If you’re a fan of cinema, you have no doubt heard of director Robert Rodriguez. He burst on to the movie scene in 1992 with his low budget action movie, ‘El Mariachi‘ and has since gone on to direct ‘Desperado‘, The ‘Spy Kids‘ franchise and ‘Sin City‘ amongst many other films.
Rodriguez is known for keeping his films under budget and using creativity to solve problems instead of writing a check. Rodriguez and his friend Carlos Gallardo set out to make ‘El Mariachi’ merely to sell it to the Mexican video market in order to fund their next film project.
Instead, it went on to win an award at the Sundance Film Festival and launched a lucrative career – all on the back of a film that cost $7000 to make.
His story about the entire process is told in his book, ‘Rebel without a Crew: Or How a 23-Year-Old Filmmaker With $7,000 Became a Hollywood Player.‘
This book was written in the age before anybody had even heard of the word “blog.”
But that’s how it is written.
It’s excerpts from Rodriguez’s journals he wrote throughout then entire filmmaking process and the aftermath.
First entry is March 8, 1991 and the final entry is February 26, 1993.
One might think, “How do I draw creative inspiration from something that was written nearly 20 years ago?”
Easy.
I read this book at least once a year despite how old it is.
Here’s why: From the moment Rodriguez goes into a research hospital to be a lab rat and raise money for his film until the moment he finishes editing nearly 8 months later, his story is engrossing.
He worked hard. He thought of bold things to do. He didn’t concern himself with what he didn’t have. He didn’t give up because of a lack of resources. He simply used the imagination God gave him to creatively work around any issues.
He had vision.
Remember that the next time you think you cannot do something because you lack the money, gear or software to do something.
What sources of inspiration do you have that you return to time and again?
[Image from chantrybee]
mark says
This book is responsible for me wanting o get in to the media industry.
It is such a brilliant story and is an inspiration.
It shows that through ingenuity creativity grows.
BrianNotess says
This is a book is so classic that I’ve almost read it several times.
I have however read the digital follow-up by Stu Maschwitz
http://www.amazon.com/DV-Rebels-Guide-All-Digital-Approach/dp/0321413644
I’m officially inspired to almost read this book again.