Brad Armstrong, Wicked Pictures’ go-to guy for the big budget features is relaxing in Wicked’s super-plush booth at AEE. Armstrong had a good year in 2006 with big budget videos like Curse Eternal and Manhunters. And at a time when a lot of studios are cutting back on the big-time porn extravaganza, Armstrong is sitting in the catbird seat as one of a handful of directors who consistently shoot the B-I-G movies.
“Well, we’re planning to go forward with Curse 2,” said Armstrong. “We want to make it bigger and badder and more like a mainstream blockbuster and really play off that mummy thing,” Armstrong added, alluding to the old-school horror-movie theme of Curse Eternal.
Armstrong credits a new source for props as a big help in his quest for bigger and more effects–laden. “I found a new place to get a bunch of Egyptian props, so it’s just going to be really cool and kick ass. And we’ll have some special effects on the side.” But Armstrong’s not locking himself into the blockbuster category.
As he said, “We have a couple of really good movies we’re planning to do in 2007 that aren’t blockbusters, but are really good ‘acting’ type of movies. One’s a Kirsten story. Have you seen the video for When September Comes? It’s sort of like a Pearl Harbor story, but updated to the Iraq war and all the current stories and news. We’ll have a couple of war scenes, but not too much. It’s more focused on the story at home.”
At a time when a lot of production companies are backing off from shooting a lot of projects, Wicked and Armstrong are still going gangbusters. “We’ve got about six or seven projects lined up…but it sort of depends on what Steve Orenstein [Wicked Picture’s CEO] decides to do.”
One of the possibilities Armstrong is looking forward to shooting is a “crossover” pictures starring Wicked contract starlet Carmen Hart that will feature Hart performing original songs…and doing the singing herself. “I’d like to really make this a big deal because she’s really, really good and has a lot of talent as a singer and a dancer. She came out that whole pageant culture, so she’s got a great background with music and dance. And, like I said, she’s really good and people will see that.”
In the meantime, Armstrong says he plans to continue to try to bridge the gap between porn and mainstream. One thing’s for sure, as one of the last of the big-time, big-budget shooters, Armstrong’s going to be busy in 2007.
Pictured: Carmen Hart
