WAR OF FILMS INTERVIEW with Carlos Leos

First of all we would like to know a little more about you. So that the audience has as

much information as possible. Who is Carlos Leos?

First off, all glory and honor to God! Thank you so much for this opportunity to speak with you about our feature film and series, I Know a Stranger.

Carlos Leos is a very interesting person I’d have to say. Thank you for asking. I was born on the Southside of Philadelphia PA, (let’s go Birds, Phils, 6rs) but I’ve been well traveled over my years. It would seem I was destined to be in the entertainment business as my mother was a professional singer in the Air Force and I have several other famous family members. I come from a long line of entertainers.

I performed in my first talent show at around age 11 and really, never looked back. I was offered my first professional recording opportunity at around age 13 and recorded my first song. Soon after I was managed by a rock and roll legend, named Buddy Miles, signed through an A&R to a label, spending most of my time in the recording studio regularly, and working with other major recording artist in the Texas area.

In 2012, I wrote and published my first novel under the pseudonym, Amard Efil.
I’ve been writing novels and screenplays ever since. In 2021, I wrote, produced, directed and starred in Amard Efil’s Man of Men, which is a series screenplay I wrote based on my 3rd novel titled Man of Men. I have gone on to write, produce, direct, and star in several other award-winning films, as well as continuing to win awards for the title tracks and scores for films I’ve worked on.

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How many years have you been making movies and how did you end up making movies?

As a member of a hip hop duo, the 820 Rydaz I went by several names, but I mostly used Dub B or WB. Around 2002 we had a song starting to get some radio attention and needed a music video. A producer that worked for Warner Brothers spotted me during the video shoot and asked me if I’d like to audition for a small part in a film he was shooting. I auditioned for the film, but was ultimately cast in a bigger, starring role in the series. I again never looked back.

After finding international distribution success with the series, I began being contacted to star in other films. Over the course of working with other starring actors and starring in other films, I began to realize the value in combining my musical talents with filming. I recorded my first title song for a film I was working on and won 2 Telly Awards for the song and music video. This is when I decided to start writing my own stories, writing, directing, and producing my own films, as well as doing stunts and fight choreography, and of course scoring my own films.

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Let's talk about your project. How long did it take from the initial idea to have it ready to be released?

From the initial idea of I Know a Stranger, it only took us about 3 months to have a completed project. The original title was Sebastian, and was being written to be a series, so it did take a little longer than I wanted to get it completed. It is ready to be released as we speak and we are certainly looking at distribution options now, but as an artist, it is very hard to feel my projects are ever complete. I’ll make tweaks and changes forever if someone doesn’t stop me.

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Can you tell us a bit about the process you've had with I Know a Stranger? Is it self- financed or were you able to get financing?

This project was certainly a process! The original script was actually given to me as a short film (25 pages). I was asked to help make it screenplay and work out issues with the script, and to only play the role of a cameo role (Mr. Bob). As I began writing the screenplay, more story began to develop and before we knew it, I had written a full feature, but guided it to be a series. I Know a Stranger was born.

Unfortunately, I had no budget for this film or for a series when we decided to move forward with production. I reached out to a lot of my contacts in the industry for help, but we still did not find or have a budget prior to filming. In fact, the night before cameras were supposed to roll, I ended up having to remove several key individuals from the project and start building a team I knew could help me get it complete. The show must go on. Ha ha! Any costs of the production came directly out of my pocket. So long story short, absolutely no budget.

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No spoilers, but what will the public find in I Know a Stranger?

I believe the public will find what we have with I Know a Stranger. We have found a very well-crafted idea that has been developed and is developing into a great story with deep characters and suspenseful intentions. I Know a Stranger is a well-produced feature with lots of potential.

I Know a Stranger’s cast really stands out as award winning and the cinematography is top notch. This is a feature film and series with a great soundtrack and film score, and all of this was done with no funding. The public will find a film and series that should look as though it had no budget. It does not.

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Have you been inspired by any other film of the same genre?

In all honesty, I think it can be hard not to be influenced by other films in a lot we do these days. There are so many other great films in this and other genres, that have paved the way for people like us to be able to follow in their direction. It would be unfair to credit some and miss others. We certainly drew from some inspiration from slasher films with masks, but I can say this was original in concept and design.

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There are many creators who seek inspiration from other artists, literature, music, painting, etc. To create this work have you used references from other arts? If so, what are they?

If I understand the question correctly, yes, we used a lot of references from other arts in I Know a Stranger. To tell the whole story, I believe it is necessary to lean on other talents and experiences. Fortunately, I have many years of experience in multiple areas of the arts, so I have been able to lean on those experiences as well as others to complete this story.

I have leaned on being a published author to write and help create development for the characters, my musical talents to help build scenes, and my experience as a martial artist to choreograph fight scenes and stunts. I have also leaned on the talents of my cinematographer, sound experts, and business partners to help make sure we have a complete project.

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We would also like to know more about your film preferences. We would love to know which directors you like and which are your favorite movies.

This is always a hard question for me. I think that because I have done so much in the industry on my own, I tend to try and stay away from having a “favorite”. As I have said previously, there are so many great directors, writers, actors...etc, that I most likely have drawn from over the years.

