Carlos Leon, a 2003 graduate of Full Sail’s Film program, was one of five business owners recently named as “America’s Best Young Entrepreneurs 25 and Under” in BusinessWeek magazine’s fourth annual poll. Carlos was selected from a list of hundreds of nominees by a voting committee that included Virgin CEO Sir Richard Branson, among other corporate innovators.

Carlos was recognized for his success as the founder of CML Studios, a full-service production facility available to independent producers, filmmakers, and photographers for music videos, commercials, photos shoots, and short films. Located in North Hollywood, CML has attracted a number of high-profile clients since opening in 2006, including Warner Bros, Discovery Channel, VH1, MTV and Sirius Satellite Radio.

Speaking with Carlos about the honor, he cited his time at Full Sail as a major catalyst for helping to develop his company, and keeping it evolving as he looks to the future. “The tools that I learned through Full Sail’s Film program were what I needed to successfully develop CML Studios,” he shared. “My ultimate goal is to create a media conglomerate with assets in various mass media such as television, radio, publishing, movies and the Internet.”

Full Sail’s Film staff was also excited by the recent news, with Program Director Dave Franko attributing Carlos’ success to the same dedication he showed while in school. “Carlos Leon was an ambitious student from day one,” Franko shared. “His drive, willingness to learn, and unique style have made him successful in his career. I can’t wait to see what Carlos and CML Studios plan on producing in the near future.”


See more on Carlos and the award at BusinessWeek.com.