by Rich Moreland, February 2020

Photos by Kevin Sayers

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By virtue of her eight years in the business, Casey Calvert is a respected adult film veteran. I’ve known her for some time and she is always an informative interview because she carries that remarkable trait that separates the wheat from the chaff, so to speak, in porn. With a university degree adorned in honors, Casey is no dummy.

We had an extensive interview that covered a handful of topics, but the part recorded here is on the changes that porn as an industry is experiencing as we move into the next decade.

As a result, this discussion is placed within the sequence of articles on the show that examines the evolution of the modern adult product.

*          *          *

Ready for our interview

Be Patient

Offering a thumbnail sketch of her career, Casey reminds us she began and as a bondage model shooting for Lew Rubens. That was over nine years ago.

How about your first hardcore shoot?

“The first time I did that on camera was for Sex Art in November of 2012,” she says. Surprising to me, incidentally, because I thought it was for Kink.com where Casey’s early career was nurtured.

In fact, one of the films nommed for this year’s AVN Movie of the Year was Derelict, a Kink production starring Casey and Charlotte Sartre.

If you could go back in time and have a talk with yourself about the business, what would you say?

“I would tell myself to be patient and to not expect overnight success in the way people were telling me it was going to happen. And I would also warn myself that the business is changing.”

The native Floridian insists that every performer should understand today’s business environment. Getting into porn in 2020 is different from 2012.

On the floor at Adult Time

Where the Money Is

If she were starting today, Casey would do things quite differently. “I would have never moved to LA. I would have never signed with an agency. I would have never shot mainstream porn. I tell people these days that you don’t need to do that. That’s not where the money is anymore,” she declares.

“The money is in owning your own content and being your own content creator and shooting the kind of porn you want to shoot with the kind of people that you want to have sex with. But in 2012, that was not what the business was. So, I would warn myself to be prepared, rather than trying to play catch up.”

What potential conflicts would you warn yourself about?

“I would tell myself that MindGeek is coming [which] translates into all of these companies that you work for now and idolize are going to change in some way. I would also warn myself more generally that all of these big companies now that you’re so excited working for, they’re going be gone in ten years.

Posing for a fan

There’s more.

“I would warn myself that these things that you think you want right now, may not actually be what you want in six months. Things change so quickly, just be prepared for rapid change . . . . rapid like institutional change.”

Paperwork

Referencing the “Rolling Your Own”seminar that appears on this blog, I ask Casey about the problems that arise when girls engage in content trade.

She brings up two issues: paperwork and negotiating what is to be traded.

“Paperwork is the number one thing,” she says. “I did a contract trade [recently] with a bunch of independent content creators. When I brought up that we needed to do 2257s in releases, [their response was] ‘We don’t do paperwork.’”

(FYI. 2257 is the government regulation that guards against child porn. Among other things, it makes sure all performers are eighteen years of age or older.)

In response to their naivete, Casey decided to take care of it herself. She got the IDs and went from there.

“Just because it’s a content trade doesn’t mean we not do paperwork. I was the mother hen,” she comments, “and swept them all up.”

On the Red Carpet

“Another big problem is not negotiating beforehand where the content is going to go,” Casey points out.

“If you shoot a content trade scene with someone and they put it up on Pornhub for free. Now you can’t sell it. Sometimes people shoot content trade because they want to have sex with someone. [In that case] put it up on PornHub, do whatever you want. [But] get paperwork because you’re making a film. Follow the law,” she emphasizes.

“But, if you’re shooting content trade with the intention of having a product to sell, you have to communicate with your content trade partner. Put in writing a release plan [with a] schedule and rules.”

Casey explains many content traders don’t do that because they’re just using their phones to shoot the sex.

Does that make every amateur a professional?

“Technically yes,” she replies. “If [you’re] doing something [for money] that makes you a professional, it makes every amateur a professional.”

In the end, it means everyone has the opportunity to create porn.

Casey Calvert sums it up.

“You can do it. You don’t have to move to LA. you don’t have to find an agent. You don’t have to go and work for any of those companies where they tell you who you’re going to have sex with, what you’re going do that day, do your makeup and all of those other things.

“You just do your own thing because you almost certainly have a cell phone that connects you to the internet.”

*          *          *

Casey shooting for Lew Rubens as a bondage model before she entered hardcore porn.

Photo courtesy of LewRubens.com and TheBondageFiles.com

by Rich Moreland, February 2020

Photos by Kevin Sayers.

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Seth Gamble has been around porn for a few years. He began in 2006 and reflects the veteran status men in the business often reach, much different from many female performers whose on-screen careers are often no more than a few months.

Maturity has moved him forward. For the 2020 AVN Awards, Seth went home with Best Leading Actor honors for Adult Time’s Perspective. Incidentally, his co-star in the production, Angela White, also copped the Best Leading Actress trophy for her role in the film.

Parodies

We start our conversation with his early days.

“In the earlier part of my career, no one [had] an idea of what I could do,” Seth begins. Then, a break came his way with an Exquisite Media parody. The film was a take-off of Saturday Night Fever and Seth was convinced he should be cast in the lead.

“I literally went into the office, didn’t have an audition. I don’t know what came over me,” he says. His persistence paid off. “Give me a piece of the script [and] I’ll show you,” he remembers announcing. “Twenty-four hours later, I’m booked for the role [and] I’m doing dancing lessons”

The film came out in 2011. From there, Seth’s talent and audacity led him to the Stars Wars parodies directed by Axel Braun. Seth recalls doing a “nine-page dialogue stretch on one take” that cemented his talent for acting.

“The parodies got me in the door and to be honest with you, when it came to actually doing more intellectual [and] layered roles, that really came from Pure Taboo,” he concludes.

By the way, Seth Gamble is not about to step over his friends. He mentions those who have helped him along: Dale Dabone, Bree Mills, and Craven Moorehead.

At this point in his career, Seth knew his journey was set and more was needed. “I actually went to acting school for two years,” he says.

Seth’s career has come together, highlighted by his 2019 performance in Perspective. “The prep work I and Angela did on that [film] was insane.” Needless to say, the results were cinematic gold.

Honesty

My next question concerns transitioning from an acting moment into a sex moment. How does Seth do this seamlessly on set?

