Adapted from a script written 25 years ago that was based on Robert Rodriguez's experiences in a Medical Research Facility, RED 11 is a Horror/Thriller set in a dark, twisted version of the Legal Drug Research world.
At these Facilities, young guys become Lab Rats to make quick money, but our hero RED 11 is here to buy his way out of a huge debt to the tune of $7,000. This story shows the quirks, characters, and comedy of Robert's experiences of being a human Lab Rat, but with a sci fi and horror twist, because while under the influence of experimental drugs, Red 11 doesn't know if what's in front of him is fact or fiction.
The production of the film was also documented for a docu-series/masterclass featuring Robert and his son Racer making the film called Rebel without a Crew: The Robert Rodriguez Film School. Director’s Note: Red 11 became a dream project for me, a culmination of ideas and ruminations on the creative process that I’ve been recording for over 26 years. I wanted this project to mark the 25th anniversary of EL MARIACHI by making a feature film using the same limitations as back then.
I had a feeling that the process I used back then, no crew, only $7,000 budget, had something to do with the immense creativity that came out of that movie. I wanted to recreate the circumstances with Red 11 and document the process with a Docu-Series named Rebel Without A Crew: The Robert Rodriguez Film School. Projects evolve over their course, and this one is no different. What started out as a teaching tool for film students turned into a life changing project, connecting my future with my past, passing on the phenomenon of manifesting to my two sons (that doubled as my cast and crew) and reaffirming what it means to make something from nothing.
The film itself captures a time in my life before I was known as a filmmaker, when I would do anything to make a film, even subject myself to medical research studies to pay for my film experiments. The final Film and Docu-series/Masterclass capture all the surreal qualities of those early days of mine as a Human Lab Rat, as well as a heightened sense of spirituality that comes from dancing with creativity minus the usual financial resources.
-Robert Rodriguez