Rebel without a Deal: or, How a 30-year-old filmmaker with $11,000 almost became a Hollywood player - Paperback

by Kevin Smith (Author), Vincent Rocca (Author)

ROBERT RODRIGUEZ without a doubt influenced this book. After reading Rebel without a Crew, Vince Rocca was inspired to keep a Journal, which has grown into a no-nonsense account of the real filmmaking process.Rebel without a Deal covers how a ninth grade dropout made his first movie in five days for $11,000, landed and lost a multi-million dollar deal with both Warner Bros. and National Lampoon, later reviving Warner Bros. to release the movie on DVD and gross over one million dollars as well as break IMDb's top 100 list.Everything is covered from film school to the idea, writing it and financing it, the entire shoot, postproduction, film festivals, meeting Kevin Smith and suicidal depression. No subject is taboo. This is a real account of no-budget filmmaking, down to profit and loss statements.New York Times-bestselling author and award winning screenwriter and director, Kevin Smith lends his take on Vince's Journey and relates his experience with Clerks.

Author Biography

Vince Rocca is a true entrepreneur, the latch key kid of a lower middle class salesman and an insurance agent, he mastered the art of risk taking and risk management at an early age. At 14 Vince was making upwards of $1000 a weekend spinning records at house parties. Bored with school and fat with 'DJ' cash, he dropped out of the ninth grade. At 16, realizing house parties wasn't a career, he got a job as a retail stock clerk. Within 2 years he was managing the company's third largest store and bought an investment home. At 21 Vince cashed out of his home to open his own retail store. With a thriving retail business under his belt, it was time to pursue his passion for filmmaking. He took some profits and started a video production company with his friend and co-producer, Michael Hutchinson. Business wasn't always successful. In fact there was a point when the video company was near bankrupt. But thanks to swift action and a lucky phone call, the company went from $700 in the hole to $125,000 in less then 5 days. The profits from this sale would become the seed money for Kisses and Caroms. Since Vince was a dropout, film school was not an option, but thanks to a video camera purchased when he was 16 and the advancements in computer technology, he started editing little projects. Slowly upgrading equipment to master new techniques, he became a self-taught editor. He began reading every film book he could get his hands on and listening to movie commentaries. Then he received a brochure for the Dov S-S Simens film school claiming to teach the nuts and bolts of film making in two days. He might have tossed it, but the brochure listed Quentin Tarantino, Guy Ritchie and Chris Nolan, as some of its alumni. If they could do it, why couldn't he do it? After attending this film boot camp, Vince hammered out a 92 page script and "Kisses and Caroms" was born. He currently resides in Southern California with his childhood sweetheart Deanna. They have been happily married for over 10 years and together for over 20 years. They have no children but many animals, some which can be seen throughout the movie.