PW: What was the inspiration for writing a how-to guide for young filmmakers [Make Your Own Damn Movie]?
Lloyd Kaufman: At film festivals and university lectures, young people always ask the same questions: "How do you raise the money?" "I've made a movie; what do I do?" "How do I distribute it?" Those are the questions I wanted to help answer.
PW: Film is a collaborative medium, but books usually are not. Yet you had two coauthors and eight contributors. Why?
LK: One of the reasons Troma Studios has endured for 30 years is because we call ourselves the Troma team. It has always been a collaborative effort. What you don't want with this kind of book is, "And then I did this, and then I did that, and then we did this, and we were so successful."
PW: You wrote about how home video gave a big boost to Troma films. Have the Internet and DVD had a similar effect?
LK: The sad thing is, the entire world of art is in the hands of five devil-worshiping international conglomerates, and so there are fewer innovators. When I started out, there were 30 independent movie companies like Troma. Now, we are the last man standing. There is an economic blacklist list. Blockbuster does not take Troma movies.
PW:South Park co-creator Trey Parker wrote the introduction to your book, and it's clear you've had a huge influence on the style of South Park. Do you find you've influenced other filmmakers?
LK: Certainly, with people like Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings) and Quentin Tarantino. There are major directors all over the world who have grown up on our movies and gone in through some of the doors we've opened, but were able to be more mainstream.
PW: Do you think things might change for independent filmmakers with the new technology?
LK: The majors are scared of digital technology and the Internet. Anyone can pick up a camera and make a movie. That's sort of what my book is about. Digital technology is really liberating. I'm hoping the genie is out of the bottle.
PW: You and your coauthor Trent Haaga have a big debate in the book about the superiority of digital video. Have you changed your mind about the superiority of film?
LK: For the time being, film is more beautiful. I agree that digital technology—whatever that is going to be—will be better than celluloid at some time, but that time is not now.
PW: When you started making movies, did you set out to create a parallel universe, Tromaville? Or did it evolve over time?
LK: When I was at Yale, what I discovered (other than recreational drugs and movies) was Marvel Comics. I had never read comics as a kid. I immediately searched out Stan Lee, and we hit it off. We've been buddies to this day; he's the narrator in Citizen Toxie. Our universe, Tromaville, is like the Marvel universe, where characters interact with each other.
PW: What would be the one piece of advice you'd want young filmmakers to take from your book?
LK: To thine own self be true. Do what they believe in. Don't compromise. The only regrets I have are the compromises.
PW: It doesn't look like you have compromised too often.
LK: I have made a bunch of compromises. I should have directed Schindler's List when I was offered it. I turned that one down. They wanted me to do the first Star Wars movie. I said, "No."
