Reddit Reddit reviews Rebel without a Crew: Or How a 23-Year-Old Filmmaker With $7,000 Became a Hollywood Player

We found 35 Reddit comments about Rebel without a Crew: Or How a 23-Year-Old Filmmaker With $7,000 Became a Hollywood Player. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.

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35 Reddit comments about Rebel without a Crew: Or How a 23-Year-Old Filmmaker With $7,000 Became a Hollywood Player:

u/HybridCamRev · 11 pointsr/Filmmakers

Hi u/TopherTheIncel - here are my filmmaking "desert island" books:

Screenwriting

u/TheTelephone · 9 pointsr/todayilearned

He also wrote a book about it called Rebel Without a Crew.

u/strack94 · 7 pointsr/TrueCinematography

With good cinematography comes great lighting. When I first started in the film industry as Grip, I literally sat on the back of the truck between takes and read Harry Box's Set Lighting Technicians Handbook. Its invaluable information as far as lighting is concerned. The Grip Book by Mike Uva is another great handbook. Generally, if you walked into Barnes and Noble, all the other books on the shelf are worth a read. "Rebel without a Crew" And "Save the Cat" are some great reads.

u/drchickenbeer · 5 pointsr/Filmmakers

There are a lot of great books on film out there. Don't listen to other possible saying watch YouTube or wrote your own screenplay. Well, do those things too, but learn some wisdom from some of the masters while you're at it.

You are going to want to read the following:

Hitchcock by Truffaut (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0671604295). One of the greatest directors of all time, interviewed by another of the greatest.

In the Blink of an Eye by Walter Murch (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1879505622/ref=aw_d_detail?pd=1), one of the greatest editors ever. A pretty great director too.

On Directing Film by David Mamet (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0140127224). A great book on directing by one of the great writer/directors.

Rebel Without a Crew by Robert Rodriguez (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0452271878). He wrote this after El Mariachi, before he went on to big budgets. It's one of the most inspiring books you'll ever read-- you'll want to make a film tomorrow. Basically, how to make a movie wit nothing but enthusiasm.

u/suaveitguy · 4 pointsr/Filmmakers

It is a tough industry in many ways, and built around some very specific cities. One decision you should make is what exactly you want to do in film. If you want to be an artist and create your own films, you don't necessarily need to go to film school or even work your way up in the industry. There is lots of cheap gear available. Chances are you have more than enough film making gear right now in your phone and PC, more than you could have dreamed of affording 20+ years ago- when film was film.

So if you want to work in the industry, it will mean 'paying your dues' and might mean never getting to make a film on your own - schools, training programs, etc... are a good idea. You might be poor for awhile, you might have a job so busy and high pressure that at the end of the day more film work (even on your own dream projects) might be the last thing you are interested in doing. Another approach is to come up with a solid day job outside of the industry so that you can pursue your own creative pursuits on the side until such time as they pay off. If you have to count on film making to pay the bills, you would be very fortunate to direct corporate videos and cooking shows and stuff you might not really feel. You will be so close to your dream, but so far away at the same time and that can be frustrating - depending on your goals. If you want to make films on your own terms, you can and should start right away. Don't feel bad if the first 5 or 10 of them are terrible. You are working the bugs out. Read Lumet, a bit of Mamet, and some Rodriguez. Watch a lot of Making of docs on Youtube.

​

Robert Rodriguez wrote El Mariachi with a bit of a brilliant approach. He listed all the interesting ('expensive') things he had access to through his friends (a pit bull, a bus) and incorporated those in his script so it looked a little more big budget. If you write a helicopter landing on a bridge, you would have to pay for it. If your grandma has access to a tennis court and your uncle has a dirt bike - write that instead, and you could pull it off for free. Don't get caught up buying gear, use what you have. You don't need to use lacking gear as an excuse for not making something, and don't need to use buying gear as a replacement for being creative. I have seen that a lot in film, photography, and music. You could hypothetically make a great film for free as a flip book on a pad of paper, and if you do you could show that to people that would help pay for more gear if you need it. Anyway, ramble ramble - free advice is usually worth what you pay for it. Good luck!

u/OfficialFoolsGold · 3 pointsr/Music

i always recommend robert rodriguez "rebel without a crew" to people, it made a big impact on me in high school - how he made his first movie ("el mariachi") for $7,000 with no training, no film school, no connections, and launched an entire career off an idea and hard work (and some luck!) http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0452271878 - nick

u/sonofaresiii · 3 pointsr/movies

Alright dude, here's some good books I've come up with for you:

First, Rebel Without a Crew and Either You're in or You're in the Way which are both books about young unknowns scraping together their resources and getting a movie produced and released. Robert Rodriguez (Rebel) is pretty famous, if you haven't heard of him he did the Mariachi Trilogy, Predators, Spy Kids, Machete, and a few other big ones. The Miller Brothers (Either You're in) pretty much just did their one movie, and it was only okay, but the book is a great read.

