No Frills - The Career Of Robert Rodriguez

Everyone who's seen a movie they've thought was lousy has likely muttered under their

breath 'I could do this better', or at the very least thought it while enduring something on the screen in front of them. Robert Rodriguez had similar thoughts as a youngster, the difference being that he actually did go on to make his own films, by his own rules, and experienced massive success in doing so. Inspired by the films of his youth - "The Thing", "For a Few Dollars More" and similar genre classics - Robert Rodriguez set about creating his own worlds and the characters who inhabited them, using his family's hand held camera and often employing his family members to fill out the roles of the characters. He would take this ability to create with next to nothing by way of available resources and parlay it into a Hollywood career.

Robert allowed himself to be used as a test subject for various drug and food companies, and with the money he raised he put together the 1992 film 'El Mariachi' - yet another instance of his ability to get things done via any manner necessary. The film, centered around a guitar playing Mariachi who gets tangled up with a gang in Mexico, was shot and produced for $7000 and he was able to qualify for inclusion in the esteemed Sundance Film Festival that same year. Columbia Studios picked up the film for distribution and it was a popular feature at the festival.

This marked the start of Rodriguez's career as a Hollywood professional. Over the ensuing ten years after his Sundance success, Robert directed, wrote and produced films that saw him work with notables such as Quentin Tarantino, George Clooney, Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas. His 'no frills' mentality still firmly in place, he had an uncanny ability to produce films that had big budget Hollywood production values but actually cost a fraction of what similar or comparable works often required.

Rodriguez now had his own complete production house established at his home - the realization of his childhood dreams. At home, he was able to completely create his films including any necessary post-production special effects, and he used his 'by necessity' esthetic that he developed in his childhood. His debut in the financially rewarding children's film venue, came in 2011 when he made 'Spy Kids', and this departure for him surprised peers and theater-goers alike. The film was an enormous hit that went on to spawn three additional sequels.

Having been mentored in the ways of cost saving digital film making techniques from none other than digital pioneer George Lucas, Rodriguez was now able to expand the production values of his films and spend even less money doing so. He went on to co-direct the visually groundbreaking 'Sin City' as well as the 70s throwback 'Grindhouse' (with longtime friend, Quentin Tarantino).

by: Robert Nickel

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