I feel as if I favorite any of the many I can enjoy, I may start to compare my work or draw from what they’ve done and change my though process. I enjoy a lot of individual’s works, but I’d rather craft what I do based on my ideas. I will say that I have learned a lot from a director I have worked with named Brett Mauser. There is no way I could be where I am now and want to be where I want to be tomorrow, without his guidance.

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There are great classics of cinema considered masterpieces, but for us cinema is subjective and we also love films that critics may consider bad. Do you have movies that are not considered masterpieces but that you could watch over and over again without stopping? Which are?

This is such a great question. I think the term “masterpiece” can be subjective. There are many works I consider masterpieces. I also try not to see others’ work as “bad”. I know how hard this business is and how hard it is just to make something in the first place. Let alone making something others can consider as a masterpiece. Everyone works hard in this business, or at least you hope so. Everyone deserves credit for finishing their work and presenting it to the world. It’s a tough world.

I will however say that The Breakfast Club is a film I can watch over and over. Major Payne also.

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Your favorite black and white movie?

There are SO many great black and white films. I have always been a fan of the original Psycho. 12 Angry Men and To Kill a Mockingbird were great too, but I really do not want to leave any off this list. I give credit to those films considered “masterpieces” in their day.

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Have you seen anything by Stanley Kubrick? How would you define it in one word?

I have several Stanley Kubrick films. Based on the ones I have seen; I’d define the films in one word as reality. Based on what I’ve seen, I see elements of reality that perhaps some do not want to address. Perhaps they just may not know how to capture them in the way Stanley Kubrick does, but when I’ve seen these films, I’ve often found myself thinking this is what you don’t normally see, but this is really how it is. Or could be at least.

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Your favorite 2010-2020 movie or series?

These are so tough. That’s a lot of great movies to think through. Just thinking through the eras, I’d have to say Shaun of the Dead was pretty great for me. 2004, I think. I don’t know if I’d have a favorite, but I really loved this film.

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Your favorite actor or actress?

I have so many! I hope that’s fair, but again I hate to minimize the influence any have had on me. I will say that I have always wanted to work with Mark Wahlberg, Christian Slater, Emilio Estevez, Eva Mendes, Denzel Washington, and Katherine Isabelle...just to name a few. There are a lot more I really enjoy watching!

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Changing the subject, one of the concerns of many creators is the lack of financing or opportunities that producers provide. What do you think about this?

I believe I could talk for a while on my view of this. As someone that has created this great project, I Know a Stranger, and others and paid for everything out of my own pocket, I certainly believe there should be more resources available to creators. There are so many places that can be gone to now, that sometimes it can be hard to determine the best next steps when it comes to financing or just filming in general. I think sates should work closer with creators in their states and maybe even should help provide potential resources to help fund projects made by their own talented individuals.

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A very personal question, but... What are your strong points and weak points?

I think some of my strong points are being good working with people and helping to coach to things that have worked well for me and not. I am passionate about helping others and I believe it is because of the experiences I have had in this industry. Many people and situations have let me down and or hurt me. I could either be someone

that does the same to others, or, I can make sure I help those that have been in my situation.

I also think a strength is that I am always trying to learn and always trying to make sure I don’t think I know everything. Everyone brings different strengths and weaknesses. We can all learn a lot from each other.

My weak point is in trying to do “it” all myself. Because I have had so many experiences in so many different areas of this industry and others, it tends to be easy for me to forget that I have a team that also has strengths they can bring and even lighten the “load” sometimes. Delegating responsibilities to others has been a weak point I have identified previously. Currently I am working to recognize when I can lean on others and allowing them to help us get completed.

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Do you have experience on the festival circuit? As a filmmaker, how do you see film festivals? Where do you think they should improve?

I do have experience on the film festival circuit, but this is only my first time doing this from the Producer/Director side. I’ve been entered into festivals as an actor before and really had no idea how it all worked then. I have gained so much more insight doing this now from this side.

As a filmmaker, I see film festivals as a great way to help others connect with each other and of course, to be able to share their work to the world. They are also great ways to help young individuals to this industry, to be awarded/rewarded for their time and efforts.

Based on my experience so far, I do not see many improvements and can only speak to what I have seen so far. I do wish there was a way to not potentially ruin the filmmaker’s opportunity to receive distribution just because the film has been seen at festivals. I understand the desire to be the “first to premiere”, but I believe this hurts chances to gain awards and to be distributed. It limits the pool of opportunities I believe. I do also wish the festival hubs would connect more to the filmmaker and festival.

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Do you have any other project in mind? Can you advance us something?

I do not only have other projects in mind, but also have several that are ready to go.
I have a couple of others that are already in the film festival circuit and winning awards as well.

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Would you like to add something else?

If I had to add something here, I would say thank you so much for the opportunity to share with you all about myself, my team, and my film/series, I Know a Stranger. We firmly believe that we have a great project and truly cannot wait to be able to share it

with everyone. We will be getting back to filming more episodes soon, so this platform has and will really help not only myself, but future and current filmmakers as well.

I would also say to those that would listen, if you see a child/youth trying to be creative, support them in any way that you can. People always think that support comes in finances only. This is a big help to us being able to accomplish our dreams, but I believe its support that builds the confidence of a youth, and this support helps them to dream the dreams we are all trying to help make come true for someone.

God Bless, Carlos