1

What are we going to talk about and why ?

$ 7,225 (aprx 3.25 L)

23 year old guy 14 days execution & after work ROI > 28000 % in 2 years

Project ?????

Small Mexican border town.

International fame Many project offers

$ 2,040,920 (aprx 9.1 cr)

From poverty to riches

By Team 3: Saurabh Kumar Chaubey (56) Srikanth Gali (60) Vinay Prabhakar (67)
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A study on El Mariachi movie: Lessons for Project Management Success

Why El-Mariachi or any movie production is a project

They have a clear goal and purpose They have a team

of people with defined

goals
All of the team needed to work together to

achieve the goal.

There is a definite time constraint in

terms of when the goal needed to be achieved

Attributes of film industry

Film industry deals with intangible product development Shaped to directly address a deadline oriented business need Require significant investments for large movies up to $100 million. It is built against a specification open to change It rely on specialized production protocols and technologies Require the collaboration and integration of teams having specialized skills like Actors, technician, makeup artists It require careful analysis, design, execution, and integration It should be delivered with much attention to audience

Hollywood production system

Hollywood movie organization - crew

Director: storytelling, creative decisions, looking after acting

Assistant Director: shooting schedule, logistics of the production. Several types of AD - different responsibilities.
casting director: finds actors through actors audition location manager: finds and manages film locations. Pictures are shot in the controllable environment of a studio sound stage. production manager: production budget and production schedule director of photography: cinematographer supervises the photography of the entire film director of audiography: supervises the audiography of the entire film

More Crew.

production sound mixer sound designer Composer production designer art director costume designer

makeup and hair designer

The storyboard artist creates visual images to help the director The choreographer

ROI
Name of The Movie Lord of The rings Theres Something About Mary The Hangover My Big Fat Greek Wedding E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial 3 Idiots Ready Enthiran Budget $111 million $31 million $36 million $6 million $25 million $7.81 million $8.92 million $35 million Revenue $1.1 billion $370 million $467 million $369 million $793 million $75.6 million $40.14 million $77 million ROI 1008% 1094% 1197% 6050% 3072% 867.80% 350% 120%

El Mariachi

$7,225

$2.04 million

28148%

Source: International movie database, wikepedia and hollywood box office

El Mariachi

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Mexican-American action film released in 1992 written, produced, directed, edited and cinematography done by a 23 year old Robert Rodriguez Spanish movie shot in the northern Mexican border town of Acuna across from Del Rio, Texas Most of the actors in the movie were his friends and relations who worked for free except the heroine and the movie was shot only in 14 days.
Budget $ 7,225 Box office collection $ 2,040,920 Return on Investment 28,148 %

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Way forward

He wanted to sell the movie it in the local Mexican video market

Dropped a trailer at Hollywood talent agency, International Creative Management(ICM). Robert Newman, director of special projects at ICM, was impressed with his work. Columbia Pictures under John Singleton have signed Rodriguez for worldwide distribution rights of El Mariachi
Also signed 2 films as sequels to El Mariachi later released as Desperado in 1995 and Once upon a Time in Mexico in 2003.

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Robert Rodriguez journey to El Mariachi

In his early childhood, Robert Rodriguez developed a passion for movies watching them at San Antonio revival Olmos Theatre with his mother. Not good at studies in school From Ray Harryhausen books, found he needed at least a 16 mm camera to make movies

He started making Claymation movies and little action comedy movies starring his few or all of his 9 siblings.
scholarship to join the University of Texas at Austin but he didnt get a seat in film department because of his low GPA

3 short movies David and his Sisters, Waterlogged and Austin Stories won few awards including National Third Coast Film and Video Festival based in Austin
Bedhead made for $ 800 starring his siblings had won him several first places among the fourteen film festivals

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Money and the script work of El Mariachi

Drug test on his body at the drugs testing organization, Pharmco Research Hospital Hotline Done before for 4 times for financial reasons A speed healing drug test - 1 week - cutting biopsy out of his back arms leaving scars on his body antidepressant drug test for 9 days for $ 1000 and to Camcorder.

4th time, for finance of El Mariachi, for $ 3000, for a 1 month study also written the script of El Mariachi.
Red 11 and some humiliating scenes

Project Selection
S.NO Project management phase 1 1 2 3 Project Selection Defining project Project planning Project execution

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Film industry jargon

Deciding on the movie Development Pre-Production Production & PostProduction Marketing & Distribution

Project delivery

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Technical Risk

Finacial Risk

This risk was not there with the El Marichi project because it was a very low budget movie without much use of technology. Also the success of the project was much dependent on the script and direction than on technology. Also the techonology revolutions are not so drastic in Hollywood industry so that it would change in days. As the investment is very less, the exposure to financial risk was also very less. As Robert has discussed about the project costs with his professors at film school in advance, the chances of running out of budget was also very less Also even if the movie doesn't come well, the local spanish video market normal rate of offering for an average movie was more or than equal to the budget of th El Mariachi movie. Robert has chose the hometown of his friend Carlos, Acuna, the city which they were aware, removing the safety risk to themselves and actors Although they have used equipment like guns, they have took permission from mayor and have used them under the surveliance of police. As Robert was a independent film maker and 'El Mariachi' was his debut movie, he had no reputation to put at stake As Robert had written script well in advance after estimating the assets he possess, the chances of low quality has faded Also after borrowing camera, he had enough sample videos covering the footage of his wife running to ensure quality

