Books
Non-fiction about film, the people who make it, and the stories behind it.
Dollar Deal: The Story of the Stephen King Dollar Baby Filmmakers
Paperback and ebook · Published 2015 · 204 pages
For decades, Stephen King let student and amateur filmmakers adapt his short stories for one dollar. The program ended in December 2023, which makes these films a closed chapter of movie history. Dollar Deal tells the stories of 19 filmmakers, including 17 original interviews, my own story as a Dollar Baby filmmaker, and a chapter on Frank Darabont, the most famous Dollar Baby of them all. It traces how these small, obscure movies got made and where they led their makers.
It is a book for Stephen King fans who want to discover these overlooked films, and for student filmmakers looking for both a practical guide and a reason to start.
“Usually interesting and sometimes quite brilliant.” — Stephen King, on the Dollar Baby films