Eli Cross to Direct Hillary Scott in SexZ's <i>Icon</i>

CHATSWORTH, Calif. - AVN award-winning director Eli Cross has begun pre-production on SexZ Pictures' Icon, an artistic all-sex feature starring contract girl Hillary Scott. Budgeted at $150,000, the project gives Cross something to play with while production on his horror feature Blood of Virgins is temporarily postponed.

"Not everything has to be about two hours of story," Cross told AVN. "We just wanted to do something that allows us to focus on presenting Hillary in best light possible and capturing a really, really pretty version of something that's extremely hardcore."

Icon begins shooting April 18, with Scott performing in four high-concept scenes.

"The only theme to Icon is sort of celebrity," explained Cross. "We're doing a music video with a mainstream band; a mini gang bang with a surreal end-of-the-red carpet setting; an elaborate body paint scene-a series of things that will allow us to art direct the hell out of it."

Scott, whose own directorial effort Sweet Things arrives in stores April 4, is excited to work once again with Cross.

"This is pretty much my only project for the year and I haven't worked in a few months so I'm pretty anxious to start," said Scott. "The movie is going to have a glamorous feel, but with my typical hard edge sex scenes. I know I'm doing a group scene with five guys and another group scene with all girls-it's going to be pretty varied as far as the sex. I'm very excited."

Icon also stars Sammie Rhodes, Trina Michaels, Holly Wellin, Tori Black, Trinity Post, Amber Rayne, Mick Blue, and Marco Banderas.

Scott is 2007's AVN Performer of the Year and recipient of 2008's Best Supporting Actress for her work in Cross' Upload (Best Video Feature 2008).