Rodriguez success yet to be replicated?

Mathieu Ghekiere · April 22nd, 2006, 07:57 PM

Hi Chris,

I should tell you that Spielberg never went to USC.
Or maybe I'm wrong, but he definately never went to film academy, like Lucas did.
Spielberg got rejected twice, if I'm not mistaken, and went on to follow English classes, but got in the television business.
I think other people (Steven Awalt maybe ;-)?) knows this better.

Best regards,

Chris Hocking · April 22nd, 2006, 08:10 PM

Opps! My mistake! Thanks Mathieu for pointing that out. Now to dig myself out of that hole....

Back in 1968, Spielberg went to the USC films screening and saw Lucas's student film "THX - 1138 - 4eb" (which is not the same as the "THX" film he later released). He was so impressed by it after the show be went backstage and met Lucas and Coppola. That's were they first met and there relationship started. So USC brought them together...

Hah! And you all thought I was stuck in that dig forever!

Many years later Barwood and Robbins helped Lucas get back in contact with Spielberg (who was almost part of the furniture at Universal Studios - the initials US are close to USC!) and their relationship was re-established.

Never-the-less, it's safe to say, that all these people are inter-related.

Chris!

Yasser Kassana · April 24th, 2006, 05:40 AM

Behind every powerful man is a woman hand...find out who his wife and you'll see why RR is so successful. She is the hustler.

Roger Rosales · April 24th, 2006, 04:43 PM

His wife, from what I have seen and researched has very little to do with his success. Rodriguez built his career with Mariachi and him coming down to LA to sell his first movie, "El Mariachi". In his book, Rodriguez NEVER makes a mention about his wife being involved with his endeavor to sell the movie. It was all him and him making his own connections.

Sure, now that he is successful, I'm sure she is a big part of his continouing success, but not in the beginning.

EDIT: I think people are trying to hard to be like others. Rodriguez had a vision and like many others have mentioned on this thread already, that is what made him unique. People focusing on being like someone else and to duplicate the steps one man took to become successfull will make that person trying unsuccessfull. That's my point of view. It was a different time and he utilized things and methods that others coudlnt' think of at the time. He was INNOVATIVE. Today, it's hard to find that innovation because everything is easily accessable.

Don't try to duplicate and strive to make your own story. Place your own mark in the industry. Instead of digesting one mans success, digest your own abilities and expand them to the fullest until you acheive your goal.

Shaun Patterson · May 15th, 2006, 11:26 AM

With Rodriguez you have the perfect match of Hustle, Talent and Technical Knowledge. After reading his book I came away with one very important point and that is that the film industry is inundated with a "you cant do that" mentality. He urges the readers to make films within their means instead of trying to make a film the way they think they should.

A good example of this that I have a number of friends that went to proper film school while I choose the route of New Media Design. After working in post production for a number of years and shooting all digitally I have an apreciation on how you can make a film with a a decent camera a decent computer and some creative planning. My friends however are endlessly talking about the film that they are going to make as soon as they can raise the 10,000 for their 20 minute short. They still spend entire days lighting scenes and refuse accept the digital revolution.

I have not doubt that in 20 yrs they will have comfortable union jobs and will have still never made the film that they wanted to make. On ther other hand my co-worker and I will probably have our first short under our belts by the end of the summer.

Keith Loh · May 15th, 2006, 01:17 PM

Takashi Miike is another good example of a filmmaker who really generates and works with what he has at hand. His films vary greatly in budget (and in quality - though there is no correlation). He's shot in MiniDV, BetaSP, (not sure about HD yet) and film. His output is crazy. Like average 4 films a year. I think he is shooting so much because he knows that life is short.

Joe Carney · May 16th, 2006, 11:33 AM

>>Yes, the reason Rodriguez gets his money NOW is because he makes "Hollywood low budget films", "stays within budget" and "makes a profit". But the reason he got to where he is, is because he loves films. "El Mariachi" was never intended to be successful. He made it to get experience. He planned to make a sequel to again, get experience. He planned for his third film to make him rich and famous so he could continue to get money to make films.<<

Chris, I never meant to imply he was only about the money. I meant that he knows how to manipulate the Hollywood system to his own advantage.
There isn't some commitee some where deciding the final cut of any of his movies. Thats a great place to be in. I don't envy him, I admire him.
I know he loves cinema and digital tools to create with.

