GV: How did you find out about Good Vibrations Independent Erotic Film Festival?
Mislaid Crew: Tracey attended the IXFF event when it toured through New Orleans and was encouraged to bring us together to create an entry that would represent our city in the festival.

GV: If this is your first film, did it come out like you anticipated?
Mislaid Crew: This was the first film for a few of the members of the cast a crew, and they were impressed with the quality of Mislaid. Dave and Katie have created a handful of films together (Carnival Picaresque, Like When You Throw Sand, The Eleutheromaniacs), but this was their first public erotic endeavor. Katie was excited for her directorial debut and intrigued by the challenge.

GV: What do you hope audiences will get from your work?
Mislaid Crew: Our intention is to expand the idea of what an erotic film is and to explore the emotional complexities of the female sexual experience through film.
Our actors do not speak, so there is no dialog to direct the viewer’s feelings. Ambiguous vocals and ethereal music create a atmosphere that allows the viewer to project themselves into the film. Mislaid is a dream scape that accentuates the element of fantasy that we all own in our sexuality.

GV: Who are your stars, and how did you meet them/invite them to participate?
Mislaid Crew: We made the film over the course of a weekend to meet the deadline of the festival. The star, Lydia, was a recent acquaintance of ours and we were pleased that she was intrigued enough by our concept and courageous enough to act in Mislaid.

GV: Were there any funny or unexpected moments while filming?
Mislaid Crew: Because none of the actors knew each other, getting them interact with one another intimately was a hilarious and interesting experience.

GV: What is your favorite sex toy to use in a film?
Mislaid Crew: The camera was our favorite sex toy.

GV: What advice would you give to first-time erotic filmmakers, or filmmakers in general?
Mislaid Crew: As long as you are expressing yourself truthfully, you will always end up with an beautiful final product.

GV: What projects are you working on now/next?
Mislaid Crew: Our team is talking about making Mislaid a portion of a 3 part mini-series that will be similar in intention, by bringing non-discussed topics to the table. Dave is currently working on a multimedia installations, Tracey is developing new designs for her jewelry line, and Katie is planning her next international adventure and her recycled clothing line.

Thank you and best of luck to Dave Greber, Katie Gelfand and Tracey Beale, who’s film will be premiere at the Good Vibrations Indie Erotic Film Fest competition screening at the Castro Theatre on September 17th (for more details and tickets, visit gv-ixff.org).

The shoot was one of the best experiences I have had in a long time, an experience I am still trying to analyze and digest. Often I get approached to work on projects, but people have a tendency to flake, which is why I am always careful about what I get myself involved in. But when you meet the right people collaboration is amazing, allowing each other to feed off of the others creative energies and feel secure and free to create in a safe environment for the good of sexy artistic achievement. WooHoo!

We met a few times prior to the day of filming–to pass ideas, I gave the director full access to any thing on the blog, but beyond that I was unsure of how useful I could actually be to the project, it was nothing I had ever done before, but how could I pass up taking part. I had to be in; I had to be at that filming. The deadline closer and closer, we settled on a shoot date which just happened to fall on Pride Fest weekend, which is both good and bad timing. The sexual energy of the weekend was definitely present and in our favor, but also there was an extreme lack of people needed for extras. Those who did end up helping were the porno angels.

I am not going to spoil the plot, because you will all just have to come the Castro for the big screening. I will say, the only dialogue that was used in the film were from two of my pas posts, The Beg and Grab. When the main actress/model/porn star read my words in her hot Russian accent I nearly melted. When the word “cock” and “thumping pussy” rolled off her tongue I nearly fell out of my chair she sounded so fucking luscious. It was so hot to hear someone else; especially a woman dressed in a tight fitting naughty librarian outfit reading my thoughts.

Night one: The realization that everyone on location was going to have to be on film if we were going to make this thing happen was became very apparent. I had not planned on being in the film, but we had no choice. There goes my City Librarian position. Fuck it. My role was to help grab and capture the author, which included stroking and caressing her body, unbuttoning her blouse and running my hands up and down her half-clothed body. I pinched her nipples through her bra, I stroked her bare belly, and I pressed my fingertips into her pussy through her skirt. Then I helped to lift her on to a desk where she was to be further ravaged.

Observations: What I came to learn is there is a lot of down time on a porn shoots, whether it was getting set up for the next shot, or explaining the set-up for the next shot, getting the actresses to understand the next shot, make-up application, smoke breaks…whatever. It took a great deal time for us all to get there and be working on the same page. Then on top of the time factor– there are the problems, the snafus, the downright disasters. The actress playing our “Johnny Keyes” role was somewhat of mess; she was not really there mentally, kept asking someone to go get her a Red Bull and a beer to chase her hangover away, and kept missing her cues. But the actress playing the author role made up for the others lack of character or ability. She was cute, willing, and had very little boundaries; I love a cute woman with no boundaries.

We finally get to the point in filming when it was time for the group ravage and our main girl on girl action. The tension and anticipation was hanging in the room. That oh my God, I cannot believe I am about to see two women fucking each other with various toys and implements–and I get to help. I get ravage her too. HOLY FUCK!

