Filmmaker Robert Rodriguez is a busy man these days, but he stopped by the Samsung Blogger Lounge in Austin at SXSW on Monday to talk about his TV new network, his passion for inspiring others and to offer some advice to young filmmakers.
Rodriguez said that some networks believe that the Latino demographic is served solely by Univision, the popular Spanish-language network, and that there's an entire Latin community currently overlooked. His new network will be launched by Comcast and will be called "El Rey" after a song made popular by legendary Mexican singer Vicente Fernandez. He revealed what he is looking for in the shows he'll be green lighting, how social media will be integrated and said it will cater to fans of his most infamous work, and referred to the network as "Desparado TV," after one his first major movies.
A Texas native, Rodriguez also offered some simple advice to aspiring filmmakers, suggesting self-marketing is key. "You have to think bold," he told the audience. "Show a scene, something you've shot." He also emphasized the importance of owning your content, and that innovation and success comes from being able to do it all, and find that gap where no one is that way you can lead and win.