Filmmaking / Directing : 30 bits of advice from Robert Rodriguez on leading a creative life by Laurie Ashbourne

I love him too.

His book "Rebel Without A Crew" is quite good, as well.

His book is a fairy tale. What worked for him, when back when, would not work for him today or anyone else for that matter.

With all due respect, JD, I must disagree with your premise. Based upon what I know of the story, I find the use of "fairy tale" to be both belittling, and inaccurate. I'm not suggesting that this book is without its flaws - it's a bit too self-congratulatory, at times. However, I haven't read of anyone who disputes that he made the film for peanuts, acted as his own, one-man film crew, etc.. As for the marketing... well, he pulled that one off, didn't he? Otherwise, I doubt we'd be talking about it, or him, in a film-industry forum today. As for it "not working today": if you mean how he marketed "Mariachi", I agree, that was a unique situation... but if you mean that nobody else could do the same, well, this is the D.I.Y. era of YouTube, and Kickstarter. If anything, I would imagine it's a lot more plausible, if not just as likely, for one to make a startling first film, with no money or crew, and get noticed. No offense offered, or intended- I'm just trying to discuss the ideas presented here.

Have you read the book? I have. I am not disputing that he made the original El Mariachi for pennies. That was then, this is now. He was very creative and able to "call in favors" by going back to his home country and town. I refer to things like: going to your local police department (in his case Mexico) and asking the local officers to appear in a running gun battle in the streets and if they would please bring their automatic weapons. As I said, what worked then and in Mexico, would not work today. Today, in Mexico the drug cartel would shoot him dead for bringing too much attention to the streets. In the US, your local police would hold you for questioning and possibly a psych evaluation for making such a ridiculous request. It's not a guidebook for the beginning filmmaker of today. It's a semi-autobiographical book, nothing more.

Well, Mexico is not his home country, he is American.

And yes, he is very talented, although that Mariachi film got noticed in countries where they didn't speak Spanish, so they read subtitles, in Spanish speaking countries the dialogues in the movie sound very very very very stupid, and since it is Mexico where the story takes place, nobody in Mexico talks like that so you can really notice that the writer was not Mexican at all.

@Rafael Pinero Did you read his book? Are we splitting hairs here? Should I have said he went back to the hometown of his maternal or paternal parent?

Hahahaha, hey JD, what does splitting hairs mean? Sounds funny

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=splitting+hairs

Oh ok, no JD we're not splitting hairs here, I actually agree with what you were saying.

Thanks for sharing!