Safety Risk

Quality Risk

Commercial factors

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Expected ROI

Robert taught that he would need atleast two movies for practice before making a good movie. Hence he was not expecting much ROI on the investment. But he was sure of getting more than 100 % ROI in local spanish video market The chances of expected ROI getting down was very less because an average movie in the local market can be easily bought at $ 10,000 which was higher than budget of movie Robert has planned to complete the shooting in 14 days only. He would few days for post production and then wanted to sell video in spanish market. As Robert has already worked for shooting the behind scenes for a movie in Acuna, he was well aware of the no of days for the period. the settlement in the industry was one time immediately after the delivery and hence El Mariachi had very good pay back period. Robert was not all looking to attract a market share of audience for his movie rather he was looking for practise with minimun ROI.

Payback period

Potential Market share

Operational risks

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Need of training

Although all the actors were acting for the first time, Robert didn't want to train them beacause he felt that the trained artists may sound artificial. Also he made script in such a way that it would be very easy for the new comers to follow without training. he didn't share the total script with the team, he only explained scene they are supposed to act at that moment. Also as the shooting length was only 14 days,

Change in team size and composition Change in environment or service

All the actors in the movie except the heroine have accepted to act for free which shows their spirit to work in the team. Most of the actors were his friends or relations so there are very little chances for change in size and competition
14 days of shooting was too less to have any such changes

AHP:
Alternatives Total Score Profit Potential (0.3)

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Skill Recognitio Improvemen n (0.2) t (0.25)

Time to Market (0.05)

absence of risk (0.2)

ST(0.2)
Very Good

LT(0.1)
Very Good

El Mariachi

0.445

Fair

Very Good

Good

Fair

Short movie

0.305

Fair

Poor

Good

Good

Very Good

Very Good

other than movie

0.205

Good

Good

Fair

Poor

Fair

Good

Poor Weightage 0

Fair 0.1

Good 0.3

Very Good 0.6

Excellent 1

Favorable factors
Reality factor

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Capable enough
Flexibility Ease of use for the stakeholders Cost Factor

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Robert Rodriguez: A Leader

He is a motivating and inspiring leader He is a problem solver, He leads to overcome

challenges
He behaves

with authenticity, fairness, honesty and care and hence was trusted

He had close harmony with his every team member

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Robert Rodriguez: Project Manager

Robert was ultimately accountable for the success

of the

project.
Robert Prepared project plan and budget for it. He with the help of his friends effectively acquired the

resource for project.

He also Manage the project quality, risks and issues

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Scope Management

Project scope management is primarily concerned with defining and controlling what is and is not included in the project. Concept Development a) Problem/need statement b) Information gathering c) Constraints d) Alternative analysis e) Project objectives

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Scope Statement

a) Establishing the project goal criteria. b) Cost c)Schedule d)Performance e)Deliverables f)review and approval gates

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Scope management: Work Break down structure

Technic Concepti al Crew on and appoint Funding ment
Script and Dialogu e Budgeti ng and Schedul ing Cast Auditio n PRODU CTION Music/ Lyrics Lead Casts Extra Casts Lyrics for sound track Music scoring Shooti ng Post Product ion Releasi ng the Movie

Directi on
sound costum e Cinemat ography

Location Research

Recordi ng Session

Set Buildin g Locatio Sound n Editing Ameniti Marketi es On ng Locatio n Filming Post completion Review

Film Distribu Process tion ing Release Editing

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Project Team
Carloos Garlodo(Lead Actor) Steve Mims ( Expert Advisor) Peter Marqauardt ( Bad guy in Film) Lina Santos( Lead Actress) Juan Suarez ( Music composer)

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Risk Management

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Risk Identification
Execution risk:

While writing the script, Robert has written dialogues for all the actors except the heroine role Reinol was studying in a school how the things he kept on paper would actually look ok the real screen e.g movie guns and real guns Peter physically looked apt for the role of bad guy but couldnt speak Spanish

Financial risk

Film ordering Buying a guitar case

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Technical risk

Appropriate lighting for 16 mm camera No idea about the working of 16 mm camera

Commercial risk In the Spanish video market, the action movies with some Mexican soap opera actress would be sold for good price wanted to attract the crowds attention
Contractual risk: The UPS truck brings the film late and wastes shooting time On the last but one day to surrender the camera, Robert had few scenes to shoot in the sunset but rain spoils

Risk Mitigation strategies

Accepting Risk

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Minimize Risk

Script for the heroine after seeing the actor and assessing her He shot all the scenes of Reinol in the beginning To eliminate the problems with real guns, editing in such a way that make gun look as semi-automatic. As Peter couldnt speak Spanish, he always passed slips in some way like cutting way to girl, keeping behind the boozing glass or phone etc ordering the film in small amounts at regular intervals rather than going for a one time buy.