The director is talking to the girls about what is going to happen and what they want to happen and how the ravage should go down. They pull out the toys; dildos, impellers, strap-ons, ball gags, restraints. Fabulous goodies in which to fuck by. One of the dildos is the suction cup variety, allowing it to stick to various surfaces for fucking and sucking purposes– well it makes that suction cup popping noise every time someone touches it. This become very funny and animated the rest of the shoot. We can all tell when someone has that dildo because they just made that incriminating suction “pop” noise and then they are standing there with that guilty look and the fleshy dildo nervously in their hands. My favorite was the Excalibur style dildo, a nice handle, long black, not too think, not to firm fuck me stick. I had to be at the end of that thing. I wanted to strap it to my hip and pull it from my sheath and fuck her (or anyone) silly with it. But–that’s another movie.

The time comes where we run through the scene and the author is on the table knees up, the crowd gathered for the viewing and group ravage, our female Johnny Keyes is in place. We begin the run through, group ravage–stroke, caresses, suck, lick, pinch, ravage, feed her the Excalibur–as simultaneously the Lady Keyes spreads her legs and rips apart her panty hose from her pounding pussy. Not filming–we begin the practice run–ravaging, rubbing–the tension is unbearable–the other actress slowly begins to spread the authors legs wide, running her hands down the inside of her thighs towards her cunt where she is to rip the nylon from her body. When she gets there she exclaims “oh honey, are you bleeding?”

Oh Fuck!!! The author character got her period. Cut! Spirit crushing news. Wow! It was like a big group dynamic let down, I am surprised the whole room did not let out in unison one big Homer Simpson “D’oh!”

We had to stop for the night and everyone commit to being back there the next day at 6PM–prepared, plugged and ready for action. Apparently these are the pitfalls of porn, the girls had things they could use to take care of the flow and promised to be back there the next day.

The best overheard statements of the night were:

“What’s the best way to make you come?”
“Lets interrupt her by shoving a dildo in her mouth.”
“I can’t get the strap-on on…?”

Chapter Two Day Two: the sunshine of porn

We convene to the film location at 6 PM Sunday, already spent from the previous days festivities–the shoot, the drinking the night before, the Pride Parade that morning. We arrive and we begin the wait, the down time. We wait for the two girls to show up. We need that hot chick on chick.
And we wait.

6:30: the woman playing the author shows up. We are now waiting on our “Johnny Keyes” and still trying to hustle up audience extras. We wrangle a few neighbors and friends. We patiently, impatiently wait for girl number two to show,  hesitating to call because we don’t want to jinx it, and we want to be confident that she is going to show up for what she needs to do. Finally we break down and call–and the porno drama begins. Apparently there are cheating boyfriends involved–a love crisis. She is broken. The director explains to her that the best thing for her to do would be to get away from the situation, clear out for some time and what better place than where she is supposed to be–at the shoot. Not only would she clear her head, eat pussy, but gain some time to analyze her situation without being in it. We wait and we wait.

The hour/s pass and it is very evident our Johnny Keyes is not going to do what she needs to do. She is officially a No Show. Now, like the day before, it is apparent I am going to have to be on film. Our director calls me to the office to discuss the situation. He hints subtly or not so subtly, that I may have to play the role of Johnny Keyes . “No way!” I did not really even anticipate being in the shoot, let alone eating pussy naked. “No, not me, not for the camera at least.”

We negotiate between ourselves then approach our small group of extras and our leading lady. Our director with–humor, empathy and pleading worked magic on one beautiful, free spirited (possibly high either on the day or something else), young ray of sunshine extra–the sunshine of porn. She was dangerously cute, long blond dreads, freckles all over her body–the kind that make you want to connect the dots–tattoos in various locations across her body, wearing a bikini top, a princess crown, crazy mirrored goggles, didn’t mind going topless or eating pussy. She was fucking adorable and willing to take over the part of Johnny Keyes. The show must go on.

And so it did, with the help of some fine sexy porn happy people. We eventually managed to get to the action shots we needed. The woman playing the author was placed on the table by her admirers, her pantie hose ripped from her pussy and her body ravaged. This is when I got to participate. Her body on the table, our hands exploring her nakedness, her tits, nipples pinched the Excalibur prop. I want one. I fed it to her, made her suck on it, my hands wrapped around her face as she choked on it, I shoved it between her tits, and I smacked it on her lips with its firm head. It was hot. Then our second leading lady appeared, in between her legs, she glances at the camera, puts her goggles over her eyes and dove into her pussy. We are all over her, stroking, feeling, having our way with, and enjoying her body. She came. Cut!

I must say I was wet and wondering what would happen if we didn’t have to cut.

Final scene: the author is on all fours, taking a dildo until she comes. Our leading lady number two does not let us down. The camera angle has changed to get the view of her ass and pussy, panties pulled aside. We hear the tale tale sound of the suction cupped thick flesh rubber meat dildo pull off the table (smiles and giggles), lubed poured over the tip. Action! Sunshine fucks her, the rest of us with our hands still all over her, having our way, ravaging, and she herself is rubbing her own pussy and clit–until a nice fuck come is induced within. Cut!

