Omar McClinton

Omar McClinton (born June 22, 1970 - ) started his entertainment career as a local Chicago commercial and industrial film actor in the early 80s. It was during this time he told the director he worked for the most, Brad Bate, that he wouldn't have to pay him for the day, if that director agreed to teach him how to direct. Luckily Brad paid him anyway, but he then took Omar under his wing and taught him the ins and outs of directing and film production. Once Omar made the transition from in front of the camera to behind it, he started writing screenplays while working at Brad and his wife Kaye Lorraine's production company 'Major League Producitons'. It was during this time Omar won his first award for writing, it was a screenplay entitled 'Little Boy Blues'.

Years later, Omar Produced and Directed his first independently funded film by working three jobs. This film was called Tall, Dark & Handsome. His crew was not industry professionals, they were close friends that believed in his dream and him in their abilities and desire to make movies. It wasn't until his film had almost completed principal photography that a representative from Universal Studios saw his unfinished film and offered him a deal with the studio. Part of the deal was having the film re-shot with 'talent attached' and a larger budget, his original $10,000 (US) to 1.5 million (US). Omar spent the completion money for his film and moved out Los Angeles in 1996. It wasn't until months later that Universal studios was bought by Seagrams and the entire production deal fell through leaving Omar with no money, and a partially completed film.

Omar then used his only remaining contact and began working his way up through the industry ranks. Starting in the mail room of Universal Studios, he made the acquaintance and sought after the advice of many well established Writers, Producers and Directors. Soon after, Omar took an entry-level position with a Visual Effects company in Burbank California. During 1997 - 1998 he ascended from production assistant to visual effects coordinator on a variety of popular television shows and feature films. This experience afforded Omar the opportunity to join Saban Entertainment / Fox Kids Network as a CGI Production Manager guiding projects for their successful Fox Kids lineup in 1999.

Omar reached the pinnacle of his Visual Effects career when he and several former coworkers launched their own Visual Effects company in the fall of 2000. It wasn't until he felt he hadn't reached his true potential that Omar returned to his first loves of writing, producing and directing and subsequently helmed several short films, documentaries,television and feature film projects from 2001 to the present.

Omar has since combined his knowledge of the industry and created his own independently financed production company `Various Artists Productions'.