April 22nd, 2006, 07:57 PM	#31
Mathieu Ghekiere Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Belgium Posts: 2,195	Hi Chris, I should tell you that Spielberg never went to USC. Or maybe I'm wrong, but he definately never went to film academy, like Lucas did. Spielberg got rejected twice, if I'm not mistaken, and went on to follow English classes, but got in the television business. I think other people (Steven Awalt maybe ;-)?) knows this better. Best regards, __________________ http://productionsofthe3rdkind.com http://pr3k.com

April 22nd, 2006, 08:10 PM	#32
Chris Hocking Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 595	Opps! Opps! My mistake! Thanks Mathieu for pointing that out. Now to dig myself out of that hole.... Back in 1968, Spielberg went to the USC films screening and saw Lucas's student film "THX - 1138 - 4eb" (which is not the same as the "THX" film he later released). He was so impressed by it after the show be went backstage and met Lucas and Coppola. That's were they first met and there relationship started. So USC brought them together... Hah! And you all thought I was stuck in that dig forever! Many years later Barwood and Robbins helped Lucas get back in contact with Spielberg (who was almost part of the furniture at Universal Studios - the initials US are close to USC!) and their relationship was re-established. Never-the-less, it's safe to say, that all these people are inter-related. Chris!

May 15th, 2006, 01:17 PM	#36
Keith Loh Air China Pilot Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Posts: 2,389	Takashi Miike is another good example of a filmmaker who really generates and works with what he has at hand. His films vary greatly in budget (and in quality - though there is no correlation). He's shot in MiniDV, BetaSP, (not sure about HD yet) and film. His output is crazy. Like average 4 films a year. I think he is shooting so much because he knows that life is short. __________________ -- Visit http://www.KeithLoh.com \| stuff about living in Vancouver \| My Flickr photo gallery

May 16th, 2006, 11:33 AM	#37
Joe Carney Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Centreville Va Posts: 1,828	>>Yes, the reason Rodriguez gets his money NOW is because he makes "Hollywood low budget films", "stays within budget" and "makes a profit". But the reason he got to where he is, is because he loves films. "El Mariachi" was never intended to be successful. He made it to get experience. He planned to make a sequel to again, get experience. He planned for his third film to make him rich and famous so he could continue to get money to make films.<< Chris, I never meant to imply he was only about the money. I meant that he knows how to manipulate the Hollywood system to his own advantage. There isn't some commitee some where deciding the final cut of any of his movies. Thats a great place to be in. I don't envy him, I admire him. I know he loves cinema and digital tools to create with. __________________ Boycott Guinness, bring back the pint!!!

April 24th, 2006, 05:40 AM	#33
Yasser Kassana Major Player Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: UK Posts: 223	Behind every powerful man is a woman hand...find out who his wife and you'll see why RR is so successful. She is the hustler.

April 24th, 2006, 04:43 PM	#34
Roger Rosales Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 254	His wife, from what I have seen and researched has very little to do with his success. Rodriguez built his career with Mariachi and him coming down to LA to sell his first movie, "El Mariachi". In his book, Rodriguez NEVER makes a mention about his wife being involved with his endeavor to sell the movie. It was all him and him making his own connections. Sure, now that he is successful, I'm sure she is a big part of his continouing success, but not in the beginning. EDIT: I think people are trying to hard to be like others. Rodriguez had a vision and like many others have mentioned on this thread already, that is what made him unique. People focusing on being like someone else and to duplicate the steps one man took to become successfull will make that person trying unsuccessfull. That's my point of view. It was a different time and he utilized things and methods that others coudlnt' think of at the time. He was INNOVATIVE. Today, it's hard to find that innovation because everything is easily accessable. Don't try to duplicate and strive to make your own story. Place your own mark in the industry. Instead of digesting one mans success, digest your own abilities and expand them to the fullest until you acheive your goal.

May 15th, 2006, 11:26 AM	#35
Shaun Patterson New Boot Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: london, ontario Posts: 15	With Rodriguez you have the perfect match of Hustle, Talent and Technical Knowledge. After reading his book I came away with one very important point and that is that the film industry is inundated with a "you cant do that" mentality. He urges the readers to make films within their means instead of trying to make a film the way they think they should. A good example of this that I have a number of friends that went to proper film school while I choose the route of New Media Design. After working in post production for a number of years and shooting all digitally I have an apreciation on how you can make a film with a a decent camera a decent computer and some creative planning. My friends however are endlessly talking about the film that they are going to make as soon as they can raise the 10,000 for their 20 minute short. They still spend entire days lighting scenes and refuse accept the digital revolution. I have not doubt that in 20 yrs they will have comfortable union jobs and will have still never made the film that they wanted to make. On ther other hand my co-worker and I will probably have our first short under our belts by the end of the summer.