The native Floridian answers with an example. In the closet scene in Perspective, he has sex “in character” with Angela.

In other words, “The whole time I was having sex with her,” he says.  “I didn’t do normal things that Seth Gamble would do in a sex scene, if I was just doing a scene as me. I did what I thought Daniel [his character] would do in that moment.”

Making this kind of transition is an actor’s responsibility, Seth believes. “I don’t think that is on the director, I think that’s on the talent. But I don’t know how many talent have the thought process to want to do it or think about how to do it,” he observes.

Seth admits he often “overthinks” a role. “I strategize and analyze exactly [how] this would happen. Sometimes it’s not even a thought it’s more of a feeling” when it comes to making the transition, he says.

I interject that Jacky St James once told me that as a director she thinks of sex as being part of the dialogue.

Seth agrees and points out, “Anytime there’s dialogue in any scene, I think it should be involved in the sex as well. If there is dialogue involved, then you should be acting physically with the sex.”

He emphasizes that however the scenes are depicted on-screen, the most important ingredient is honesty.

Adult film is “a fantasy regardless if there’s sex involved or not. What enthralls them [the fans] in any film is if the character feels honest. And if there’s no honesty to the character, then they don’t want to watch.”

His remark offers a springboard to a further analysis.

“A lot of porn is disingenuous because it’s like ‘do this, do that,’” Seth says. But he strives to be unique. “I didn’t want to come into this industry being a carbon copy of anything. I decided to be honest about all of my performances.”

That’s what makes it real, he believes.

Multilayered

Next, we turn to his directing. I ask about his style.

“I want to use what I have and give it to other people to bring out better production,” Seth says and highlights three directors—Axel Braun, Bree Mills, and Kayden Kross—whose style he thinks works best. He adds Jacky St James to the mix, but mentions that she does not have the financial backing of the others. “She deserves to be able to have those budgets for those films because she’s that talented [and] I truly enjoy working for whatever she does because even with what she’s got, she makes it good and amazing.”

His directing “forte” is “story based,” Seth comments, and as a director he wants to use his on-screen experience “to give [his actors] insight into what they’re doing character wise.”

Seth perceives porn acting to be “multilayered” and there is an industry shift in that direction.

“AVN Performer of the Year nomination is such a big deal because for so long it hasn’t been looked at as [demonstrating] versatility” he declares. For too long it’s been interpreted as who can deliver the best sex scene.

Because of his acting, Seth perceives that he is “in that conversation [that] is showing the shift.”

In that vein, he admires Axel Braun for being a star maker. “That’s what I want to do as a director,” Seth says.

Mystique

I mention the idea of crossing over from porn into Hollywood. Seth responds that young performers these days have evolving ideas on that.

He looks back ten-twelve years ago and says, “I was not a famous porn star. No porn star was famous, they were infamous. You weren’t going to see them on social network. You might get Jenna Jameson on Howard Stern. You might get her in an R-rated B movie.

“Now we’re allowed on social platforms. We have fame now. We’re being put on ShowTime and Cinemax.”

He does point out that “being in adult film comes with mystique.” It’s what “makes adult film actors and actresses so alluring. I agree that adult film actors and actresses doing R-rated films would be cool.’

But there is a limit, or rather a complication.

“If you put me on the Disney Channel, it isn’t right, because kids aren’t dumb. There’s something to be said about let’s do mainstream but how do you make Seth Gamble an international star that children can watch?

“You take an Angela White or a Kristen Scott or a Casey Calvert and put them in a Quentin Tarantino film. I think that’s a possibility.’

Then Seth brings up a point I had not considered.

“There was a time where you went on a mainstream audition and [were] asked you if you did pornographic films. I’ve heard now they don’t ask. So, I think we’re pushing that boundary.”

The thirty-two-year-old veteran sums it up nicely.

“I think that porn is more mainstream than it ever has been. A lot of the newer talent don’t understand that or see it that way because they weren’t here. Yes, we want our rights we want all these things, but there’s also a flip side to it.

“Something about [porn] is alluring to you, but then you don’t look at what you’re putting out there” and the consequences it might have.

That is the issue, Seth Gamble believes.

*           *          *

A hint of mainstream in the trade show

by Rich Moreland, February 2020

Photos by Kevin Sayers

Emma Hix is a rising star in porn. Just twenty-two, this sweet, seductive beauty has a personality that matches every degree of her comeliness. She is endearing, cooperative with everyone and has a definitive career direction.

If adult film issued report cards on performers, Emma would be at the top of the class as witnessed by the show guides provided here. Emma travels with the elite.

I first met this native Canadian at the Foxxx Modeling booth during the 2017 show. She was a newbie, a bit nervous but with an undeniable charm. We chatted briefly and did a quick informal interview. Since then, it’s been hit or miss, mostly miss. We’d converse, hope to set something up, then schedules conflict and opportunity slipped away.

Thanks to her PR people, this year Emma and I did everything very formally in the press room. Moving up requires protocol and with Emma’s popularity soaring, that’s the only way to go!

*          *          *

Depends on Her Mood

After some small talk, I noted that in Axel Braun’s Nylon 3 she’s playing the piano, or at least appears to be.

So, Emma, let’s have the backstory!

“My mom tried to put me in piano lessons when I was a kid,” Emma says, but “I hated learning from someone else, you know?”

In fact, mom bought Emma a piano as an incentive to take lessons. Didn’t work.

“A couple of years later, I was playing around on it,” she reveals. “I was like ‘Wow I actually really enjoy this.’’’ Turns out, Emma learned to play by ear along with some YouTube help.

She has her own instrument now.  “I bought a grand piano with my first paycheck from porn. It’s my baby. I love it!”

What kind of music does this self-taught virtuoso like to play? Is it different from the typical youngster who practices more formally under a teacher’s eye?

It’s a variety, Emma replies, with alternative, rock and instrumental piano her preferences. “Cinematic orchestra is one of my favorites,” she adds, but “it depends on what mood I’m in.”

Maturity

We turn the conversation to how Emma has moved forward with her career.

“I had a little bit of a rough start because being from Canada, it took a while to get my US ID,” she says.

Emma mentions having her tattoos removed. An image adjustment, I’m guessing.

