Most every film fan knows that Robert Rodriguez made his first film, El Mariachi ![[B000ASDFI6]](http://www.mikeyp.com/css/external.gif)
, for only $7,000. But how he did it, why he did it, and what it did for him is a very cool story.
His book, Rebel Without A Crew , is mostly a compilation of diary entries Rodriguez kept during his quest to make a full-length feature film targeted toward the Mexican home video market. By literally sacrificing his body, using borrowed ancient equipment, and eventually going broke, he uses his determination and gut instinct to feel his way through Hollywood, where he incredibly sells his film and the rights to a sequel for nearly a million dollars. That's about $980,000 more than he planned for. As a creative guy, I found Rebel Without A Crew to be one of the most inspiring books I've read in a long time. I can't help but want to run out and buy a video camera as soon as possible!
As a bonus, the book includes the full original screenplay for El Mariachi, annotated with Rodriquez's production notes.
