Book Review: Produce Your Own Damn Movie by Lloyd Kaufman
Review by Michael Varrati
To fully appreciate the scope of author Lloyd Kaufman’s approach to his latest addition to his film school series of books, Produce Your Own Damn Movie, it is best to take a moment to consider Lloyd Kaufman, the man.
For fans of horror and exploitation cinema, Kaufman’s name is one that you should inarguably and without question know. As the recognizable head and co-founder of Troma Pictures, Kaufman has long been a champion of independent film and budding filmmakers. Behind the camera he has directed and written such cult classics as the internationally recognized Toxic Avenger series of films, Terror Firmer, and the recent zombie chicken cluckstravaganza, Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead (review). Through his work with Troma, he has been on the ground-floor of the launching of some of the most notable names in Hollywood, including Kevin Costner, Marisa Tomei, and the creators of South Park, Trey Parker & Matt Stone. Simply put, through his commitment to no-holds barred art and his sweat-inducing dedication to his craft, Kaufman should be, and often is, considered an influential elder statesman in genre filmmaking, and serves as someone to who a new generation of filmmakers can look as they make their way in the savage world of movies.
That said, more often than not, Lloyd would respond to such praise and respect with an ill-timed joke about blow jobs. The man likes his irreverence and fellatio, and who can blame him? Because really, when it comes down to it, pushing the boundaries of what is appropriate is what Troma and Lloyd Kaufman are all about.
I’ve met Lloyd on numerous occasions, I’d go so far as to say I know him, and even though he doesn’t always remember who I am every time we see each other…he always pretends he does, and that’s nice (in fact, Lloyd and I were both featured writers, albeit on separate pieces, in the most recent issue of Ultra-Violent magazine, so heed this shameless plug and go pick it up). Lloyd has one of those magnetic personalities that makes you want to know him, he loves his fans, and god knows Troma fans love him. Most importantly, he makes himself accessible to his fans in a way no head of any other studio does (you don’t see Harvey Weinstein yukking it up with fans of Kill Bill), often encouraging them to let their creativity flow and make their own damn movie.
He believes in the power of cinema so much, that he wants anyone who aspires to be a part of it to have their chance, regardless of the studio system…and that, in essence, is what Produce Your Own Damn Movie is all about.
Kaufman’s fourth book, and the third in his Make Your Own Damn Movie series (behind Make Your Own Damn Movie and Direct Your Own Damn Movie, respectively), tackles the difficult (and often mysterious to the general public) task of producing a film.
In the general sense, the producer is the ringmaster, wrangling the creative, practical, and logistical portions of a production into one cohesive (or sometimes flaming wreck) unit. Financial decisions, employment issues, location securing, and many other tasks fall to the producer’s ever vigilant eye…and yet, we’ve all seen the credits of a motion picture. There’s never just one. There are executive producers, associate producers, line producers, co-producers, and quite naturally each one of these people does something different, for better or worse. Kaufman takes great strides in explaining to the reader the roles of each, who is exactly necessary, and where you can trim the fat when you don’t need another body standing around polluting your film set.
In the classic Kaufman style, the actual writing of the book crackles with sarcasm and silliness. Plenty of the trademark dirty humor fills the pages, even leaking so far down into the footnotes, wherein an imagined love affair between the footnote “guy” and the index “gyno” (the Troma term for “woman”) plays out over the course of the text…often to giggle inducing effect. That said, it never really detracts from the actual content of the text itself. Serious when it needs to be, the information contained within about the world of production is often times as rigidly serious as the jokes are insanely fun. The book maintains a precarious balancing act of the silly and stern, but it never falters and ultimately serves the reader well, as it never feels like you’re reading one of those didactic and dry instructional texts, but rather getting wizened and learned advice from your crazy uncle who also happens to have a penchant for lacing every story he tells with a dick or fart joke.
Besides, for the film student or enthusiast who was looking for more straight-laced fare, you have no business coming to Troma in the first place. You’ll get the knowledge you need, but you’ll get it their way, which is how Troma has always gone about things, and that’s why their fan base remains as strong as it does.
Strength of conviction aside, Kaufman is, however, smart enough to realize that the Troma way may not be the only way to go about getting one’s movie made, and he employs a bevy of outside voices to contribute articles and commentary to fill out the book, offering the reader a variety of insights into the world of production. With input from such notable names as Herschell Gordon Lewis (The Gore Gore Girls, Wizard of Gore), Roger Corman (the man’s legend, you don’t need credits), James Gunn (Slither), and the Duplass Brothers (Crank, Crank 2: High Voltage), the reader is treated to a well-rounded discussion on production, whether it be direct advice, or learning from the mistakes and stories of these hardworking individuals.
Of special note is an essay contained in the book written by Pat Kaufman, Lloyd’s wife and the film commissioner of New York State, which offers incredible insight into the working of film commissions and the necessity of a production to coordinate with a state’s film office. For the first-time filmmaker or emerging artist, to establish connections with such a resource, or even know they exist, is often overlooked when setting about to make that initial movie, and sometimes this can be a grave mistake. Pat’s advice is informative and sharp, making this one of the great highlights of the book, and worth the price of admission alone. By the time her piece is done, it’s clear to the reader why Lloyd married Pat, as she upstaged him in his own book, and yet still manages to make him look good. That, dear readers, is certainly a feat worth checking out.
Of course, all that good advice aside, there is still criticism to be gleaned from the discerning reader or film critic. Lloyd himself admits that he certainly doesn’t do everything correctly. His tales of cheese sandwiches and shitting in paper bags on his sets have thoroughly encouraged me that perhaps I would never be cut out to work on a Troma set, and his stories of distribution deals gone awry at times can seem discouraging.
That said, it’s realistic.
One thing I, above all else, like about Lloyd Kaufman is that he’s straight up with you. From page one, he’ll tell you that sometimes he’s an asshole, and he knows that sometimes you’ve got to be to get things done. I’ve heard both positive and scathing criticisms of Troma’s process, but the truth is, there isn’t a negative thing anyone could say about Lloyd that he hasn’t said himself in this book, or the previous ones. He wants you to know from the onset that making movies can be immensely rewarding, but sometimes you have to deal with a lot of shit and a lot shitty people.
It’s all about passion. Is passion worth the cost?
For Lloyd Kaufman…it most certainly is.
Love him or hate him, Lloyd remains a champion of moviemaking, and never more is that clear than in Produce Your Own Damn Movie. With stories meant to inspire, encourage, and warn, this book serves as an excellent preparation of what one can expect in producing a movie, whether it be their first or their fiftieth.
Breaking the fourth wall here for a moment, I will state that prior to becoming the beloved horror journalist that I am today (you can stop your booing now, thanks), I spent a year of my life producing a children’s entertainment program, and I can say with some certainty as a former producer that everything in this book is true. If only I had had it then, maybe I wouldn’t have had so many stressful nights…or maybe, based on Lloyd’s stories…I might have had more.
Point is this, kids…if you’re out there, an eager horror film producer in the making, it wouldn’t hurt to give this book a read. It just may save you like ol’ Toxie has saved New Jersey all those times on the big screen, and remember…when you’re feeling your lowest and like you can’t get your film done…there’s nothing a blow job joke won’t fix.
Order it on Amazon
Friday, October 23rd, 2009 at 9:00 am | Filed under Horror Literature.
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