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small city Acuna, he used 250 watt photoflood lights which are regular size light bulbs that fit in regular lamp socket and can give light at 3200 Kelvin For practice, he shot the footage of his wife running around his apartment with aiming a shotgun at him. Both fast motion and slow motion and rehearsed the cutting. Decided to jam pack the movie with action and a lot of movement and camera angles to make it look as expensive as possible and then fetch a good price. He under cranked the camera and shot at 8fps instead of 24fps so that more light would hit the film on the last but one day.

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Movie Cost and Budget

Actors: All actors were friend of Robert and worked

without any pay so it saved him a lot of money.

Property, Guns, Cars, motorcycles, guitars Equipment, Stock, sound : he used Camera Arri 16S, which

was very noisy, so He had to use it very efficiently.

He used Kodak 16mm film. He had only 400 ft magazine,

so it had to cancel shooting some less important scenes.

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El Mariachi was shot in Acuna, Mexico. The film was

designed to be filmed on locations they could get for free.

They had to shoot everything in 14 days, So He had

done lots of pre-planning to shoot within time.

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Budget Approach
Bottom up approach

Budget Contingencies - Project scope may change - Cost estimation must anticipate interaction cost - Normal conditions are rarely encountered. - Murphys Law is present.

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Final Budget spending on El Mariachi

Stock 12 400 ft Rolls Kodak 7292(Indoor) 13 400 ft Roll Kodak 7248(outdoor) 1 100 ft Test Roll (B+W)

$1,140.00 $1,170.00 $146.00

Subtotal Processing
25,400 Ft Roll,( 13 c per foot) 1 100 ft Test Roll Subtotal

$2356
$1,300.00 $23.00 $1323.00

Miscellaneous
Acting Fees Used Guitar Case 3 Sheets Diffuser Gels 25 Squibs Blanks(Machine Gun) Knick Knacks, Lens Cleaner Kit , Extra blub, etc 4 rolls 35 mm Production Still film 10 Maxell 11 Audio Cassettes 6 197 Ampex 3/4" BLA 60's Subtotal

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$225.00 $16.00 $15.00 $50.00 $50.00 $122.00 $18.00 $23.00 $103.00 $622.00

Post Production Video Transfer with overall Color Correction( 28c/ft) Grand Total

$ 2.824.00

$7,225.00

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Project Scheduling: Gantt Chart

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Project Closeout

Film-Mex video - owner Mr. Frank Cinelli for selling his movie but they have not shown enough interest in the movie. Mex-American distributor and met Mr. Javier who on seeing the trailer offered $ 25,000 for the movie. But Robert has not immediately given away the offer and decided to wait for better value Went to other distributors like Million Dollar Video, Tel-Star and Cine-Mex but none of them has shown enough interest in buying. Million Dollar Video, they tried to pretend very busy and making a huge favour to Robert by buying his movie at a very cheaper rate.

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Dropped a trailer at International Creative Management (ICM) the biggest talent agencies in the world. The agent of ICM, Robert Newman was very impressed watching the trailer and his short film bedhead. Soon the other members at ICM watched the movie and Robert became a well-known person at ICM. The video got shared to other very big studios in the market and word of mouth publicity has spread across the industry. Finally Columbia pictures heard bout Robert and shown willingness to take El Mariachi and sign 2 more pictures.

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Finishing the work:

Columbia picyures paid about

$ 250,000

The movie had to be converted into 35mm before releasing.

Hence Robert had to do post production work again to convert the entire movie from 16 mm to 35 mm.

Although the Columbia offered him different music during

the 35 mm blow up, he declined the offer saying that he wanted the movie to remain as a $ 7,000 budget movie.

He worked almost 14 hrs a day on the post production work

to completely convert the 'El Mariachi' movie from 16 mm format to an 35 mm format.

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Handling over the product:

As a 35 mm movie, he handed over the product to Columbia pictures. Successfully shown at Telluride and Toronto film festival and sun dancing film festival got the comment not getting to see such movies in recent times.

Other distributors have approached Robert offering more money than Columbia pictures he rejected the offers.
Finally on February 1, 1993 the movie got released in the international market. He has received endless calls from new channels, critics and audience who liked the movie very much. 1.5 million dollars worth of videos have been sold in the market.

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Harvesting the benefits:

He has become a very famous name in the Hollywood industry with a single movie. He got offer for continuing to make the Mariachi series of trilogy which he utilised later to make Desperado and once upon a time in Mexico. He made an obscure little movie called Roadracers a cool funny film to learn the 35 mm movie making and handling the Hollywood crew. 13 days - 586 camera

Started 10 minute film making principles

'El Mariachi' has turned out to be more mythical than ever Robert has imagined it could achieve.

Trailer video of Elmariachi

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Roll the mouse over video and click to play

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Reference

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Thank you