“I’m starting to progress to do different kinds of scenes. At first, I was doing very vanilla scenes. I don’t want to say boring, but just more elegant. Recently, I’ve started doing more anal and DPs, which is a whole new ballgame for me. I wanted to bring on this more slutty kind of persona. I’m trying to change my look and my performance.”

“The slut plays the piano,” I joke.

Sporting a big smile, Emma is cool with that!

With two AVN noms in hand, this stunning blonde has matured since we first talked three years ago. Is this a natural progression due to getting older?

Emma claims it’s just wanting to get better at your job.

Art

I pose the “what is pornography?” question and Emma doesn’t hesitate.

“It is a work of art, shown by an individual or a group of people, whatever the scene calls for. Being very artistic, being themselves on camera. . . a sexual moment caught on video. Very beautiful.”

We talk about how porn has changed over the years and Emma references Hollywood.

“I feel like now, it’s kind of moving with the mainstream industry,” Emma says, and brings up Bree Mills’ Adult Time. “They put a lot of work into their scenes. They make it look like an actual movie. Their sex is not just sex. It’s art. It’s really well put together.”

As for mainstream film, Emma speculates that sex “must be super awkward on a mainstream set.”

Regarding that statement, Adult Time steps into our conversation again.

“It’s kind of cool seeing an actual movie and seeing all of the sex. I wish they did that in mainstream movies sometimes. I wish they normalized it and made it okay.”

Emma points out what much of the public believes. “Sex is such a shameful thing” and, of course, “it’s obscene seeing two people have sex and you know people look down on it. But I feel if mainstream normalized it,” it wouldn’t be a big deal.

I mention Maitland Ward, an actress who entered adult from mainstream film. Emma is impressed with the move, but she raises the typical criticism of Ward’s change of scenery.

“That’s amazing. Of course, people are going to say ‘Oh she downgraded.’ But no, you’re moving from one form of art to another [and] that’s pretty cool.”

A Personal Reboot

Finally, I persuade today’s Emma to go back in time and visit with the Emma who is just coming into the industry.

What advice would you give yourself?

Pondering the question for a moment she offers up two things.

First, “don’t get taken advantage of because I was in the beginning of my career and it took me a while to learn that. But I don’t regret anything because it’s made me [who] I am today, [though] I’m still not happy with [that]. I want to keep going, doing better.”

On the Red Carpet

Then the slender hottie relates what I’ve heard so often over the years in this business.

“I had a little bit of a rough start. I didn’t know who I was and that’s another thing. I was trying to be someone else. I kind of lost myself.”

This leads to her second piece of advice. “Just be yourself [and] don’t regret anything,” Emma declares. “When I was new, I didn’t really know anything about performing at all.”

But she has come to realize that her career goal is longevity. “Since I had a slow start, I was able to have a longer career instead of getting famous right off the bat and getting overwhelmed with it. I’m happy that it went gradually and slowly.”

I mention that some girls jump into everything like anal and multiple penetrations immediately when their careers begin.

Emma took the more cautious route.

“I didn’t know who I was at eighteen, nothing. But if you know where you want to go in this industry, do whatever you want off the bat. I had no idea. So, it took me a while to learn and now I know where I want to go.”

Her approach has changed, however.

“I [like to] take every scene that comes at me…because as female talent, you never know when the work is going to slow down. But I try to take Sundays off because you need those grounding days for your mental health.”

Nevertheless, work is never assured. Every performance is an audition for the next one.

“If you do a really good job [on set] and you have a good time with the crew and the director and everything, you can get rehired. But there’s only so many times that they can shoot you. So, you are unemployed until they can rehire you again.”

Longevity?

How does she cope with the uncertainty?

“You never know when it’s going to end. So, I have my Only Fans and my Snapchat that I make money off of.”

Hollywood actors often have lifetime careers, Emma muses. “I wish you could do that with porn, but it ends eventually.”

Ironically, I mention that in adult longevity mostly belongs to the men.

With resignation, Emma comments, “I know.”

As we’re about to wrap up, my photographer Kevin throws a question Emma’s way concerning being taken advantage of.

“Because you were young and naïve, did they put you in scenes you didn’t want to do?” he asks.

“Yeah,” Emma responds. “when I was newer, I was very naïve. I took every scene. Now I’m more selective. I’ve definitely had some bad experiences on set. Now, I know to stand up for myself.”

Well said, Emma Hix, and thank you for a great interview.

*           *          *

by Rich Moreland, July 2010

If you follow this blog, I’m sure you’ve noticed a new advert in the sidebar to the right. Yours truly has completed another book on the adult industry and this post is a shameless bit of self-promotion to let everyone know it’s available for interested readers.

My first book, Pornography Feminism: As Powerful as She Wants to Be, is a condensed history of feminism in adult film. In putting it together, I relied on academic research and first hand accounts from industry directors, performers and company owners. Not as difficult as it may seem, actually, since commercialized pornography as we know it emerged in the late 1960s and some of the early performers and directors are still with us as living history.

Pornography Feminism investigates women whose political consciousness in a male dominated environment emerged slowly over porn’s fifty-year history. Despite the criticism that the industry objectifies its female talent—in effect robbing them of their individualism and sexual expression—today’s women often call the shots in front of and behind the camera. The results are impressive. In the 2020 AVN (Adult Video News) award nominations, more female filmmakers than ever before stepped up to be recognized.

In putting together my second manuscript, I focused on a single director who offered her take on feminism for my first book. Meeting Jacky St. James and observing her creative talents convinced me that in the manner of pioneers like the late Candida Royalle, the first woman to own her own production company, Jacky makes an equally empowering statement.

The result is The St. James Magic: XXX or Hollywood? The book describes Jacky’s rise to award-winning prominence as an adult film writer/director. Included is her partnership with Eddie Powell, a cinematographer and director in his own right and a vital cog in Jacky’s story.

How an upper middle-class university educated woman decides to leave corporate America and inadvertently becomes a celebrity in the business of porn is only part of what the The St. James Magic offers. Interviews with performers who praise her scripts and directing acumen in an industry that traditionally undervalues dramatic expression and quality acting, adds zest to Jacky’s story.

What is remarkable is Jacky’s flair for that Hollywood touch in an entertainment milieu thought to be far removed from Tinseltown. The average adult film is woefully short of the budget it needs to challenge mainstream production values. Nevertheless, Jacky makes everything work to perfection. In a word, she never cheapens her set—its crew and performers—with bad writing, oh-hum directing and simple-minded camera work.

