Filmed in Exile

Robert Rodriguez might be the poster child for the digital revolution. His setup is much like a lot of digital filmmakers I know, just a hell of a lot more expensive. . He has all his equipment in his house/studio  (troublemaker studios). He works with digital video and non-linear editing systems. He does not work in Hollywood, but rather in Austin Texas. He does much of the work himself, from making music, to camerawork, to editing. Rodriguez is one of the most powerful and eloquent advocates for the digital revolution. His book, Rebel Without A Crew is an inspirational how-to book where he generously shares secrets and encourages filmmakers to get off their ass and make movies instead of just talking about it.

Still, he did kind of ruin my life.

In 1996, after graduating from film school (a ridiculous experience that by no means made me feel ready to make a movie) I read Rodriguez’s “Rebel Without A Crew” and decided if Robert Rodriguez can make his flick for $7,000, I can make mine for, $6,999.

I was wrong.

Two years later I had spent 20,000 dollars on a movie I can not finish. I ordered the workprint on super VHS video because at the time, the lab I was using did not offer a digital workprint (This is a reminder of how new the digital revolution is). Having spent my entire budget on film, I could not come up with the cash to get a real print and therefore, I only have the film on Super VHS. Although I could and do intend to finish the movie, even if it is only from the super VHS workprint, I can not justify the cost of getting a digital workprint (Around 15,000) when for the same cost, I can make another movie on digital video.  I am not really feeling motivated to drop 20 grand on the movie I wrote when I was 24. I racked up 25,000 bucks in debt and destroyed my credit (which I have since restored).  The movie took nine months to film and consumed my life for that year, it ended a relationship (which was probably doomed anyway, but what the heck. I’ll blame Rodriguez for that too.) cost the DP his day job, and in the process, I crashed my car, broke my arm and it caused me to go bald.  (Okay, blaming Rodriguez for going bald is a stretch.  But I did coincidentally go bald during the shoot, and previously had a thick head of hair).

Rodriguez made it sound easy, and enticed myself and a whole bunch of other suckers to follow his lead.   (I’m not the only person Rodriguez screwed.  Check out, The Unkindest Cut: How a Hatchet-Man Critic Made His Own $7,000 Movie and Put It All on His Credit Card, Joe Queenan’s hilarious memoir of making the no-budget movie Twelve Steps To Death.  It can be done, but it is not easy and it requires the filmmaker to get it in one shot, something I am notoriously bad at.  I like trying things out, something which can really blow up the budget when you are using film.

Realistically I can not and do not blame him.  I’m the dumb shit who tried to make a movie for nothing and racked up a credit card.  And I joke when I say he ruined my life.  My life is pretty good.  And the time I had making the movie was incredible.  Making movies is always a blast, despite what the final project looks like or if it even comes out.  I do plan to finish this damn movie someday, and maybe even buy my negative back from Monaco labs.  See?  This thing still plagues me.  

In part two, I will talk about the making of the movie that didn’t get made.