One of the biggest grievances for companies and directors is the flake factor - when stars are being flown in from other cities and they decide to just not show up. I've heard stories from the biggest names in the business (directors, that is) who say that stars have cashed in their tickets, diverted their routes and just never shown up, causing major delays in production and creating other cost factors. I also know that some smaller companies depending on more recognizable stars have been stiffed, and it helped cause a few of the neophyte production companies to fold!
Michael Lucas, always the innovator, thinks he has come up with a solution and announced that beginning in September all models will need to buy their ticket and then be reimbursed when they arrive. It happened when three models essentially flipped Lucas off when shooting Flip This! in Atlanta in late July and early August.
"We are currently in production in Atlanta, and three models did not show up," Lucas lamented. "These tickets were non-refundable and non-transferable, causing us to lose money, on top of precious time for filming. We are not interested in giving irresponsible models a second chance. If a model does not have the money or a credit card to fly to New York with, this is a red flag that the individual is reckless and therefore not particularly likely to show up. This is a person I wouldn't want to work with. In our case, one model did not arrive at the airport on time. Another model was suddenly sick an hour before their flight's departure time, and a third simply did not board their plane and failed to notify the crew that they would not attend the shoot."
The cry from other companies is "Amen!" But will they follow suit?...
Well, apparently if you love gay porn, you'll have to do some reading too. I got a sneak peek at Mike Donner's Guide to Gay Porn, which he just completed and for which he is seeking a publisher. It's a delightfully funny and thoughtful look at the industry that should be a mandatory how-to for anyone getting into the business or anyone looking for models. Not only does the well-respected, award-winning director offer some of his own insights, but he has help from some of his favorite models-Justin Welles, Dean Phoenix and Rod Barry. All of them wrote a section of the book and provide their own tips, including a portion on douching, helpful hints about how to handle a gay-for-pay model and a particularly interesting chapter on how to deal with your parents finding out about your new profession....
Speaking of reading, this one you'll want to have as you lounge by the pool sipping a mint julep. It's Out of the Blue: Confessions of an Unlikely Porn Star. I've written about this and I'm told that I'm mentioned in it, but I've yet to see it, so I'm looking forward to finding out what star-turned-director-turned-author Blue Blake has to say. Blue tells me he spent many long hours doing lots of editing and he's happy to report that pre-sales on Amazon.com are overwhelming. Check the cover out and find order information at Amazon.
Hermes Films is set to release bisexual, black and athletic titles in coming months. They don't plan to compete with the other niche markets, or go after the clientele of COLT, Hot House or Channel 1 Releasing, but they do say they want to fill a gap. Having just performed in San Francisco at a "Bi-Licious" show with bisexual performers, I know that there's a definite need for this. The first title for Hermes is Together Bi Chance and I'm eagerly looking forward to it!...
Chad Donovan never ceases to surprise me. He's directed a mega-hung Latino find named Romario in the upcoming Bailando Tango, co-produced and distributed by Jet Set Men, Marina Pacific and Latin Heat. Of course, as you know, Chad knows first-hand what a big dick is, and he uncovered this delicious addition in Argentina, where he shot the whole DVD. The title means "dancing the tango," but these guys do way more than dance. Donovan gets the guys to do some superb kissing (practically swallowing each others' faces) and then he convinces lean straight guy Nacho to take Romario all the way. The poor guy reportedly had trouble walking after this scene. Not surprisingly, Donovan can't wait to get back to South America to shoot some more of these never-before-seen studs....
Jake Cruise holds bragging rights for topping Mike Roberts for the first time and says, "I first use a couple of toys, but Mike surprises me by getting so turned on that he has to get himself off. With the toy still inside his tight ass, Mike shoots his load into my mouth. Then the main event arrives, and I find myself going where no man has gone before - deep inside Mike Roberts. His hole was tight and warm and I really wanted to pound him, but I also wanted him to enjoy his first time." Read more about this hot scene at JakeCruise.com....