What They Don't Teach You in Film School is a great book about the production side of things

as is Make Your Movie

Shaking the Money Tree is a hugely popular book about fundraising for filmmaking

and The Digital Filmmaking Handbook is good for some modern production techniques (I don't remember how technical it gets though, a lot of it could be outdated but it's still a solid read)

The next two books aren't so much about production but just the way the industry works in general, and I highly recommend them-- they're really entertaining

Adventures in the Screen Trade and Which Lie Did I Tell? are both by William Goldman (Princess Bride, Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid) and have a lot of great, hilarious insight into the industry

Definitely check out your library before you pick any of these up though. Good luck!

u/GuineaSaurousRex · 3 pointsr/Filmmakers

Robert Rodriguez's book Rebel Without a Crew has some good info on indie filmmaking in it.

You can find it on Amazon.

u/cornelius_z · 2 pointsr/Filmmakers
  1. That depends, film school is only really worth it for the connections you'll make. For me, it was worth it. I'm from a very dead film less part of the world and University helped me meet people I can go out and make films with now. But if you're living somewhere were you can already pick up a camera and go, then no.



  2. Yes, read, research and pick up a camera.

    I'm not going to post any sites related to the art of making films, rather the act. So how to use a camera correctly etc.

    [Phillip bloom] (http://philipbloom.net/)


    [Stu Machwitz] (http://prolost.com/)


    [Vincent Laforet] (http://www.laforetvisuals.com/)


    [Nofilmschool] (http://nofilmschool.com/)

    There's many, many more. but you can start with these and see where they send you.
    Remember this is about how to use a camera correctly, not how to make a great film.

    Books:

    [DV REBEL] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-DV-Rebels-Guide-All-digital/dp/0321413644/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335343450&sr=8-1)


    [Rebel without a crew] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rebel-without-Crew-Robert-Rodriguez/dp/0452271878/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335343468&sr=1-1)



  3. The best resources for an aspiring film maker is a camera. I will give you an example

    I started by learning about DP and cameras. Like I said, I don't know lots of people who will pick up a camera and film for me. So I depend on me. I bought myself a camera, lenses, filters, shoulder mount. Downloaded editing software, watch lots of videos and just went from there.

    I was the best camera man anyone could ask for (in university), and now. When I make my own films that's worked out really well because I'll pick up the camera and make a film. I just need to find a couple of actors on the internet and ask a few friends to come out for the day.

    Goodluck
u/FelixLeiter · 2 pointsr/IAmA

Read this. I'm in the process of writing a feature-length script now, and hopefully producing it and making it with a friend of mine.

u/gronke · 2 pointsr/IAmA

Well, here's the rub about film. Making movies is just like being in a band or doing art. You actually don't need to go to school to do it, especially college. In fact, the money you'd spend on college is much better spent purchasing a nice camera and some editing software and maybe flying to LA.

Robert Rodriguez has a famous book about how he managed to do just that.

The most important thing is networking, hard work, and being in the right place at the right time. You'll need to be in Hollywood, rubbing elbows with studio people and getting part-time gigs as PAs on films. Eventually you'll produce your own movie, and with any luck it can get entered into shows and people will start noticing you.

u/rebeccasf · 2 pointsr/Filmmakers

The film look can definitely be achieved in post. If you want to get started on a budget, I highly recommend the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera or the Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera. You'll learn lots about light, exposures, lenses and all the stuff that you'll need to know for film. In post, you can apply LUT's and learn about color correction and it's definitely possible to get your footage to look like film. You can also use vintage film lenses from ebay and other places that really adds to the "look" of a final project. You can also get an anamorphic lens for the true "cinema" look.

​

My favorite filmmaking book is still Robert Rodriquez' book Rebel Without a Crew.

u/photonnymous · 2 pointsr/videography

If he's going to be making his own films (and could be serious about making scripted films) opt for a nice tripod or lighting instead of a gimbal. They will have a much longer use-life. It's not the flashiest toy in the toolbag, but he'll appreciate it in the long term.

