Written by Jennifer
September 16, 2011
It makes sense that the co-founder and president of Troma Entertainment, Lloyd Kaufman, would have plenty of good advice to share about the film industry.
You might not think of Troma films as the classiest fare on the market, but the reality is that this studio and its motley crew of films (think The Toxic Avenger and Poultrygeist) has made a lot of money over the years. With this in mind, it makes sense that the co-founder and president of Troma Entertainment, Lloyd Kaufman, would have plenty of good advice to share about the film industry. Most specifically, he'd like to tell you how to Sell Your Own Damn Movie!
Unsurprisingly, Kaufman's book is roughly as unorthodox as Troma films themselves. Kicking off with a foreword from Stan Lee (THE Stan Lee of Marvel comic fame), Sell Your Own Damn Movie! serves as both a handy how-to guide for beginning filmmakers and a history of Troma films.
This hodgepodge of interviews, vignettes, examples, and straight-up reference makes for an unusual, vaguely messy reading experience, but for all its irreverence and, um, uniqueness, the book still offers solid advice for anyone trying to sell their movie. Whether you're making something along the lines of Birdemic or the next Gone With the Wind, Kaufman offers relatable advice that will help you get your foot in the door. It may be the back door, but when it comes to Hollywood, just about any door will do. His frankness about the competitive and sometimes cutthroat nature of the business is refreshing, and his unconventional approach to the industry is sure to give you hope.