In other words, Jacky has mastered the art of making the most of what she has. Given a sampling of her award-winning movies, the reader experiences what good filmmaking is like when the adult product transcends its reason to be—on-screen sex—into high quality narratives.

With the telling of our story, we learn much about Jacky personally. She attempts an acting career without success and experiences her own MeToo moment in Hollywood. On a lark, she wins a script writing contest for an adult company, New Sensations/Digital Sin, and begins her own venture into movie making, stepping forth as an actor’s director. What makes her unique? She puts the plot before the sex and never allows the hardcore to drive the storyline. The result is a variety of filmmaking awards for Best Screenplay and Best Director from industry leaders like AVN, XBIZ and XRCO.

As the text progresses through Jacky’s ventures, I pose the central question she and a handful of others are exploring today. Will adult film ever move from “The Other Hollywood” Legs McNeil and Jennifer Osborne describe in their 2005 work by the same name and establish roots in mainstream filmmaking? Affectionately called crossing over, it’s not as far away as it seems; the two entertainment entities are more similar than you might believe.

Yet within the adult business there are arguments on both sides of the porn-going-legit question, if such a thing is even desirable. However, there is no disagreement on the power of Jacky St. James’ storytelling and filmmaking.

Take a look for yourself.

*          *          *

Here are the specs for the book or the “Product Details” as Amazon calls them. The text is available in Kindle and Paperback versions.

File Size: 423 KB

Print Length: 213 pages

Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1655187635

Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited

Publication Date: January 2, 2020

Language: English

ASIN: B083G9G82R

by Rich Moreland, July 2020

A decade ago, I began researching feminist porn and twice attended the now defunct Feminist Porn Awards in Toronto. In the course of those excursions, this straight guy learned a great deal about the queer porn community and its cinematic tastes. What’s more, a friendship developed with performer Jiz Lee who provided me with an invaluable perspective for Pornography Feminism: As Powerful as She Wants to Be, published in 2015.

Fast forward to 2020 and Covid19. Jiz works in marketing for Shine Louise Houston’s company, Pink and White Productions, and periodically sends me updates on what’s happening with their artistic projects. So, you guessed it, I’ve got some shameless advertising about their latest endeavor to spark your interest.

I’ll let Jiz explain what we need to know.

The project is called The San Francisco PornFilmFestival.

“We originally wanted this to be in-person,” Jiz begins, “but COVID19 changed plans so we’re bringing it online and also building the site to host it, since mainstream streaming sites don’t allow porn and porn sites aren’t really invested in the concept of a ‘festival’ event.”

As an industry scribe, I understand this dilemma.

Consequently, the task for Pink and White is to find an acceptable route to reach their audience. Jiz lets us know how that’s coming along.

“Once again, we’re having to carve out a place. In this case, it will also benefit other adult film festivals that are looking for porn-friendly online venues now that their theater events are unsafe [for large gatherings].”

Shine Louise Houston. The joy of queer porn!

To emphasize how much Covid has disabled travel and close personal contact for industry people and fans, Jiz emphasizes that the event will have “a livestream film festival platform.” In other words, you can see it at home!

A super challenge for Pink and White and a most laudable one.

So, here I am the “promoter” (who knows nothing about promotion!) encouraging you to get involved if queer porn is your thing. Or, if it’s not, consider supporting free expression for all sexualities/genders and the LGBTQ community at large. That’s especially important in these troubled times.

Everyone will be appreciative. Spirits will be lifted and sexuality explored in new and exciting ways!

For a more thorough understanding of what the festival offers, check out PinkWhite.biz, CrashPadSeries.com, and PinkLabel.TV on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

To financially assist the project and learn more about it, go to:  https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-the-san-francisco-pornfilmfestival-go-virtual#/

 *          *           *

I can’t finish this post without a look back and a big thank you to Jiz and Shine. Here we are in Toronto at the awards show a few years ago.

Happy viewing to everyone and stay safe!

by Rich Moreland, September 2020

Once again, I’ve taken the opportunity to review a Jac Avila film. His newest offering is the first in a series starring Dani Borda.

Photos are courtesy of Jac Avila and Red Feline.

*          *          *

The blurb that accompanies the latest Red Feline offering, CruXtreme I, states in part:

After a drink, a young woman visits her lover’s playroom and comments, “‘It is so medieval, like the Spanish Inquisition.’ ‘Do you want to play?’ He asks. ‘Yes’, she responds. Thus begins a night of extreme torture and terror.”

Lovely and Eager

Jac Avila’s reinvigoration of the Red Feline genre ensures another success with CruXtreme I (CX I). The film follows the time-tested erotic horror formula that built the Red Feline label and its loyal fan base. Central to Red Feline’s cinematic successes are the likes of the talented sisters Carmen and Veronica Paintoux, Mila Joya, Beatriz Rivera, and the dynamic Amy Hesketh, all of whom fans have come to adore for their willingness to suffer.

Now we have Daniela Borda and she is sensational. Dani is lovely, nicely put together from a physical standpoint and overly eager to please. Her personality is bright with abounding smiles. From what this writer sees in her CX I performance, should this dark and alluring girl decide to continue with Red Feline and give Jac more opportunities to explore her likes and limits, she may very well eclipse her predecessors in her performances.

Incidentally, this is not Dani’s first Jac Avila shoot. She broke into the erotic horror genre with a role in Monxa Mala. In that film she is his beloved, a role reprised in CX I. Incidentally, Dani has a history with Red Feline before her role in Monxa, something I discovered when corresponding with Jac.

“Yes, Dani’s first film with me is Monxa Mala,” he says, “but we did a lot of work prior to that film, some of which is good enough to be released as rehearsal movies.”

Hopefully that is in the works soon!

Before we delve into CX I, a helpful comment is appropriate. As a veteran scribe of the adult film industry, I can attest that commercialized pornography revolves around two film variations: the feature and the vignette. With their erotic horror offerings, Jac Avila and Amy Hesketh have created memorable feature films such as the acclaimed Dead But Dreaming and Justine. Productions like these require scripts, substantial budgets, location shooting, and a cast and crew. On the other hand, vignettes are compact and can work without the above. This is the case with CX I.

