Robert Rodriguez and children are back in business with 'Shorts'

It was not your typical Hollywood creative meeting. Instead of sparkling water and Ahi salad, the Four Seasons conference room was provided with Sprite, French fries and a tray of chocolate lollipops. Magic markers and paper were piled up on the table for doodling and with good reason -- most of the people in the room weren't old enough to drive.

Clearly, the Rodriguez boys were back in town.

"We have our way of doing things and, so far, Hollywood seems pretty happy with it," said Texas-based filmmaker Robert Rodriguez, who was sitting with two of his sons, Rebel and Racer, both of whom contributed to their father's newest feature, "Shorts," which arrives in theaters this weekend.

The contributions weren't small, either: Rebel, 10, shrugged and nodded when asked if he was the one who came up with the name of the film. "Yes. It's called 'Shorts' because the kids in it are short, they wear shorts and the movie is made up of all these really short stories."

Who needs a marketing consultant when you have that sort of logic?

"Shorts" is a collection of interlocking vignettes about kids, a sort of 21st century revival of the "Our Gang" comedies, but with a wishing rock, crocodile men and a giant killer booger. As interesting as all that might sound, the most compelling aspect of the film is how it was made: Shot entirely in dusty Texas on a lean budget, "Shorts" is being distributed by Warner Bros. but could hardly be further removed from the corporate culture.

Rodriguez was the writer, director, producer, cinematographer, visual effects supervisor, editor and even collaborated on the music. The film's plot was cooked up by his sons, who also appear in the film. Essentially, the Rodriguez household put together "Shorts" the way other families set up lemonade stands, and, after the success of his "Spy Kids" franchise, there are hopes that "Shorts" will click with its similarly zany, hyper-real sensibility.

"This whole thing started with me and the kids watching old episodes of the Little Rascals, which I loved when I was a kid," he said. "They just laughed and laughed. We took that, and it eventually became 'Shorts.' "

Rodriguez has five children, all born to Elizabeth Avellan, the Venezuela-born producer. The couple split in 2006 after 15 years but remain business partners in Troublemaker Studios -- no mean feat considering the spasm of rumors that accompanied Rodriguez's romance with Rose McGowan, star of his last film, 2007's "Grindhouse."