Fluid Head Tripod - https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1087198-REG

Lighting, I personally own three of these and use them on content for major broadcasts - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XSVP7J6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_C-2-BbJQFXBG7

Books on screenwriting and cinematography can be helpful, there's a book called "Save The Cat" that's a lot of people's quick-read favorite for script writing basics and outline. I also liked Robert Rodriguez's "Rebel Without A Crew" that's an enjoyable read, his story of what it took to make his movies. Pretty humbling.

Other smaller things that every filmmaker has in their toolkit would be lens cloths/ lens cleaning kit, bongo ties, extra batteries & charger for the camera, or a camera backpack can be handy.

u/thedigitaldork · 2 pointsr/Filmmakers

Adventures in the Screen Trade by William Goldman

Rebel Without a Crew by Robert Rodriguez

u/theak · 2 pointsr/IAmA

Nope. Not until you find consistent work. A lot of it is paying out of your own pocket or borrowing from friends and family. But the more you do, the more experience you'll have and the better you'll be at doing it for a living. While I don't really care for him as a director, I respect him as a filmmaker, I'd recommend you read robert rodriguez's book for inspiration: http://www.amazon.com/Rebel-without-Crew-23-Year-Old-Filmmaker/dp/0452271878

u/chadeusmaximus · 2 pointsr/filmmaking

Also, some books you need to read"

The independent filmmaker's handbook
(I'll verify the title in the morning. Have it on my shelf, but I'm too lazy to get up and turn the lights on to verify the title)

Rebel without a crew


$30 film school


EDIT: The name of the book is: "Independent Feature Film Production"

u/TheChasen · 1 pointr/Filmmakers

I recommend:

  • Rebel Without a Crew by Robert Rodriguez
    http://amzn.com/0452271878

    This book goes over how he got his first film made + him getting his start in Hollywood.

  • Shawshank Redemption The Shooting Script by Frank Darabont
    http://amzn.com/1557042462

    The script is well written, but it also includes scene by scene breakdown of how the movie was made, problems they had with certain scenes and how the fixed them, etc.

  • On Writing by Stephen King.
    http://amzn.com/1439156816

    Great book on story by a master storyteller.

u/CaryGrantLives · 1 pointr/IAmA

I know I missed the AMA, but if you are an aspiring filmmaker, a cinephile, or even just perpetually broke, you absolutely must read Rebel Without a Crew, R.R's origin story of sorts, which follows the making of Desperado on an impressively minute shoestring budget.



He was 23 at the time. As a 23 year old man who has made a lot of mistakes and has no idea what he's doing in life, this book is one of the few inexhaustible sources of hope I have.

u/SlendersSuit · 1 pointr/youtube

Keep making the videos you'd want to see. If others aren't that into it, fuck em, keep going. Have fun working so the process is its own reward, it will be very fulfilling. As you continue you'll get better and better and better.

Robert Rodriguez started with vhs tapes as a kid, editing from one vcr to another. He made tons of videos and credits his time doing so with a lot of what he learned and why he was able to become a professional. We learn by doing, so keep doing what you do. Check out his book if you're interested: Rebel without a Crew: How a 23-year-old Filmmaker with $7000 Became a Hollywood Player

u/Joe707 · 1 pointr/Filmmakers

The Filmmaker's Handbook is a great read that covers all aspects of film making

Cinematography: Theory and Practice We had to read this book in film school. I can honestly say I learned more from this than I did any of my teachers lectures.

Rebel Without a Crew Is more inspirational and entertaining that informative, but it's worth a read. Written by Robert Rodriguez during the making of his first uber-low-budget feature film.

u/Xanos_Malus · 1 pointr/videography

I shoot on a 7D, and my kit contains a 50mm f1.8, a 28-135mm, and a 10-24mm. I record audio on an H4N Zoom, but honestly.. try your hand at one technique at a time. I've a made a few silent films with friends and family, honestly just to hone my craft.
Here and here.

I've also directed music videos using the same equipment.
Here

To be honest man, just go and shoot. The number one rule I see time and time again is just go shoot, and shoot with whatever you've got.
Let whatever limitations you run up against force you to surpass them.
Robert Rodriguez of "Desperado" and "Sin City" fame made his first short films on a home VHS video camera.. and he took those shorts to film festivals and won.

Check out his book, "Rebel Without a Crew". Here ya go!

Good luck dude, and most importantly HAVE FUN!

