Those of you who have been following the blog know doubt saw all my excited posts about my involvement in Safe Landings, Kay Brandt's new film in two years for Adam And Eve's new line of hardcore films based on best selling erotic novels. Well last Saturday we shot my scenes for the film; the whole film was actually shot over two days-Friday and Saturday-so that really tells you something about the amazing talent of the cast and crew. And now I am going to tell you my experience about working on my very first porn film in a non-sex dialogue only role.
First let me just say that the script is one of the best scripts I've read in years. I would have been crazy to turn it down. All of the characters had so much depth and richness that made it easy to find subtleties and subtexts and to bring a variety of juicy choices to set. In fact if Kay was to edit out the hardcore sex this is a movie that would be shown on LifeTime or in theatres and once you guys see the film, which is scheduled for a September/fall release, you'll see just how beautiful it is.
We shot in a beautiful house on La Tuna Canyon in Sun Valley. Being that I don't drive Kay had one of the PA's pick me up and drive me to set, although I would have gladly walked, and when we wrapped, since it was late and the last bus from Sun Valley had stopped running, the producer, David Lords' assistant, drove me to the subway which was so sweet of both of them and I can't thank them enough for the transportation.
So I arrive on set and it is just like a mainstream set. There's the equipment, actors going over sides, the designated room to put all of our stuff and, the most important thing, craft services. Being that I had gotten there a few hours early, I settled in and just started going over my lines so that I would be ready when Kay yelled action.I had three scenes, two of which involved actual dialogue and my first scene was very dialogue heavy so I wanted to be as ready as I could be and get all the nerves out before-I have the worst stage fright of any actor before I work.
And let me assure you, the nerves for this shoot were at full force and they only elevated two or three days before the shoot. As I mentioned in first post about my audition, there was a lot riding against me; the therapist character was written for a woman in her 30s and was a role that a more established and recognizable actress in the industry would have; a Jenna Jameson or a Nina Hartley or Traci Lords. I wanted to prove to Kay that she had made the right decision in casting me. I even brought my two scenes into my acting class and got coaching for them in there! And I was so super grateful that Kay had given me the script about three weeks in advance so I had ample time to research and study and prep.
I also found out after the shoot, and I'm glad I didn't know this before hand because even more pressure would have been thrown on the fire, that the lead Brenda James whom I auditioned with, was also instrumental in helping me get the role. Brenda told me after I had wrapped that she told Kay, "it has to be Joe. It has to be him." And for that, Brenda I will truly always be grateful to you.
A very pleasant surprise was when two of the extras arrived, Sam and David, whom I had met briefly at the audition. They are actually forming an adult entertainment production company called Venus Vice and let me tell you with their heads for networking, business sense and just general likability these two are going to succeed and become forces in the industry. The three of us have actually become really good friends and have hung out a few times since filming. They came to see me perform at Lip Sync LA Live and this past weekend the three of us, along with Kiki Daire who is so lovely and funny, went to James Deen's Overkill Fundraising Party in Hollywood.
Another person who I bonded with on set over our love of horror movies, 70's exploitation films like Cannibal Holocaust and comic books was lead Xander Corvus who, besides being an amazing actor-I'm serious watch his dramatic scenes in the films he'll make you cry-is also a really humble down to earth guy and a talented musician. He shared some of his music with me and I was totally impressed. Like seriously, why is this guy not getting VMA's and Grammy's? And why does it seem that male porn stars make the coolest music?
I could go on and on about how nice and talented everyone was. Brenda James, who I've already talked about. Besides being such a lovely woman is an amazing scene partner to act off of. Her facial expressions tell you so much about what she is feeling and gives you so much to work off. Watch her scenes and you'll see what I mean. Every actor who wants to nail facial expressions should study Brenda James, or she should start teaching a class on it. When it comes to facial expressions Brenda's like Bea Arthur, she doesn't have to say a damn word but you know every damn thing that's running through her head.
August Ames, the other female lead, was also so down to earth and she couldn't have been sweeter. And, for being how young she is, is also quite a fine actress. Marcus London is a great guy who is a total English gentlemen and just oozes that wonderful English charm. Fun loving director, Tarantino XXX, also showed up for a while, he couldn't stay because he had to go to the Vice Is Nice event, but he was so funny and again down to earth and willing to give advice to Sam and David so they could succeed with their company and, I have to say, just like on mainstream sets were we stand around talking about how the business has changed because of the internet and talking about the "good old days" that same thing happened on this set with Marcus and Tarantino XXX talking about the changes to the industry thanks to the internet and the good old days of porn and how there aren't real stars anymore like there used to be with Aunt Peg and Seka and all the greats. And he's, unfortunately, right.
When it came time to shoot all three scenes went well and we got them done quick and it was so rewarding as an actor to see how proud Kay was with the job I had done. I knew that I had proven to her that she had made the right decision and I did everything I set out to do with the character. I met my objectives, I told the story and I brought her character to life. I left that set feeling so pumped and so high and knowing I had reached a new level in my acting. I can't wait to see the finished film, and get my footage to add to my reel and press materials because I know this is going to help swing open many closed doors.
I do have to say though, it was a bit embarrassing and overwhelming to witness the fuss people made over me on set after we did the first take. All of the crew and other actors were, for lack of a better word, fawning over me and my acting and raining down compliment after compliment. Which I greatly appreciated but, like I said, it was very embarrassing because I wasn't there to "show off" or prove how great of an actor I am or show anybody up. I was there to do what I always do when I work, do the best job I can do and raise the bar even higher for myself for the next project, which I did.
And the compliments didn't stop on set. They continued on Twitter; which was overwhelming as well and even, one week later, when I saw Sam and David, they were still going on about my acting. Well I know that I at least made some new fans.
To conclude, I am very grateful that my first porn film was with this cast and crew. Everyone was so nice and so welcoming. That was one of the things I was nervous about. That I would be treated as an outsider or that the performers or crew would be offended and think I was there to show people up or make a mockery of their work, which I wasn't and I know that they knew that. I was also nervous because I was actually doing what I set out to do; bridge that gap between porn and mainstream. Show that a mainstream actor can be in a porn film. Show that a porn film can be filled with good actors and have a great script and director. I didn't do anything in this film that I haven't done in mainstream but I was also nervous because, yes, the reality is, it was a porno and there may be people that are put off by that and that could shut some doors, I'm not that naive but at the end of the day I'm still happy with my decision to do the film, I'm grateful for the new friends and bonds I made and it actually gave me the porno itch to do more non-sex roles in other films because, as you can see, a porn set is actually just like a mainstream movie set and you can't even say that the only difference is there is real sex being filmed or the occasional naked person walking around because there are mainstream sets where people are walking around naked and some mainstream films that actually have real sex. I do have to say I loved that everyone was comfortable with themselves and each other so that we all changed in front of each other and, just like when I did the show on Playboy TV, no one was a creep or leered at anybody or made anyone feel uncomfortable or showed any disrespect.
I hope and pray that I get the opportunity to work with Kay Brandt and everyone else on set again. Oh and I have to say, it was funny how obsessed David Lord got with my hair; he loved touching it. In fact, my porn name became Epic Lego Hair.
So thank you once again to all of the cast and crew. You are all amazing and this is going to be one of the best films the industry has seen in a long time and we are going to SWEEP all of the industry awards this year. I'm actually doing everything I can to get nominated for Best Non Sex Role In A Film.
Oh and since I did do this, and got paid, I'm totally going around calling myself a porn star or at the very least, a working porn actor. ;)
XOXO
-JOE-