We did it, we had the money shot, we pulled it off, with the kindness of sexy strangers. The shoot was such a great experience; I would love to do it again. From there the director did the rest, editing, and getting it prepped for submission. Look for us at the Good Vibes Independent Film Festival.

Born in San Francisco in 1976, Nara Denning was a strange, quiet child who at an early age took to drawing and fantasy. After years of honing her skills as a visual artist, she undertook a leap of medium in 2001 into the land of moving images, where she continues to pursue the art of magical realism.

GV: How did you find out about Good Vibrations Independent Erotic Film Festival
Nara: I live in San Francisco!

If this is your first film, did it come out like you anticipated?
No, much better. The Lead actress totally rocked my world.

What do you hope audiences will get from your work?
A confused sense of exhilaration.

Who are your stars, and how did you meet them/invite them to participate?
William Buck is one of my oldest friends here in SF, and Emi & I were waitresses together. I realized she would be good as she was always breaking out into character at the bar.

What is your favorite sex toy to use in a film?
Definitely the tomato.

How does the film you submitted reflect your views on sex, and was there anything you learned in the process of making the film?
Sex, like film, is hard to define (if it’s any good). There must be an element of chaos.

What projects are you working on now/next?
I’m finishing up the series of 6 Neurotiques.

Thank you and best of luck to Nara, who’s film will be premiere at the Good Vibrations Indie Erotic Film Fest competition screening at the Castro Theatre on September 17th (for more details and tickets, visit gv-ixff.org). Tickets are on sale at GoodVibes.com.

Reel Cleveland: Cedar Lee Gets Erotic

[Cleveland Scene]

The sexual double entendres are endless in the press release we got for the Good Vibrations’ IXFF: The Second Coming Tour that comes to the Cedar Lee Theatre (2163 Lee Rd., 216.321.5411, clevelandcinemas.com) at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 20. Culled from the last three Independent Erotic Film Festivals, which take place every year in San Francisco, the shorts in the program run the gamut. “The central premise is that we’re asking independent filmmakers to redefine what erotic is,” says Good Vibrations’ events and promotions coordinator Camilla Lombard. “We’ve had great success with the festival from San Francisco to Boston, and this is a greatest-hits package that features the best of the best.”

Lombard gave us the lowdown on some of the highlights: In Phil Loves San Francisco, a guy “makes sweet, sweet love to various landmarks”; Narcisisster’s Self-Gratifier is about a guy who creates “a very fascinating and complicated exercise bike”; Men is “a rather comical film about gay sex in men’s bathrooms.” At least two of the filmmakers (Madison Young and Max Royale) have gone on to become professional porn directors. “One of the things to get out of it is that sex can be pretty funny,” says Lombard. “Not that there isn’t straight-up hardcore sex. But some narrative does make the film more engaging, whether it ends up being hardcore sex at the end of the tunnel or not.” To introduce the erotic evening, Good Vibrations prez Dr. Carol Queen, who calls herself the “staff sexologist and chief cultural officer,” will give a brief history lesson for those who think porn begins and ends with Jenna Jameson.

Defining and redefining our own individual expressions of erotic images through film is an amazing experience, and goes to show just how varried sex can be. Check out our film festival’s own website GV-IXFF.org for the tour line-up and information about submitting your own film.

After three years of putting on this festival you never can tell what kinds of films people are going to send in and it’s always a treat to see just how creative these aspiring filmmakers can be in ten minutes or less. Without giving away too many spoilers, I can say that there are a few pretty amazing firsts this year including our first ever animated selection and one fantastic bicycle you won’t want to miss. To find out the rest you need to join us for the party of the year at San Francisco’s historic Castro Theatre, this Thursday, Oct 30th!

And it wouldn’t be a Good Vibrations event if we weren’t ready to party. This year’s festival theme is the 1970s Sherman Oaks Porn Scene, so dust off that polyesther, put on your finest disco threads and hustle on over to our VIP Pre-Party, starting at 7pm on the Mezzanine of the Castro Theatre. For only $10 you can indulge with Dj Wrong? of The Magnificent 7 as he spins the funk, enjoy a glass of Roshambo wine or beer from the open bar, spin the “Wheel of Pleasure” for free prizes including special give-aways from our co-presenters Tantus Toys and Digital Playground films, and get your groove on with dancers from The Lusty Lady, San Francisco’s finest peep show.

Tickets to the show are only $10 and available in advance at all of Good Vibration’s retail locations. Tickets will also be available the night of the show at the Castro Theatre for $12, with entry to the VIP Pre-Party and open bar only $10 more! Tickets for the VIP Pre-Party are only available for purchase at the Castro Theatre the night of the show.

The VIP Pre-Party begins at 7PM and the screening starts at 8! So grab your sweetie and join us at the Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street in San Francisco, this Thursday, Oct. 30th.

Whether you’re a film fan, a porn purveyor, or a true artist, there’ something for everyone at GV’s 3rd Annual Amateur Erotic Film Festival.