We’ll talk more about that later. For now, here’s quick run through of the what you will see on-screen.

The Playroom

The opening scene is shot in the bedroom of the male protagonist (Jac Avila). He has a female guest (Dani Borda) and serves her a drink. They’re apparently lovers. At one point, she tells him, “I like to do lots of things,” and inquires as to what he has in mind that might satisfy her. He suggests “Monopoly,” but that is of no interest to her. She says she is “awful” at that game. That settles everything and he lets her in on his ploy: his playroom. She responds hungrily. “I want to see it!”

“Do you like scary?” he asks.

“Yeah, I like it a lot!” she smiles.

And so, the stage is set for Dani’s coming tribulations fueled by the erotic taste of the macabre that thrives at the end of a whip.

The Wheel

The entire film is set around a wheel that is an ominous relic of the Middle Ages. Dani is coy and demure while excitedly open to anything. It’s a delightful combination that sells this movie. She examines the device with carnal fascination . . . or might we suggest loving masochism. When she agrees to be attached to it face down with arms outstretched, her ordeal begins.

With the first blows of the riding crop, Jac asks “Do you like it?”

She answers with a definitive, yet cautious, “yes.”

But as we know in these kinds of Red Feline scenarios, her painful cries will soon overwhelm her enthusiasm, or so we are led to believe. When the intensity builds, she will protest with “It hurts!” and “Okay, stop it!” — words that will invigorate BDSM fans who relish the helpless, punished female. But the certainty of her pleas is somewhat in doubt. Dani is into this.

Over the course of the film, Dani’s naked body is put into four different positions and thoroughly worked over to the viewer’s delight. Her performance reflects touches of Amy’s Red Feline resume. Lots of crying out and then passing out which allows her to be repositioned for the next scene. Best of all, there are no loin cloths to conceal her tender parts, evident when Jac secures her ankles with a homemade spreader bar that reveals all. (Note: Like Jac’s other cinematic victims, Dani is not completely shaved which retains a touch modesty that may disappoint some fans.)

The hallmark of a Red Feline production is the “interlude” when the camera lingers on the tortured motionless body each time the victim succumbs to unconsciousness. The silence during these scenes is deafening. There are long pauses (in literature they are known as frozen moments) while the viewer watches her servile and submissive breathing that assures the anticipation of the next whipping. As if in a painting, the pauses are an artistic rendering of an avenue of female sexuality that has a BDSM niche appeal.

Similar to the quiet moments in Justine when Amy goes under from the whip, splashes of water do the trick and Dani is revived so her tribulation (or should we say “fun”) can continue.

It’s worth a note that when Dani is face up on the wheel, the medieval flavor of the dungeon playroom is reinforced with a spiked belt attachment that secures her waist to increase her pain and eliminate writhing.

Body Art

By the way, Dani Borda is tattooed and pierced. Her body art fits well with the contemporary “outre” female who is perfect for these films. Call it kinky or quirky, no matter. Everything comes together with Dani and her fans—no pun intended, of course.

Speaking of the erotic element, there is frequent kissing during Dani’s trials. It’s a celebration, really, of her beauty and willingness to endure. Never once in the film did this reviewer get the impression that she was not enjoying herself or pleased with her performance. The tone of Dani’s on-screen presence will remind Red Feline aficionados of their past sweethearts (mentioned above) who have endured Jac Avila’s torments.

Before we examine the film’s cinematography in the next post, there is this:

Jac and Dani appear to make love as the final moments of the opening scene transition into their visit to his playroom. Keep that in mind because there is a surprise ending that raises questions about what is really going on in this film: reality or fantasy or flashback? You decide.

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To download Cruxtreme I or order it in a DVD format, head to Vermeerworks.

If you have not yet purchased the tortured female BDSM horror classics Jac mentions here, scroll through the Vermeerworks catalogue for ordering.

And, if you are so inclined, reviews of other Jac and Amy’s feature films appear in the archives of this blog.

by Rich Moreland, September 2020

This is the second installment on Jac Avila’s latest project, a series of vignette films titled CruXtreme.

My thanks to Jac and Red Feline for the photos that appear here.

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No Independent  Cinematographer

While seemingly unsophisticated at first glance, the cinematography in CruXtreme I (CX I): The Playroom is actually quite innovative considering the limited space of the set and the fact that there is no independent cinematographer. Cameras are situated to capture the whip induced agonies from different angles and positions, reminding us that the editing was a challenge. Near the end, the camera does some sweeping views of the film’s star, Daniela Borda, but they are minimal.

In my discussions with the film’s creator, Jac Avila, he was honest in his assessment of the tasks he and Dani faced with the film.

“The Playroom is more a performance than a film with a plot. It has a plot, sure, but very thin,” he began.

“It was made just by the two of us, Dani and myself. I do the work of setting up lights and the camera and all of that which is manual labor, of course, and tiring, lots of moving around and carrying things within the span of a couple of hours.

“Dani took care of her personal make up. All the [other] make-up effects were done by me.”

Those include the bloody marks on her body.

Jac continued with his praise of Dani contributions.

“She helped me with the set, moving things around and the decor. I used some of the music I have in our archives, the opening piece was also used in other films, Pygmalion, amongst them. That’s the Bach piano melody,” he said.

Together they did a most credible job.

One-Man Crew

For fans with a technical interest in filmmaking, Jac elaborated on what it’s like to work within a confined environment. By the way, he references CX I’s follow-up films, CX II and CX III.

“For the first two films in this series I used only one camera which I had to move a lot for all of the angles I have on each scene, I used a tripod and a crane, depending of the kind of shot I wanted.

“In the current film (CX III) I’m using two cameras, the Canon that I move a lot, setting it up on the tripod or the crane, depending on the kind of shot I want, and a 4K GoPro that [is] above the cross to get a bird’s wide angle view of the scenes.”

We talked a little about some of the muffled dialogue which is difficult to understand. It’s a concern, Jac pointed out.

“One of the problems with working as a one-man crew is that I have to do everything, so I don’t have a sound person to make sure everything is coming along well. I record the sound both with the built-in camera mike and with a separate professional sound recorder with a great Sennheiser mike set up in a boom. But I can’t use my earphones to hear what is happening.

