in his amateur productions. The calling became stronger, eventually landing himself a place at the University of South Dakota to study filmmaking. After graduation, Carlos Omar de Leon began working non-stop in the field. From television commercials, corporate videos, and web videos, his artistic approach and attention to detail rendered a marketable and polished product.

The films from Carlos Omar de Leon are creative, creepy, and extremely well executed. It is clear that he has a well-carved path for himself which is exceptionally noticeable in his short film KAL – The Clown, which boasts over one million views on the CryptTV Facebook page. Made by de Leon and Vorasine “Vince” Phrommany, the short revolves around a girl who receives a mysterious package containing the creepiest clown puppet imaginable. Seriously, that thing makes Pennywise look like a Ronald McDonald. We won’t tell you what happens, but you can watch the film below. Since then Carlos has made two more shorts and is optioning a couple of his films to make features.

Currently, Carlos Omar de Leon is finishing up his third and latest short film, Invoke. A modern throwback to 80’s horror films but based in current settings, think It Follows as a retro horror influence. It’s a cross between Candyman and The Ring. The film is currently in post-production and is expected to be released soon.

Carlos works hard, but he also works smart. He has consulted with several industry insiders, and has made crucial contacts with crew members, production houses, and saved a bit of money from directing commercials. This is one FearMaker we are definitely excited for, and we cannot wait to see what the future hold for him.