Entertainment industry veteran Lloyd Kaufman, the Creator of the Toxic Avenger, has made dozens of films and distributed hundreds over his 40 years of experience in the world of independent film. He served Chairman of the Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA), the global trade association of independent distributors and producers of motion picture and television programming. Mr. Kaufman als...

Entertainment industry veteran Lloyd Kaufman, the Creator of the Toxic Avenger, has made dozens of films and distributed hundreds over his 40 years of experience in the world of independent film. He served Chairman of the Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA), the global trade association of independent distributors and producers of motion picture and television programming. Mr. Kaufman also is President of New York-based production and distribution company Troma Entertainment, which he and partner Michael Herz founded in 1974 shortly after they graduated from Yale University. In 44 years, Mr. Kaufman and Mr. Herz have built Troma up to legendary status as a bastion of true independence and a strong consumer brand through a visionary body of work that has had a huge impact on pop culture and today’s mainstream filmmaking. New York Post film critic Lou Lumenick recently wrote that Mr. Kaufman “has been cited as a major influence by Peter Jackson, Quentin Tarantino and Takashi Miike, among others.” Other writers and directors who have cited Mr. Kaufman as a major influence include Sam Raimi, James Gunn, Kevin Smith and Eli Roth, to name a few. In addition, Mr. Kaufman has mentored many young independent filmmakers and Troma movies or releases have given numerous now-famous talent their first start in the film industry, including Trey Parker and Matt Stone, Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Costner, Oliver Stone, Marisa Tomei, Vincent D’Onofrio, and Jenna Fisher. Other major figures whose first work appears in a Troma film include Robert DeNiro, Dustin Hoffman and Carmen Electra. “Lloyd’s body of work has now proven to be a seminal influence on film today. Just look at any film created by the likes of Quentin Tarantino, Takashi Miike, Peter Jackson, Eli Roth, Gasper Moe and James Gunn, to name a few, and you are likely watching a film influenced Class of Nuke ‘Em High, Tromeo & Juliet, or Citizen Toxie.” – Stan Lee – creator of Spider-Man “His (Lloyd Kaufman) string of low-budget, lowbrow horror comedies stretching back to the ’80s has been cited as influence by Peter Jackson, the Farrelly Brothers, Quentin Tarantino, Takashi Miike, and Guillermo Del Toro, just to cite a few prominent examples.” – Lou Lumenick, chief critic – New York Post “There would be no Tarantinos without the shock-sploitation satires of the iconoclastic Kaufman, which can often give more critical insight about the world than some grand Hollywood epics.” – Robert Dassonowsky, Director of Film Studies – University of Colorado Colorado Springs “The impact of Troma can be seen in nearly every independent filmmaker who cut his teeth in the video era, from Peter Jackson and Quentin Tarantino to South Park’s Trey Parker (who’s debut, Cannibal! The Musical was a Troma production), and the Troma universe has a devoted worldwide fan base to rival that of any comic book.” – The A.V. Club – The Onion “Nobody knows how to make films and not make any money doing it better than Lloyd Kaufman.” – Trey Parker – co-creator of South Park

What you'll learn

Lloyd Kaufman, the Creator of the Toxic Avenger will teach a four hour immersive class with visual aids, covering each step in the making of a motion picture. Held at the world-famous Troma Studios in Long Island City, this entertaining and informative class will provide real-life insight into independent filmmaking and producing. Drawing from his experience of more than 5 decades of filmmaking Lloyd will cover the concepts and steps you need to take to make your own damn movie.

Lloyd has taught the “Make Your Own Damn Movie Master Class” at prestigious academic institutions such as Yale University and University of Southern California, as well as overseas at institutions like the St. Petersburg Film Museum in Russia, Perth Film Festival in Australia and Norwegian Film Development.

Make Your Own Damn Movie Master Class is an informative, interactive and highly entertaining crash course on filmmaking, aimed at anyone who’s ever wanted to make movies but doesn’t have the cash. Using real-life examples from Kaufman’s own 40 years experience in the business, ‘Make Your Own Damn Movie’ illustrates the whole independent filmmaking process from conception to completion.”

Students will learn how to:

-Get started on their first film project

-Find financing

-Understand what’s involved in pre-production

-Choose a crew and production group

-Survive both large and small crises on set

-Get films int theaters and onto screens

By the end of the masterclass, students will leave with dozens of creative and practical tips that are invaluable to aspiring filmmakers and get a real inside look at how it’s all done.

**Students will be served wine and snacks**

**All Students will receive a TROMA DIPLOMA and free autographs from Lloyd Kaufman**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

REVIEWS OF THE MAKE YOUR OWN DAMN MOVIE MASTERCLASS

“Lloyd’s body of work has now proven to be a seminal influence on film today. Just look at any film created by the likes of Quentin Tarantino, Takashi Miike, Peter Jackson, Eli Roth, Gasper Moe and James Gunn, to name a few, and you are likely watching a film influenced Class of Nuke ‘Em High, Tromeo & Juliet, or Citizen Toxie.”

– Stan Lee – creator of Spider-Man

“Lloyd’s Master Class not only sparks the interest and attention of young and independent filmmakers, but Lloyd also gives insight into the distribution process which many young filmmakers tend to neglect the importance of.”

-David Franco, Film Program Director

Full Sail College

“The Make Your Own Damn Movie Master Class by Lloyd Kaufman was extraordinary! It was certainly a great addition to our Film Festival and we were very fortunate to have it. Everyone loved the Master Class and learned a lot from it. The Master Class is now the talk of the town here in Phoenix.”

-James Schoepflin, Festival Coordinator

Intl. Horror & Sci-fi Film Festival

"I just attended this class earlier this morning at Salem Cinemas. It was not only a wonderful class, but Lloyd is so personable that it was really an unforgettable experience. This workshop is imperative to anyone aspiring to make movies or even to anyone that just appreciates the art of independent film!"

-Blythe Sloan-Starr