The mike is set up so that Dani can be heard “because she’s the focus of the story,” Jac explained. Unfortunately, “my voice muddles a bit,” he added.

Despite the technical shortcomings, CX I is a remarkable success.

Three is a Risk

As we’ve mentioned above, there are at least two more films in the works on this theme: CruXtreme II and III. They are also the joint efforts of Jac and Dani.

According to Jac, Dani loved working on the series despite the horrors she apparently endures.

“She commented to me, recently, that she’s having a lot of fun,” he said.

It’s clear that her enthusiasm for the “victim” role is genuine.

“When I told her that we were almost done with the third one, she said that she has mixed feelings. She wants to finish it because she wants to move on to the next movie, while she doesn’t want to finish it because she’s enjoying it too much.”

Though they will wrap up the third installment soon, the pandemic is playing havoc with their schedule, as might be expected. Jac emphasized that they are faced with a one-week lock down in LaPaz. As a result, they’ll be forced to take that week off.

“If we’re done with CX III, we’ll move on to work on a couple of films with Mila [Joya] where Dani will also play a part,” he added.

Covid19’s toll is evident, however.

“Because of the pandemic, the team has come down to two people, and soon we will be three [when Mila is on board],” Jac said. “That’s it. We can’t have more people working. Even three is a bit of a risk. We’re taking all the precautions, but still.”

Among those precautions is a limited time frame to complete the shooting.

“Our work schedule is two hours a day, two or three days a week. We have long stretches without working or seeing each other, so if anyone of us shows any symptoms, we would cancel further plans.

“Awful times indeed,” he lamented.

Alas, the Tattoo Parlor

Finally, Red Feline fans will be disappointed to learn that the impressive dungeon used in recent productions is no more. Jac let us in on the back story.

“Soon after the release of Justine, I was contacted by Dani who had seen Justine and decided that she wanted to work with me in films like that. I had just finished shooting The Passion of Isabel with Bea (Beatriz Rivera) and had the set with all the props for a few more days, so she (Dani) came over for a test and I was very surprised that she did not have any problems getting all undressed to be chained up and mistreated for a casting test.

“Sadly, I had to leave the set, it was already taken over by a tattoo parlor. I could’ve made lots of new films there. I used it in Maleficarum, Le Marquis, Justine and The Passion of Isabel.”

Mila and Amy Hesketh in Maleficarum

Bea, Mila, and Amy in Justine

“During the rest of this year I’ll be busy with Dani, Mila and probably Simonne [del la Riva] but mostly with Dani.”

Despite the loss of a great set, I’m sure Jac Avila’s innovations will impress Red Feline’s fans with more terrific and sadistically titillating movies.

*          *          *

To download the CruXtreme series or order it in a DVD format, head to Vermeerworks.

If you have not yet purchased the tortured female BDSM horror classics Jac mentions here, scroll through the Vermeerworks catalogue for ordering.

And, if you are so inclined, reviews of other Jac and Amy feature films appear in the archives of this blog.

by Rich Moreland, October 2020

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*          *          *

“We’ll be watching you!” a researcher for the CIA Psychomotor Enhancement Training Facility tells Dr. Sara Connor, the central character of Colin Rowntree’s latest film, Going Viral: A XXX COVID A.I Thriller. Indeed, the panel of scientists has been surreptitiously peeking at her sexual escapades with the intent of using government programming to transition the shapely doctor into a sex android who will do their bidding, or investigating, if you will.

Going Viral has plenty of penetration scenes for the porn fan, but there is no fluid exchange among players. There can’t be because this is the pandemic and such things cannot—or must we say, should not—take place. But fun can still be had in this tale if a modest dominant/submissive theme is for you. Sicilia Ricci’s portrayal of Dr. Connor is well placed with lots of celebratory erotic utterances flowing from the buxom actress who really knows how to get herself off.

The viewer learns early that Dr. Connor’s personal life is a ready target for government programming. From her apartment, she has her own cam girl show complete with dancing pole (she goes by the name, “Covert Covid”) and a boyfriend with whom she shares her sexual energy. Early in the film we discover that the guy is quarantined. With her computer, Sara checks in with him to break his erotic loneliness. Using a speculum to give him an “up close and personal” view of her offerings, she masturbates to orgasm. We assume he does likewise. That’s love in the covid age, you see.

To illustrate covid’s impact, contrasting images are presented at the film’s beginning. When we first see Sara enjoying self-pleasuring there is sex on two screens. She tunes into a Shhh.com scene in which fluid exchange happens on film. It’s in an inset mode on her computer screen while she is in real time, alone.

Throughout Going Viral, Sara’s performances are solo with a plethora of sex toys to fascinate the viewer. When she is being “trained” in a quasi-dungeon setup, the mechanical “Shockspot” dildo gets a workout. There is a bit of a tease about the dungeon, however. Though a St Andrews Cross and a couple of whips are visible, Sara never is subjected to any disciplinary procedures at their behest unless, of course, she is a medieval flagellant, a seeker of self-punishment for a higher calling.

Remember, she is alone.

It’s worth a note that Sicilia Ricci does a magnificent job of carrying the film. Her sense of humor is displayed as she drops a couple of “oops” in situations when her lovable partner, the mechanical dildo, slips away from an orifice or two. And then there’s her stilted appreciation of Malexa’s decision to change her hair color to pink. It matches the changes in her eyes post-programming. The scene is adolescent stupid, but hilarious! Android status has reduced the doctor to an automated suck-up of the first order.

By far, the most amusing character in Viral is not a person, but the aforementioned personal home device named Malexa. Dr. Moriarty, Program Coordinator for the Surgeon General in Washington, DC, sends it to her via Amazon delivery (we find out later that she also gets a butt plug). Colin Rowntree, plays the good (or perhaps we should say, evil?) doctor who wants his own private cam show featuring Sara. And what nasty demonstrations lie within her talents! This girl knows how to get off.

By the way, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle would be proud that his devilish creation lives on at least in name and comparative forms in our time.

Malexa’s most humorous moment is on tap when she cums with Sara who uses the device to rub against her clit. Malexa repeats very mechanically and without emotion, “Dr. Conner, I’m cumming. Ah! Ah!” Sara responds with, “Me too!”

