Meet Miguel Lopez De Leon

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Miguel Lopez De Leon a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Miguel, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?

Movies, books, live theatre and music all help keep my creativity alive and well. A lot of my work as a filmmaker and actor are also influenced by the work I did as a novelist. The first novels I wrote were called the Galadria Trilogy. The first book, Galadria: Peter Huddleston & The Rites of Passage, introduced readers to a lonely boy named Peter, who discovered that he was the heir to the throne of a politically unstable realm called Galadria. Although it is a fantasy series full of enchanted boomerangs, magical chocolates and fantastical creatures, the series also explores themes of complicated family dynamics, love, mental health, loss, grief, loneliness, and self-confidence. I incorporated and explored those same themes in my work as an actor and filmmaker. For example, one of my comedic films, Ghost Leave, is a fun story about a man who is harassed by a ghost who refuses to leave his house, and will not let him sleep. Instead of being scared of the ghost, however, the man constantly argues with the spirit, as the two resemble bickering roommates rather than fierce adversaries. This spin on the classic haunted house story, while fun, takes the fear out of what is usually portrayed as a dark and stressful situation. It also subtly explores themes of life after death, having a sense of humor, patience and family. So far, I’ve directed, written and acted in fourteen short films and two feature films, and all of them explore similar themes.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am a filmmaker who directs, writes and acts in the films that I make. Prior to being a filmmaker, I had a career as a novelist, and published ten books. Many of the themes I explored in my novels I also incorporate into my films, so the combination of the two fields has really been a great creative outlet for me. So far, I’ve made fourteen short films and two feature films, all of which are making the rounds at various film festivals. At this point, I really do make my films with the intention of entering them into film festivals, and I’m more than happy in that indie film space. I love attending film festivals and meeting all the filmmakers and actors, and really enjoy watching the films that they’ve made. It is also a great experience to see audiences watch my films and see what does and does not resonate with them. It is an awesome education. I find acting and filmmaking a fantastic way to tell stories and give a voice to the characters that I find compelling. And while I always want my films to be fun and entertaining, I also hope to impart a message or explore a theme in each individual story. For example, the first feature film that I made, Walk Silent, is about an unhappy man who discovers the reason behind his bizarre bouts of sleepwalking. While I hope this is a fun, dark and entertaining film, it also explores facing one’s inner demons, loneliness, the supernatural, empowerment, and life after death. My second feature film, Bellow, is about an exhausted man who tries to survive a relentless haunting. It is in the thriller genre, and also explores themes of the supernatural, death and mental health.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I would say that the three qualities that were most impactful on my journey as a filmmaker were perseverance. consistency, and the willingness to take control of my own career, and not put my ability to work into someone else’s hands. Early on, I did what most actors do and got an agent and went on auditions. And while that is definitely a traditional and sometimes effective way to pursue a career, I have found that also making my own films, and acting in them, allows me to have more control of my work and create more opportunities for myself. In essence, I’m not waiting for the phone to ring. And while I fully understand that this option is not right for everyone, it has been a great fit for me. The first thing I did when I decided to make my own films was to attend as many film festivals as possible, just as an audience member, to really watch and observe the indie films being made, listen to the panels, chat and learn from the filmmakers, and just become familiar with the indie film world.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

I’m always open to potentially collaborating with filmmakers. As a filmmaker myself, I enjoy seeing how other creatives work, and enjoy learning from them and their experiences. The best way to reach me is via my website: https://www.migueldeleonart.com/

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.migueldeleonart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miguellopezdeleon1/?hl=en
• Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8905409/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0