San Antonio provides inspiration to maker of ‘Margarita Man’ film.
Inside a local paleta shop, a phone call rang that was about to shake three generations of the Martinez family, owners of a hub for flavored-frozen treats.
Jimmy Martinez answered the phone in his office beside the ice-cold kitchen where workers poured an all-natural mix into molds that were frozen and wrapped for sale.
With his father Jose nearby, he listened as the dean of a local university talked about his son Miguel’s partying ways. And there was more — an outstanding tab for damages to his son’s dorm room.
Jimmy Martinez stewed about the revelation. This was the last straw. He decided to teach his son a lesson and stop paying his tuition. Though concerned, the news and Jimmy’s decision didn’t diminish Jose’s love for his grandson who lived to have fun and nothing to do with the family business.
If you looked behind the duo, you would have seen a movie camera and San Antonian Daniel Ramos as he directed the first scene of his 2019 movie titled “The Margarita Man” filmed entirely in the Alamo City.
“I couldn’t believe I’m finally directing a movie,” Ramos, 53, said. “San Antonio had my back. I was very blessed to have everyone professionally come in and make a beautiful film.”
In 2018, Ramos and a small crew filmed that scene with veteran actors Jesse Borrego (“Blood In, Blood Out”) and Pepe Serna (“Scarface”) inside El Paraiso Ice Cream, the landmark blue-and-white building on Fredericksburg Road.
Serna said because Ramos was from San Antonio, he was a fun filmmaker to work with, and treated the cast and crew like family. He encouraged the city to “support your filmmakers, they are creating incredible talent from their hometown.”
The independent movie from Drop Zone films and Mutt Productions is the culmination of more than 30 years he has invested in a career that began on the Southeast Side.
Ramos’ film tells the story of Miguel, who dreads becoming his working-class father and sells margaritas to stay in school after his dad stops paying for classes.
Anthony Guajardo (“The Walking Dead”) plays the title role of the partying son in the romantic comedy. Ramos said it isn’t a true tale, but was inspired by his brother Miguel, who had a margarita business in the 1990s. The cast of the award-winning film also features Barry Corbin (“No Country for Old Men”), Sebastien De La Cruz (“America’s Got Talent”), and Danny Trejo (“Heat”).
In 2019, the film won the Gold Award for best picture and comedy feature film at the Hollywood Independent Film Maker awards & festival and winner at the Accolade Global Film competition and IndieFEST Film Awards. The film is currently streaming on Amazon Prime, Spectrum, and FandangoNow.
Family and friends pitched in financially and worked behind the scenes to help Ramos’ dream project come true. His parents, Esther Ramos and Raul Ramos, and brother Raul Ramos Jr. were among the producers on the film.
The director’s passion can be traced to his 86-year-old father, who filmed the family’s activities with a Super 8mm camera. A singer of ballads and Spanish songs, Raul Ramos chose raising a family over the pursuit of a singing career.
Ramos was in the eighth grade when a presentation by the Highland High School drama club opened a gateway to the performing arts.
“That struck a nerve like a chord,” he said.
Ramos joined the drama club, acting on stage and learning technical lighting. In his senior year, he was elected vice president of the club.
As a junior, he became a fan of the soap opera “General Hospital.” When his mother and aunt learned the show was filming at Market Square, they encouraged him to try out as an extra. The director gave him a bit part in the story line that featured the soap’s high-profile couple, Luke Spencer and Laura Webber, played by Anthony Geary and Genie Francis.
After his first taste of a film set, the teen secured a local talent agent. But his father asked what his backup plan was, a question that would steer him to the director’s chair.
Ramos found his Plan B at San Antonio College in the Radio Television Film program. His work came full circle when he returned to the campus to film the scene in the president’s office with Trejo as the dean of the college where Miguel studied.
He honed his craft around the city working with different media outlets from KTFM radio to Telemundo San Antonio. In 1988, Ramos worked in the cue card department on a Dick Clark Productions SeaWorld special and later on the “Selena” movie and R.E.M’s music video “Everybody Hurts,” filmed beneath the spanning-overpasses at Interstate 10, near Fredericksburg Road and Woodlawn Avenue.
In 1993, he worked on the film “8 Seconds,” by John Avildsen, academy-winning director of “Rocky,” “The Karate Kid” and “Lean On Me” films. Impressed by Ramos’ quick thinking when an actor needed medical aid, Avildsen hired the young San Antonian as his personal assistant. When he asked for advice on becoming a director, Avildsen said, “pick up a camera, tell a story, and direct people.”
“He really guided me,” Ramos said. “I know he’s looking down and saying ‘way to go.’ ”
Avildsen, an executive producer on “The Margarita Man,” died in June 2017. Ramos dedicated the film in memory of those who died during the film’s production to include Avildsen; Ramos’ mother; his fiancee Tracey Naranjo
A 22-year veteran of the Air Force, Vincent T. Davis embarked on a second career as a journalist and found his calling. Observing and listening across San Antonio, he finds intriguing tales to tell about everyday people. He shares his stories with Express-News subscribers every Monday morning.
and vice president of Drop Zone Films; investor Tony Liberto’s father, Frank Liberto, and Sonny Cantu, Trejo’s cousin.
Recently, Ramos was featured on ABC’s “20/20” with footage from his 2016 award-winning, reality documentary “Paparazzi: Full Throttle LA.” The documentary featured five paparazzo who had intense encounters with celebrities in Los Angeles.
At one point, Ramos was pulled into the high-octane orbit that included Kanye West and Brittany Spears. One scene featured a moment when Spears attacked his truck with a green umbrella she dropped to the pavement. He said West and Spears both resolved the encounters with a handshake and apology.
“It went with the territory, and I got caught up with it,” Ramos said.
His future projects are close to home. Ramos is developing “Margarita Man II,” with plans to film in Mexico, Los Angeles and San Antonio. On deck is the story of Father Jimmy Brennan, a former San Antonio police officer, who became a priest and chaplain to SAPD. His passion project is titled “Ravo,” based on his father’s life as a MexicanAmerican and his struggles growing up in 1930s Texas.
Ramos said he was humbled to work with family, film crew and investors in the city that launched his career.
“I’m still doing what I love to do,” Ramos said. “I appreciate everyone who has been there for me during my journey. We go do what we have to do in Hollywood, but we always bring it back to San Antonio.”