But, oh, what a mistake pleasure has wrought because now Sara is primed and Malexa switches her into android mode. The saucy cam girl becomes the erotic slave of the diabolical doctors who enjoy her autoerotic fun.

At this point, the real tale of this tale is evident. Malexa having an orgasm indicates technology is taking over our lives, reducing sex to mechanics. Almost comical because the personal device is Dr. Connor’s new sex partner.

But there is more . . .

Malexa tells Sara she is under the command of Dr. Moriarty and the pandemic has reached epidemic proportions. Those still alive are locked down and quarantined. She has been transformed into an android and is immune from the disease and is now the eyes and ears of the doctor and his team.

By the way, take notice of the most impressive image in the film; it’s is the artwork above Sara’s bed. A series of candles are positioned in ascending and descending rows. Beneath each is a ring. Sara references her many lovers when she sends out the online invite to her cam show. These candles and rings are Freudian notches on her bedpost, so to speak, examples of pre-covid love . . . in the good ole days.

Going Viral sports the timeless theme of “big brother is watching you.” Of course, we all know it’s the government, but Colin Rowntree does the whole show with tongue-in-cheek to minimize the chilling possibilities of such a thing actually happening in our collective bedrooms.

Finally, pay close attention to the ending as Sara is released from her “training.” Her white coat and clipboard belie what is destined to become an orgy of epic proportions, something we are sure will be most amusing for that other mysterious character who sneaks into this film—the phallic rat on a researcher’s desk. He calmly takes everything in! Now, don’t get the willies, he’s just a bizarre piece of plastic. It’s the creepy-eyed researcher who strokes him that should give you pause.

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Going Viral is available to consumers in the Wasteland member area, Kink on  Demand and Adult Empire VoD.

To Watch the trailer, click here.

by Rich Moreland, November 2020

I came to Martyr late (is was released almost twenty years ago) but my friendship with its creator, Jac Avila, led to this commentary.

For a substantial overview of the film which is not included in this discussion, go to Ralphus.net for JoeKO’s summary.

In the sources for this commentary, I’ve also included references to reviews by Amy Hesketh (Transformation and catharsis in Jac Avila’s Martyr, August 29, 20110), Charles Lonberger (Review: Martyr or the Death of St. Eulalia, January 15, 2014) and C Dean Andersson (The Fascination of Fear versus the Beauty of Horror , 17 November 2012).

And, of course, there are the words of Jac himself to help us understand what Marytr is all about.

*          *          *

How Martyr came to be centers on two actresses, Carmen Paintoux and her sister Veronica, a friendship director Jac Avila nurtured over twenty years ago.

As the 20^th century was winding down, Jac spent time in New York and France before going back to Bolivia in 1992. “That’s when I met Carmen and Vero,” he explains. Later, Jac recalls, “I returned to live in New York with Carmen in 1997. Vero joined us in NY in 1998.”

Martyr, shot in 2002, made its way into the public arena in 2005.

With that bit of a background, I’ll turn to Joek0’s essay for an overview of the film.

“We are introduced to the lovely young French couple of Camille (Carmen Paintoux) and Julien (Mickael Trodoux). Camille tells the story of Eulalia, a beautiful female virgin martyr. We also meet Julien’s American friend Dave (Erik Antoine) who loves messing around with a bullet-less gun.”

The gun is a vital image in the film, as we see in the ending. This is not a spoiler alert, however, you will have the see the movie for yourself to properly judge everyone’s actions.

For now, back to Joek0’s description.

“Camille is bored of doing nothing while staying with her boyfriend in order to help out his career.” Eventually, she encounters Tadeusz, “a photographer who really lets her act out the great story of the martyr St. Eulalia.”

(As he so often does, Jac plays the role of Tadeusz, the dominant/sadist in the film).

Joek0 concludes. “We see Camille suffer for her art and her passion, but she also feels empowered” in a story laced with “jealousy” since “many of the films relationships [are] tested.”

Catholicism and the Female Body in Pain

Jac explains how his interest in female crucifixion films came to be. Raised as a Catholic and attending Catholic schools forged a background that, to some degree, led him to filmmaking.

“Catholic imagery is full of The Body in Pain,” Jac begins, “a beautiful body, always . . . almost nude or totally nude, with an expression of bliss in the very moment of martyrdom. The school I attended was full of those images. Beautiful paintings expressing exactly that.”

Next, he references an eye-opener for many non-Catholics. “Catholicism is far less repressed sexually” than other forms of Christianity, he says. In subsequent films shot under the production banner of Pachamama Films, Jac emphasizes what many of his fans interpret as the sexual kinks of bdsm—female whipping scenes and crucifixion—are integral to much of his work.

However, beneath that all-to-convenient analysis, is the profound issue of female empowerment, something that seems, at least on the surface, to be contradictory to those whose religious faith is contextually male-oriented.

“In Catholicism women have a high place because of the Virgin. The Mother of God herself. Catholicism is not as patriarchal as it may seem to be . . . women, just like men, have the same or more capacity to suffer for humanity,” Jac asserts.

“In that sense, female martyrdom gets equal treatment . . . or better yet, takes the main role. The strongest character in Catholicism is Saint Eulalia, who is stronger than any of the other female martyrs. She’s crucified twice.”

Thus, the concept of Martyr came to be.

But, does making a film that borders on realism about a tortured Saint present issues that can turn off many female performers, considering the physical discomfort their acting involves?

Actually, Jac states, for the right personalities, it is an invigorating experience.

“Acting in these movies is, in a sense, empowering,” he says. “The actress has complete control over her body, mind, soul, to do anything she wants to do.”

In other words, female emancipation, if we can call it that, and the assertion that women are on a basis equal to men drives all of Jac’s films. For Martyr, feminism framed by religion is an unparalleled cinematic example.

Old Havana

Jac offers us a background glimpse into the events that led to Martyr.

Though he spent time in Bolivia as a youth, he relates that he primarily lived in New York where he “studied film, worked at CBS [and] did commercial photography.”

Eventually his filmmaking took him south again. “I made a film in Haiti and Cuba, documentaries and miniseries in Bolivia, including one for National Geographic. I premiered my first film at Cannes in 1988.”

In the early 1980s, Jac spent a couple of years in Cuba involved in working through the bureaucratic morass needed to make a film. Progress was slow.