EDIT: You can put together a decent lighting package with some of those cheap silver metal clampy work lamps from Home Depot and a white bed sheet for diffusion. That's all I used for those two silent films.

u/CalvinLawson · 1 pointr/scifi

Rodriguez is hardly "hollywood", even today:
http://www.amazon.com/Rebel-without-Crew-23-Year-Old-Filmmaker/dp/0452271878

His garage is basically a techno-geek's wet dream, and he's one of the few young auteurs in hollywood.

u/LastRedshirt · 1 pointr/MGTOW2

A few years ago, I read
"Rebel without a Crew: Or How a 23-Year-Old Filmmaker With $7,000 Became a Hollywood Player"
by Robert Rodriguez, how he made his first movie El Mariachi
I loved the Mariachi-movies and I still believe, its do-able
the book:https://www.amazon.com/Rebel-without-Crew-23-Year-Old-Filmmaker/dp/0452271878

u/novawreck · 1 pointr/Filmmakers

>I dont care about my english for now

Well...maybe try caring a little because your post is borderline nonsense. I must have read it four or five times and still don't really get what you're saying / asking.

>I am asking for tips and indication for guys filmmakers (indies or not) for inspire me.

Okay...so it appears as if you're looking for inspiration. Check out Rebel Without a Crew.

u/[deleted] · 1 pointr/WeAreTheFilmMakers

With much respect to deftouch's comment, you said you are just starting?

The one, absolutely critical, must read book you need is: Rebel Without A Crew by Robert Rodriguez. Because right now what you don't need is a lot of information on this camera, or that lighting, or this microphone, or that editing system.

What you do need is the confidence to start making your own movies, without which you will end up like people I know, owning thousands in movie equipment and still never having shot anything (I've made four short movies). Robert Rodriguez Robert tells the truth; the camera you need is the one you can get your hands on fastest. That might mean borrowing you mom's handicam - do it! Having a fancy camera doesn't make you a filmmaker anymore than owning a private jet makes you a pilot.

A lot of people are going to tell you that you need to buy expensive equipment, go to film school, get a filmcrew together, hire an editor, etc.... This is all bullshit. Robert Rodgriguez made his first feature ('El Mariachi') himself for $7,000 and got picked up as a director by Columbia Pictures because he had spent years teaching himself movie making on borrowed equipment.

What you really need is any camera you can find, a decent story idea, someway to edit, and lots of practice. Rebel Without A Crew will inspire you to do just that, get out there and make your own kickass short movies, with whatever equipment, props and actors you have available. The more you do it, the more you learn. And you will learn about what's important: How to tell a story, how to work with actors, how to edit. All the technical stuff about camera etc. can be learned as you go. But get started. And that's what you're really struggling with, right?

Do yourself a favor, pick up this book, get inspired, and start making your own movies!

[EDIT] P.S. In regards to editing equipment, anything you can edit with is a good start, even if it's just Windows Movie Maker. If you want to buy something, Sony Vegas Pro 9 is great for about $100. Professionals use AVID almost exclusively (watch any movies credits), but that might be just a little out of your price range.... Start simple, learn as you go.

u/sick__bro · 1 pointr/Filmmakers

Rebel Without a Crew by Robert Rodriguez is pretty great.

Not as film related bur more related to the artistic process is Art and Fear. I highly recommend this to everybody I talk about art with. It's a great book to take notes in and destroy with highlighters.

u/acdcfanbill · 1 pointr/movies

If your curious, his book is an amazing read. Rebel Without a Crew

u/thelocalproduction · 1 pointr/Filmmakers

You might also consider reading Rebel without a crew and Make your own Damn Movie. These both have good information on making a low budget film.

u/jwc1138 · 1 pointr/WeAreTheFilmMakers

Dude. You need to get serious about what it really costs. I know you want to think it's $16k, but that's PER semester. link This is a private college, so it doesn't matter if you're in state or not.


So let's look at this realistically:

Tuition: $16,140

Fees: $675

Board: $2670

Housing: $2600

Books & Supplies: $1312

Total: $23,397


This is for ONE SEMESTER. The fees and tuition will continue to rise every year, and to get your bachelor's degree, you'll need 8 semesters, totaling at a minimum $187,180 for a degree in film that is only as good as your reel.


Unless you have a rich uncle that's willing to foot the bill, DO NOT GO TO THIS COLLEGE. Be a self starter. Read Robert Rodriguez's book, Rebel Without a Crew. Take whatever money you have and make a movie. If you have money left over, make another one. Submit to film festivals. Network. Get your name out there. You'll be much better off in the long run.