As it’s been well documented on The Original Winger, I’ve had this weird obsession with the Guy Ritchie directed Nike commercial, “Take It To The Next Level”. Everything about it is unchartered territory as far as standard soccer commercials go, from the viewers personal perspective being a lowly club player, scouted and signed with Arsenal, spot on training sessions with teammates, Premiership League substitute debuts against Manchester United, Champions League matches against Inter and Barcelona, and all the way through up to playing for the Dutch National Team. And don’t forget the cameo’s. The Voyeur, Tevez, Rooney, Zlatan, Ronaldinho, Sneijder, van Nistelrooy and Cristiano Ronaldo to name just a few.

I always found myself wondering along with everyone else, “who was the person that was the player?” Was it van Persie? Fabregas? I just couldn’t figure it out.

Just about a week ago I found out who the guy is behind the entire commercial through a random conversation between a couple of Hollywood United players at the Home Depot Center before the SuperClasico match and never realized that guy is the same guy I’ve been playing with for the past four months.

Meet the man behind the 10 pound helmet cam, Gilbert Montoya, a Sacramento raised Southern California transplant since 1993.

Montoya’s backstory started like many in California, being brought up in an American sports culture during a time when there wasn’t much of a soccer backsplash. Playing the game as a youth when the World Cup was a match seen on Telemundo at 4am and not a hint of the world’s biggest game in the newspapers. The only “Soccer” being played at a Professional Level being the whispers of the MISL (the Wichita Wings, San Diego Sockers and the LA Lazers).

Raised by a single mother, who like many of us couldn’t afford the likes of pay to play ODP, Montoya was taught the passion of the game through his Mexican Grandfather, who between trips back and forth to Mexico would bring jerseys, scarves and magazines showing what the game brings to people everyday throughout the world, something that would stick with him to this day.

“After playing out my two years at American River College, I had the opportunity to earn a contract with the LA Lazers back in 1993″, Montoya said. “They ended going out of business just before I got there.”

Ahh…. Sure does sound like a whole lot of players who, between the late 80’s and early 90’s had no place to play unless you were apart of the United States National Team.

But Montoya decided he was going to stick it out in this Town of Dreams, with a ball at this feet as often as he could.

Throughout the course of our lunch at Cheebo’s on Sunset Blvd (and a big shout to David Wiess, thank you!), Gilbert was welcoming, open and humble.

Beans - So what’s have you been up to lately?

Montoya - Nike does this major campaign every four or five years that uses athletes from every sport and I just did the choreography for the soccer shot with Argentina and Atletico Madrid striker Sergio “Kun” Aguero at the Coliseum (USC). It starts with Paraplegic sprinter Oscar Pistorius, then transitions to Kun and working with him was amazing. It’s one thing to Choreograph a commercial, but another thing to have a player of Kun’s ability where you can say to him, “I want to see if you can do this, because the camera angle with be this tight” and not only can he do it, but he can add his own flair and speed to it. It was incredible to see him juggle while sprinting, cut at full speed and then pull of a rainbow which will transition the next shot into the hands of a Basketball player.

And then the Dodge commercial with the US Women’s National Team traveling to face the Women from Brazil, myself and Hilton Goring were behind that, so not a bad start to the beginning of 2008.

Dunny - So how did you get to this point, where you’re able to be in front of the camera and choreograph behind it?

Montoya - I’m actually trying to get back to India where a lot more of Soccer films are being done. I’ve already done a few, worked with some big Bollywood stars, directors and have been a part of some pretty major productions. So to take that experience, be able to bring it back here and utilize everything I’ve learned would be great.

Being an Assistant Choreographer to Andy Anser and being in front of the camera as an actor has helped me carry a lot over, from understanding what everyone from the director to the grip is looking for when they’re talking camera angles and down to what every single person on a set is responsible for.

With the Nike “Take It To The Next Level” they wanted someone who understood what Guy Ritchie would be looking for, someone a bit smaller for the angle and feel of the commercial, but ultimately incorporating my experience as actor, a footballer and my love for filmmaking.

It also is extremely helpful being a photographer.

Dunny - So speaking about angles, was that just a single camera helmet cam?

Montoya - They made the helmet specially to fit this one camera, but in the end we had three cameras on the helmet. The whole helmet and camera weighed ten pounds, which doesn’t sound like much until the first time I started juggling with it on, following the ball up in the air and almost tipping over before I caught myself. It took me at least three or four days to get used to it!

Beans - Was that a Guy Ritchie treatment and concept?

Montoya - It was a Nike thing and three productions companies were involved. The American arm was 72 and Sunny and they handled most of the production, overseeing the English and Spanish production when we were in their respective countries.

It was their baby and the commercial won the 2008 Golden Lion Award at Cannes so that was amazing for everyone involved.

Dunny - Playing with those guys must have been amazing.

Montoya - I was pinching myself everyday on set. Juggling with van Nistelrooy and Sneijder, trying to take the ball away from Cristiano Ronaldo as he’s coming at you forty five miles an hour, stepping over so fast you’re tripping over yourself, to just knocking it back and forth with Ronaldinho.

I sat there saying to myself everyday, “Wow, how did I get so lucky?”

Dunny - How do you even get to that point where you get a phone call saying you’ve got the part?

Montoya - I had done some work with some of the people involved before, namely Andy Anser. I had to do a screen test with the helmet on to prove that I could be able to do everything that would be required of me on the set.

After that I had to do another test with two other actors in front of all the Nike Execs and Guy Ritchie and his team. I had to understand what they were looking for, from a technical standpoint, a player’s standpoint and and athlete’s standpoint.

Luckily I got the job, was over the moon about it and was ultimately contracted for the one month shoot that would take place in England, Spain and here in the States.

Beans - Which stadiums did you film at?

Montoya - We shot a lot at Millwall, the Arsenal training grounds, a junior stadium just outside London, a 1st division team’s stadium just outside Barcelona, Olympic Stadium in Spain, Manchester Junior Stadium, Emirates Stadium and ended in Los Angeles.

Dunny - Besides going to Spain to film, did Nike fly in the guys to shoot?

Montoya - Materazzi and Zlatan filmed the day after Inter’s loss to Liverpool in the Champions League. (Little side note - Materazzi was red carded during the match and during the press conference, Zlatan was asked why he thought Inter lost. Zlatan shouldered over towards Materazzi and said the reporter should ask him. Materazzi walked out of the press conference.)

Things were interesting that day, but everyone I filmed with was amazing to be around.

Funny story, I had just got done talking with Guy about a shot. I went over to tell Zlatan what we’d be doing, me running behind him as he dribbled the ball towards goal. I told him that I wouldn’t be trying to take the ball from him, just running behind like I was chasing him.

Zlatan looked me up and down and said, “You can try to take the ball, but you’ll never get it.” And he was right, I never got it.

Real Madrid allowed Sneijder and van Nistelrooy to come in for the day, shooting for four or five hours and then taking off for Madrid.

Everything else was done around the players schedules. And I’ve got to say it again, I’m the luckiest guy in the world.

From a kid growing up in Sacramento never knowing if he’d get to step on the same field as his hero’s, to filming with the biggest name players in the world. Who says you have to stop dreaming the moment someone says you have stop playing this game we love.

images via Whatstoeat, NoFatClips, Footy-Boots, Mcalcio, Reformrevolution