Filming Day
By Paul Guzman-Sanchez
I had a vision. I wanted to show the world what my son Leo is all about—how this brave and determined 12 year-old is facing down autism. So I packed up my camera gear and my “crew” (i.e. my wife and kids), and drove down to the California coast to film.
Skateboarding was one of my passions growing up, and it remains one of my favorite past times. I wanted my kids to be able to experience that feeling of being weightless on a vertical wall, flipping the board and landing back on it. I decided one day to put all the pads on Leo and attempt to teach him how to skate. He took to it in no time. Like many beginners, Leo found skating difficult at first (initially, he would fall over, turn the board and not straighten out). Finally, during one session at a nearly empty skate park, I padded Leo up and we tried again. This time he stayed “on board,” balancing without falling off. Ever the proud father, I had to get this on film for everyone to see.
Today, Leo can skate without losing his balance, though my wife and I are always around to insure our son’s safety. It’s been a tremendous bonding experience for Leo and me, and I feel very lucky to be able to share the exhilaration of skating with my son. Leo has come a long way, and we‘re confident that he will continue to grow in all his endeavors.
Getting The Shot
Getting the footage of Leo skateboarding was a challenge. I'm the experienced camera person in the family, but in this case I had to put down the camera to help my son skateboard. Fortunately, my wife Monica Guzman-Sanchez was there to film us. I directed her to film us at different angles and as the video reveals, she did a great job. At the end of the day, we got footage of Leo making his skating breakthrough.
Day After Day: a father and son sing-along
The sun set was setting and we needed to get the shot before dark. Fortunately, Leo knew the lyrics to Day After Day all too well. So when I got the shot set up and everyone in place, Leo was ready to go. He remembered the words to the chorus perfectly and we were able to get one of the most important shots of the video. Watching my boy sing the song I composed for him is a cherished memory for me.
Camera Crew:
Director/Producer/Camera Man/Editor:
Paul Guzman-Sanchez
2nd Camera Man:
Monica Guzman-Sanchez
Extra appearance by: Brianna Guzman-Sanchez
I had a vision. I wanted to show the world what my son Leo is all about—how this brave and determined 12 year-old is facing down autism. So I packed up my camera gear and my “crew” (i.e. my wife and kids), and drove down to the California coast to film.
Skateboarding was one of my passions growing up, and it remains one of my favorite past times. I wanted my kids to be able to experience that feeling of being weightless on a vertical wall, flipping the board and landing back on it. I decided one day to put all the pads on Leo and attempt to teach him how to skate. He took to it in no time. Like many beginners, Leo found skating difficult at first (initially, he would fall over, turn the board and not straighten out). Finally, during one session at a nearly empty skate park, I padded Leo up and we tried again. This time he stayed “on board,” balancing without falling off. Ever the proud father, I had to get this on film for everyone to see.
Today, Leo can skate without losing his balance, though my wife and I are always around to insure our son’s safety. It’s been a tremendous bonding experience for Leo and me, and I feel very lucky to be able to share the exhilaration of skating with my son. Leo has come a long way, and we‘re confident that he will continue to grow in all his endeavors.
Getting The Shot
Getting the footage of Leo skateboarding was a challenge. I'm the experienced camera person in the family, but in this case I had to put down the camera to help my son skateboard. Fortunately, my wife Monica Guzman-Sanchez was there to film us. I directed her to film us at different angles and as the video reveals, she did a great job. At the end of the day, we got footage of Leo making his skating breakthrough.
Day After Day: a father and son sing-along
The sun set was setting and we needed to get the shot before dark. Fortunately, Leo knew the lyrics to Day After Day all too well. So when I got the shot set up and everyone in place, Leo was ready to go. He remembered the words to the chorus perfectly and we were able to get one of the most important shots of the video. Watching my boy sing the song I composed for him is a cherished memory for me.
Camera Crew:
Director/Producer/Camera Man/Editor:
Paul Guzman-Sanchez
2nd Camera Man:
Monica Guzman-Sanchez
Extra appearance by: Brianna Guzman-Sanchez
