LOS ANGELES—Standing on the set of his upcoming movie for Smash Pictures, Jessy Jones smiles as he calls it a day for his newest feature.
“I'm really excited about this new movie. It's not like anything I've done before,” he said. “It's got a lot of things you don't expect in porn which is what makes it exciting.”
Having recently left Evil Angel as one of its contract directors, Jones is relishing the creative control he has over Family Secrets, his new feature which he has been nurturing for months—even before he began shooting it last March, just before the COVID-19 production shutdown. Today, Jones is completing the movie with social distancing, face masks and daily testing for all crew members and performers.
“It’s been a little frustrating, but I’m really happy how it’s turning out,” he said. “I got the chance to do what I really wanted and have the support of the guys at Smash. I’m really excited about this movie!”
With his ever-present grin and slight French-Canadian accent, Jones sat back as he recalled his unique journey from a small town teenager to Porn Valley mover and shaker.
Growing up in Canada, Jones always had a passion for movies and the unique characters that inhabit his favorite films. So, when he was admitted to UCLA to study film, his Hollywood dreams were one step closer to reality.
His hard work in the classroom as well as in writing and directing his own student films would soon pay off when he graduated and was positioning himself to work on mainstream films and television shows. But a chance meeting with adult star Amy Reid gave him food for thought as Reid saw the fledgling filmmaker and his pretty girlfriend as potential star material in the adult industry.
“We said no, but two weeks later we went by to see her and we ended up having a threesome and she said I had a nice cock and would do great in the industry, so I said ‘great.’” Jones recalled. “She introduced us to her agent and just started working for a few hundred bucks at first, but I figured I’d work my way up. I was hooked.”
Although his girlfriend would later break up with him and move back to her home town, Jones was soon booking scenes on a regular basis. Although not earning as much as established performers, the newcomer was dedicated to his newfound career and soon found himself another agent who was more responsive to his needs.
The 5-foot-11 Canadian began appearing in scores of movies for many top studios, earning awards and nominations while building on a reputation as a standout performer with a positive attitude and dedication to his work. But he still wanted more out of himself.
“I always wanted to be a director, but I knew I still had a bunch of good years as a performer,” he recalled. “I was inspired by Manuel Ferrara and Rocco Siffredi and Jules Jordan and the work they did. I didn’t want to be that guy that had ten years of performing and nothing else. I wanted to direct and do the kinds of movies I wanted to make.”
Soon, he found himself directing his first movie for Evil Angel, 2018’s “First Class Anal” with Adria Rae, Angela White, Ariana Marie and Luna Star. Thanks to his film school background and production savvy, the movie made an impact with critics like AdultDVDTalk’s Dirty Rock, who wrote: “Jessy Jones hits a homer for his first Evil Angel release. He definitely has a lineup of all-stars which includes MVP Angela White.”
Jones’ fortunes, however, took a turn when he broke his back in an auto accident that sidelined him for six months. But after a stint in physical rehabilitation, he went on to direct the movie’s follow up First Class Anal 2, with Adriana Chechik, Abella Danger, Natalia Starr and Jessa Rhodes, then on to a slew of Evil Angel releases like Jessy’s Girls, Jessy’s Girls 2, Nympho Girls and others.
All the while, Jones continued performing in his own movies and those of others, building up a brand that earned him the attention of Smash Pictures’ owner Dan Quinn and company VP Wyatt Case, who wanted to bring him onboard as a contract director. Given his success at Evil Angel, Jones was hesitant, but ultimately signed with Smash as a non-exclusive director.
“I loved being at Evil Angel and all the support they gave me, but I’m very independent and I have some things that I want to do and don’t want to be held back,” he said. “So I’m so grateful to Smash, Dan and Wyatt for all they’ve done in supporting my independence and vision.”
Given Jones' success at Evil Angel, Smash appears poised to build on the young auteur's unique style and set itself apart from other adult studios.
"We are very excited to bring Jessy onboard here at Smash Pictures. He is truly a talented and a visionary writer, director, editor, as well as a great performer," Case said. "We love his energy and creativity on both sides of the camera and we look forward to working with him on numerous projects in the new year."
In Family Secrets, Jones brings together Allie Nicole, Kiera Croft and Jenna Foxx along with newcomer Baby Sid in a collection of vignettes that blend the sensibilities of old school mob movies with Black Mirror and The Twilight Zone, plus the raw energy of hardcore sex.
With his trademark high production values and realistic scenarios and edgy characters, Jones completed shooting the movie after a four-month break due to the pandemic. Despite the temporary lull, the industry veteran is excited about the new product releasing next week.
“I’ve been sitting down for so many years as a talent and watching the same people producing the same stuff over and over and I decided I wanted to do my own thing and do porn that I actually enjoy and that I would love watching,” he said. “I was just tired of seeing the same old shit and wanted to do something special.”
The movie opens with a scene titled “Benefactor,” featuring Damon Dice as a valet working six days a week who blackmails his younger stepsister (Allie Nicole) into having sex after following her to a downtown penthouse where she’s supposed to meet her sugar daddy. But the scene has a strange twist at the end.
Next is “Eagle Eye,” starring Kiera Croft as a virgin who is forced by her stepmother to get cream pied by her stepbrother or a sniper will kill her boyfriend.
“I like this one because there’s a lot of tension and makes the sex hotter,” Jones said.
Scene three is titled “Per-Spec-Tive,” starring Baby Sid and Alex Mac as a couple who stop at a hotel on the way to the desert when they decide to play a game where they have to reveal the worst things they’ve ever done. After some hot sex, she reveals a terrible secret.
The final scene, “Quaran-Teen” stars Jenna Foxx as a teenager who goes on a retreat just as the pandemic hits and two weeks later returns unaware of the crisis to hook up with her stepbrother and possibly give him the COVID-19 virus.
“I like these scenes because we have great locations, great lighting, drone shots and it’s all shot with two cameras,” Jones said. “I don’t like doing the same old stuff. I like getting creative and do things where you as the viewer have to use your imagination.”
As for the future, Jones has big plans for more movies with Smash and is already planning to shoot his next movie with some quirky characters and strange plot twists that will push the envelope of taste and hardcore sexual situations. Although the pandemic will continue to impact his work and the industry in general, Jones says he’s at home with a reduced shooting schedule and having more time to play golf and work on his cooking skills.
“I’m making lasagna and drinking wine. I’m making some for Jane Wilde and Emily Willis and everybody else in the movie,” he said. “I eat really healthy, but I enjoy cooking and making movies.”
