Robert Rodriguez, filmmaker
Robert Rodriguez, filmmaker
SepT 26, 2003
A one-man movie machine, filmmaker Robert Rodriguez has garnered an impressive reputation as the mastermind behind Dimension's powerhouse "Spy Kids" franchise, all while maintaining his indie credibility with films such as the last installment in his "El Mariachi" trilogy, the recently released "Once Upon a Time in Mexico." Writing, directing, producing, editing and scoring his own projects, the genre-hopping Rodriguez seems the perfect candidate for ShowEast's Award of Excellence in Filmmaking. He recently spoke with The Hollywood Reporter's Gina McIntyre about being tapped for the honor.
The Hollywood Reporter: How do you feel about being selected for the ShowEast Award of Excellence in Filmmaking?
Robert Rodriguez: Great! I heard I was going to get something at ShowEast, and I wasn't sure exactly what it was. But any time someone's going to select me for something, I'll be there with bells on! (Laughs) In the business, you know what a rare thing it is to have the third (film in a trilogy) outgross the first one and the second one. It's been great, especially when you think that (July's "Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over") was actually the least expensive of the three.
THR: You've had an exceptionally busy year with "Spy Kids 3-D" and "Mexico." What was it like to work on two films nearly simultaneously?
Rodriguez: It was really fun. I want to do it actually from now on, where you shoot two movies back-to-back -- it gives you a lot of distance from each one. I had to do the "Spy Kids" movies so quickly that it was hard to get a bird's-eye view of them. You're so close to it so fast, and then it comes out before you've even had the chance to really watch it. By jumping over to "Mexico," even for a week, and then going back to "Spy Kids," you see "Spy Kids" with a whole different eye. It's like you've been away for a year, and you're able to really be objective. That's especially important for me because I not only write and direct them, but I'm also the editor. It's pretty amazing. I thought, Wow, if you want to make movies quickly, do a couple at once, and you won't ever feel like you're burning out on the same thing.
THR: Few directors are able to switch gears in that way -- making a family film and an action-adventure film back-to-back. Do you enjoy having the creative freedom to tell both of those kinds of stories?
Rodriguez: I think it just keeps you always being creative -- that's why I do so many jobs, too. You're editing, and right when you're getting tired of editing for the night, you can start scoring the movie; you don't get burned out making that one movie. You're always firing on all cylinders because you constantly have something to stimulate you.
THR: Does that hands-on approach stem from your background as an independent filmmaker?
Rodriguez: Absolutely. I had to do it on (1992's) "El Mariachi" because there was no money -- it was just me and the actors. There was no crew, but I enjoyed making that movie so much -- I just found as I started making bigger movies, they weren't as fun. I used "Mexico" as an excuse to go back to making movies more like "Mariachi." We shot "Mexico" in seven weeks.
THR: How do you shoot a movie like "Mexico" -- a large-scale project with name stars -- in such a limited time frame?
Rodriguez: It's not as much work as you would think. It's actually easier when you're just really small, lean and mean. The actors really love it because they're always on the set. You shoot the movie much quicker, and you have to be very creative. You're challenged to come up with things you would never be able to come up with on your own. I can't tell you how many times people will say, "How did you come up with this idea?" And I tell them, "You know what? We were just out of time or out of money, and we had to come up with something. That's how that happened." You want those kinds of accidents. It gives it its own very natural, organic energy. If you had the money, you could just wash away the problem, and it wouldn't be as good.
THR: What's up next for you? Have you chosen your next pair of projects?
Rodriguez: I'm working on a CG-animated movie, and I'm going to direct a thriller later in the year -- something a little more harder-edge. What's great about doing a CG-animated movie is I never have to go on the set for that. I could be making that at home throughout the process of making this other movie. I use a lot of Macintosh (computer equipment). The "Mexico" DVD, which I think will come out in December or January, will have a tour of my home studio. It looks like it's going to blow up -- all this equipment plugged together. From the editing to the music to the actual sound mix, I do it in my house. It's pretty crazy.
The Hollywood Reporter: How do you feel about being selected for the ShowEast Award of Excellence in Filmmaking?
Robert Rodriguez: Great! I heard I was going to get something at ShowEast, and I wasn't sure exactly what it was. But any time someone's going to select me for something, I'll be there with bells on! (Laughs) In the business, you know what a rare thing it is to have the third (film in a trilogy) outgross the first one and the second one. It's been great, especially when you think that (July's "Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over") was actually the least expensive of the three.
THR: You've had an exceptionally busy year with "Spy Kids 3-D" and "Mexico." What was it like to work on two films nearly simultaneously?
Rodriguez: It was really fun. I want to do it actually from now on, where you shoot two movies back-to-back -- it gives you a lot of distance from each one. I had to do the "Spy Kids" movies so quickly that it was hard to get a bird's-eye view of them. You're so close to it so fast, and then it comes out before you've even had the chance to really watch it. By jumping over to "Mexico," even for a week, and then going back to "Spy Kids," you see "Spy Kids" with a whole different eye. It's like you've been away for a year, and you're able to really be objective. That's especially important for me because I not only write and direct them, but I'm also the editor. It's pretty amazing. I thought, Wow, if you want to make movies quickly, do a couple at once, and you won't ever feel like you're burning out on the same thing.
THR: Few directors are able to switch gears in that way -- making a family film and an action-adventure film back-to-back. Do you enjoy having the creative freedom to tell both of those kinds of stories?
Rodriguez: I think it just keeps you always being creative -- that's why I do so many jobs, too. You're editing, and right when you're getting tired of editing for the night, you can start scoring the movie; you don't get burned out making that one movie. You're always firing on all cylinders because you constantly have something to stimulate you.
THR: Does that hands-on approach stem from your background as an independent filmmaker?
Rodriguez: Absolutely. I had to do it on (1992's) "El Mariachi" because there was no money -- it was just me and the actors. There was no crew, but I enjoyed making that movie so much -- I just found as I started making bigger movies, they weren't as fun. I used "Mexico" as an excuse to go back to making movies more like "Mariachi." We shot "Mexico" in seven weeks.
THR: How do you shoot a movie like "Mexico" -- a large-scale project with name stars -- in such a limited time frame?
Rodriguez: It's not as much work as you would think. It's actually easier when you're just really small, lean and mean. The actors really love it because they're always on the set. You shoot the movie much quicker, and you have to be very creative. You're challenged to come up with things you would never be able to come up with on your own. I can't tell you how many times people will say, "How did you come up with this idea?" And I tell them, "You know what? We were just out of time or out of money, and we had to come up with something. That's how that happened." You want those kinds of accidents. It gives it its own very natural, organic energy. If you had the money, you could just wash away the problem, and it wouldn't be as good.
THR: What's up next for you? Have you chosen your next pair of projects?
Rodriguez: I'm working on a CG-animated movie, and I'm going to direct a thriller later in the year -- something a little more harder-edge. What's great about doing a CG-animated movie is I never have to go on the set for that. I could be making that at home throughout the process of making this other movie. I use a lot of Macintosh (computer equipment). The "Mexico" DVD, which I think will come out in December or January, will have a tour of my home studio. It looks like it's going to blow up -- all this equipment plugged together. From the editing to the music to the actual sound mix, I do it in my house. It's pretty crazy.
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