“With so much time in my hands I read a lot,” he explains. “One of my favorite past times was to visit the bookstores in ‘charming Old Havana,’ searching for whatever I could find.”

One of the visits paid off handsomely.

“I found a beautiful book of Medieval Spanish Paintings, published in Hungary. One of the paintings was an altar piece dedicated to The Martyrdom of St Eulalia. In it, all the tortures the martyr went through were represented, including her double crucifixion. That was fascinating to me. Some short time before in New York, I came across the J. W. Waterhouse painting of St Eulalia. I was hooked on that martyr from then on. Needless to say, I researched all matters concerning this enigmatic young saint.”

From these revelations, the idea for a film was hatched.

Women United

Camille is the powerful figure of Martyr.

Charles Lonberger states that Carmen Paintoux’s portrayal of Camille “merges the physical and the cerebral. She martyrs herself as her identity morphs into the Saint she is researching.”

Yet there are two more women who become feminist statements in the film. Elisa (played by Natacha Petrovich), “intends to be the St. Julia to Camille’s St. Eulalia,” Lonberger says, though “that assignment is actually assumed by Veronica Paintoux, in the role of Gabrielle, for which she is rewarded by being lanced and hung on a cross, as well.”

For Carmen Paintoux, playing Camille was no easy task.

Nevertheless, C Dean Andersson is impressed with her performance.

“While seemingly headed in a dangerous direction,” Camille “heroically [pulled] herself together by defying her inner coward and embracing urges she had previously avoided, because the more her flesh was tied and tormented, the freer and stronger her spirit somehow became.”

Then there is Gabrielle, Tadeusz’s live-in lover, who by the luck of the draw becomes Camille’s partner in pain.

Joek0 explains.

“While Elisa is not really eager to be hung on a cross, she tries to show a brave face all along.” But soon it is evident that Gabrielle is convinced “to take her place.”

It’s a turn of events that is totally unexpected “since Gabrielle did not like Camille stealing away the spotlight from her. But Gabrielle was finally moved by Camille passion for what this shoot really stood for. Gabrielle is ready to take her place on the cross.”

As the nails go into Camille’s legs, Joek0 continues, she “looks over to her side is glad to see that Gabrielle is right beside her to share the pain of her tortures. They are now true sisters in pain. Gabrielle is then impaled in the chest with a spear. She loudly screams in pain. They both fall into unconsciousness to the pain they suffered.”

Art

Filmmaker Amy Hesketh, joined with Jac Avila several years ago to begin an artistically productive period in both their lives. Eventually, she starred in prominent roles that have made Pachamama Films famous within its niche audience.

Jac recalls that Amy “was doing a lot of photography, not modeling, when we met in 2005. She saw Martyr in Oruro, of all places, and that’s when she decided to take the path I was on.”

In her essay on Martyr, Amy comments on the creative aspects of the film.

“Camille begins to know Eulalia, her pain, her suffering. The images are like paintings, they are beautiful to behold, and that beauty is emphasized by Camille’s contortions, the pain she evokes. Camille takes us along in her journey. The sounds make us flinch, but Camille is using the pain, the experience, for her own ends.”

Amy lets us in on how Camille triumphs through her self-imposed ordeal.

“The strain in her muscles and tendons evokes strength, resistance. She uses the pain to reach Eulalia, to force Eulalia into her body. To coerce a revolution in herself. She is coming into being.

“The end, the resolution, the catharsis is happening. Camille becomes… herself.”

Of all the words written about Pachamama Films, that is the truest of feminist statements because it’s a rebirth which Amy Hesketh understands completely for it encapsulates the beauty of her performances in the remarkable films she and Jac created during their partnership.

In the final analysis, Amy nails (no pun intended) Camille’s role in Martyr.

“And while we may think that personal striving for catharsis and change is narcissistic, the self is more complex than that. The people around us are affected, but can also be inspired. Changing ourselves may make us fit into the world in a different way, but maybe we fit a little better.”

No feminist—artistic, political, or otherwise—would disagree.

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by Rich Moreland, January 2022

As readers have noticed, there have been no posts on this site for over a year. It’s the pandemic. It pushed the adult industry to the back burner of my daily affairs and diminished my contact with those who perform, direct, produce and enjoy the fruits of their labor, so to speak.

Sheltering-in introduced a change in my writing that was totally unexpected. As a journalist in the industry and the author of two books about it, I was always interviewing people to get their perspective on their work. I reviewed their productions, as in commenting on film, and in the long run helped them build their brand.

Essentially, I was taking another look at what was already there or currently being created by somebody else. Frankly, it was fun to do these things and I was pretty successful at it. I met many interesting people and learned what goes on in front of and behind the camera in an industry that many people find morally offensive.

Of course, I can’t leave out the modest following that grew with this blog. I certainly appreciate all of you out there who take the time to read my words.

Despite all the misery and heartache it has caused, the pandemic offered me an opportunity that I explored. Staying at home left me with time on my hands. So, what to do? I started to root through old files from my grad school days long ago. You see, I had always wanted to be a novelist or short story writer. To some degree that goes with journalism, but I never considered that I had any talent for it. Going through some folders I’d kept from those days, I found notes about characters I’d created and situations they were in that would make good stories. I ventured into the note keeping habit because professors I knew suggested it.

With time on my hands, I decided to write a story. What has emerged is an untested novel and a series of short stories related to the events within its pages.

From this experience, I was eager to publish something of substance. I was fortunate to find an illustrator (really an old friend from my teaching days) to help bring the characters to life. A year’s worth of work has yielded a short story collection which I have marketed through Amazon Kindle Direct. As is customary with them, the book has a Kindle and a paperback version.

The anthology is titled The High Grass: A Collection of Short Stories. The events and characters that experience them are located in a rural community along the southern part of the Mid-Atlantic region of this country of ours. The time frame is a half-century ago. The stories contain a variety of themes from mysteries and murder to race relations and the paranormal. Oh, and I have to mention that sex also shows up every now and then. After all, adult themes are part of the business I’m in!

I have a second anthology I’m currently revising and a novel to follow.  Both works further investigate the goings-on in this little town that dances around in my imagination.

It’s been an interesting journey so far and very self-satisfying. Finally, I’m doing my own creating rather than reporting on what others are doing. It’s a pleasant change.