Check Out Marcos Justo’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marcos Justo.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
It started with a teacher. A teacher who understood me when others did not. She pointed me in a direction I didn’t know existed and introduced me to a community who “got me”, encouraged me and lifted me up. It was a network of filmmakers, authors and artists all with the same love of horror movies that I had. I found myself supported by so many adults who had similar experiences as myself when they were kids. They became my mentors and my friends and set out to teach me all about filmmaking; from directing to acting, special effects to editing, makeup and costuming, props, set design….everything! I’ve had opportunities most kids my age wouldn’t. They’ve shown me that anything is truly possible and helped me gain hands-on experience to jump-start my career as a filmmaker. A horror filmmaker.

I began attending formal classes at New York Film Academy a few years ago and through that, have produced several short horror films that are currently doing well with film festivals worldwide. At NYFA, students are able to film projects on the Universal Studios Backlot. That’s given me access to learn on the very same sets you’ve seen in all of the big blockbuster films.

Along the way, I discovered it’s impossible for a kid my age to get on professional working sets unless they act so I began taking small roles here and there to get a first-hand look at how more experienced directors work with their actors and crew to make their visions come to life. One thing lead to another and now the acting has taken on a life of its own with more opportunities popping up all the time.

With my future-focused squarely on horror, I’m carving out a path for myself in many different ways. I know I’m still young and have a lot to learn and am so grateful for the head start I’ve been given.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it hasn’t always been smooth. Not everyone around me has understood my interest in horror films and that caused some problems earlier on. When I was very young, in elementary school, the other kids didn’t like scary things and some of the adults saw it as odd and something that needed to be fixed for me to fit in. That’s really hard on a little kid. It felt like to no one accepted me. Eventually, I switched to a school that specifically supports kids in the entertainment industry. A school that celebrates unique goals and interests in ways that my previous school did not.

Sometimes you just need to scrap it all and start completely over. That’s what I did and it changed everything for the better.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a well-known Horror Cosplayer here in Los Angeles, appearing at conventions and events all year long. It’s a great way to explore my favorite horror film characters while honing my special effects, make-up, performance and costuming skills all at the same time. I love surprising the crowds. Sometimes my costumes are so elaborate, they never realize it’s me underneath. If you are in town, you must check out the two major conventions I never miss; Monsterpalooza and Midsummer Scream. I use my Instagram page, @thatcreepycoolkid, to share all the horrific fun and let my followers know about the cool horror-related events and destinations we have here in Southern California.

During the pandemic, I kept myself busy creating and performing in the CIRCUS OF NIGHTMARES as a way to entertain my community during the then “cancelled” Halloween. I partnered with Motion Picture FX Company’s Monster Club Kids, and together with my creepiest friends, we have grown the Circus every year since, with thousands of visitors stopping by during the month of October for our spooky show. I even take the Circus on the road to events around Southern California throughout the year. This year will be our fourth and everyone is invited. All ages welcome. You can follow the Circus on Instagram @Circus_of_Nightmares for show times and details as we get closer to the Halloween Season.

I’m excited to share with you a few upcoming film projects that I’m involved in; THE DEAD PLACE ( Director: Michael Pickle | Horror Show Pictures ) just completed filming and is currently in post-production. YOU CAN’T KILL THE BOOGEYMAN II (Director: Dillon Kroe | Dark Crown Films) and THE NIGHT BUTCHER II (Director: Mr. J | Mr. J Entertainment & Moncolva Media Group) start filming very soon. Get ready, these scares are for real!

Follow my personal film projects on Instagram and YouTube @TCCKFilms. My two latest films, DUCK and THE FORGOTTEN ONE can be seen at film festivals worldwide right now. I have a new script in development that promises to be my biggest production yet. Stay tuned for SHOVEL MASSACRE.

We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I think the biggest risk of all was sticking to what I knew to be true about myself even when there was so much pressure from others to be something else. I was too young at the time to really understand that, but with the help of my family, we found a space where I can completely be me.

Nowadays, every time I start a new project it feels like a risk. My ideas go out to the world for everyone to see and judge for themselves. So far, the feedback has been great, supportive and this encourages me to keep going. The future of Hollywood Horror is right in front of me and I am ready.

Contact Info:

• Website: imdb.me/MarcosJusto
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/thatcreepycoolkid
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/thatcreepycoolkid
• Youtube:youtube.com/TCCKFilms
• Other: https://instagram.com/circus_of_nightmares 

Image Credits
Rawl Paredes, Dillon Kroe