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| Daniel Padilla, actor, personality and writer posing for the moment. |
Daniel Padilla and Aaron Lopez are two local guys from
Espanola. Two local guys with big plans. Daniel and Aaron are both attending
the Northern New Mexico College film program working with local filmmaker and
lead faculty David Lindblom on their course work. But they are a far cry from
your normal college student. Now that they got their feet wet in the arts and
technology there is no stopping them.
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| Aaron Lopez behind the scenes, in the directors chair. |
“We were already working in radio, shooting videos and
getting a lot of things rolling,” says filmmaker and business owner Aaron
Lopez. “PROTEC got us thinking about starting a business and taking it to the
next level.” Aaron has created Aaron Leon Film, a production company for film and media. Aaron has three projects in
production in Espanola,a small city located in one of the most beautiful valleys in northern New Mexico. Aaron has partnered with the local community to document the work being done to prevent child
abuse and is independently working on a documentary to bring awareness about
opioid addiction and prevention.
Daniel Padilla has been working across the state on films as
an actor. He has recently played parts on Night
Shift, Graves and Waco. All the films are New Mexico-based productions, part of the overall NM film industry boom that is projected to bring in over 300 million in direct spending to the state in 2017. Daniel is finding plenty to engage in. “I am so busy. I have a
speaking role coming up on a film in October, I am working with Aaron on his
business and I have one more semester to complete at Northern New Mexico College.”
Most recently Daniel and Aaron partnered to pen a theatrical
play, 12 Switches, which was
showcased at the New Mexico History Museum as part of the Lowrider Summer
events in Santa Fe. “I think this is the first ever play about lowrider
culture. I was the music creator for the play and it was a blast,” states Daniel.
Both Aaron and Daniel are using PROTEC skills in exploring
business partnerships, to get work in the film business, promote themselves and
the many radio, theater and film projects they are getting rolling in Espanola.
Most recently they integrated their radio show, The Nemmy Show, with Northern New Mexico College. Request lines are
open! http://famoushiphopradio.com/
“We want to showcase the quality film work we can do here in
Northern New Mexico. Sometimes Espanola gets a bad rap. We want to showcase the
potential, how we can be entrepreneurs and bring business to our community.”
Aaron and Daniel are both committed to hiring locals and have found a lot of
talent in their film school program. “We are part of the film crew that works
in Northern New Mexico,” says Daniel, citing their program at Northern New
Mexico College as being a catalyst for getting a lot of their projects rolling.
“Hands on production is a great way to learn. At Northern we get a chance to
apply the skills we learn and put them to work.”
Daniel and Aaron plan to keep making movies and serving the
community they live in. Says Daniel, “We both have a love for music. We both
work in radio and we both see how we can combine live performance, with film
and music. It is just the beginning.”
The energy these two guys are putting into their work is
contagious and just chatting with them you get an idea that the sky is the
limit. “We plan to put a lot of work into getting this business running,” says
Aaron who is in final semester at Northern New Mexico College. “I have put
other things, like my acting career, on hold right now because now is the time
to make movies in New Mexico. And Daniel and I are doing just that.” Best of
luck to Aaron and Daniel. I have no doubt we will see their names on a
marquee at a theater near you very soon!
