Named One of The Hollywood Reporter s 100 Greatest Film Books of All Time Famed independent
screenwriter and director Robert Rodriguez (Sin City Once Upon a Time in Mexico Spy Kids
Machete) discloses all the unique strategies and original techniques he used to make his
remarkable debut film El Mariachi on a shoestring budget. This is both one man's remarkable
story and an essential guide for anyone who has a celluloid story to tell and the dreams and
determination to see it through. Part production diary part how-to manual Rodriguez unveils
how he was able to make his influential first film on only a $7 000 budget. Also included is
the appendix The Ten Minute Film Course a tell-all on how to save thousands of dollars on
film school and teach yourself the ropes of film production directing and screenwriting. A
perfect gift for the aspiring filmmaker.