This clip is from my film DELIRIOUS, which is running now on AndrewBlake.com starring Dahlia Grey and Anita Blond. I shot this movie in Nice, in the south of France in 1998 - It’s always been one of my favorite films, with Dahlia and Anita in their sexual prime. But the shooting was far from ideal.
I arrived in Paris to work out the details with my French Production Manager, Gregory. Dahlia flew into Paris a few days later with my Wardrobe Stylist and Key Make-Up Artist from Los Angeles. Then we all flew out of Orly Airport to Nice, on the French Rivera.
Immediately we went to the Villa that was to be our location - half way between Nice and Monte Carlo. The owners were very enthusiastic about the shoot, mentioning that Helmut Newton (my hero) had shot there several months before.
Everthing was ready, then the Hungarians arrived: Anita Blond, Ursula Moore and Anita’s “boyfriend” frank gunn. Isabella Camille arrived from Los Angeles via Prague (her agent was Regina Hall aka Lucie Malkrabova, from SECRET PARIS). The Hungarians seemed to me to be on edge and angry with each other - or maybe it was just their language which seemed angry by nature!
I had begun a friendship with Anita a year before when she worked for me in LA, but she seemed to have changed and I realized why - her “boyfriend” frank was an annoying little sub who drove Anita crazy - like cumming inside her halfway through their sex scene! Anita dumped him shortly thereafter. Ursala Moore didn’t add to the party with her condensending tone and manner. They were always at each other’s throats. The truth was that they were very jealous of Anita who they knew I was grooming into an International star.
After a day shooting I would arrive back at the hotel with a big headache from listening to complaining in English, French, Czech and Hungarian! The French crew were also irritable and constantly babbling all day long. Even Dahlia was giving me a hard time - she didn’t like people “staring at her” when she was nude (particulary me and my female camera assistant), which seemed very strange coming from a girl who was a stripper from the age of 19! Dahlia’s erratic behaviour made me think she was off her meds! But that’s a whole different story. . .
Isabella was the only one who remained reasonably quiet during the shoot. She was a sweet girl that eventually settled in LA and worked as a stripper and escort. I had dinner with her several times during the shoot - she had a very calm and pleasing nature. She seemed like the only one who didn’t have some kind of crazy agenda. All the others slammed their hotel doors shut with gleeful disdain at the end of the day!
Back in Paris where all my “delicate flowers” departed for home, I had a chance to rest and contemplate what had just happened. It seems that sometimes the most difficult, emotional shoots yield the best results. I don’t think you’ll watch any of DELIRIOUS and feel the dysfunction of the cast and crew members. In retrospect maybe all of the craziness added to the film.
We just made a trip to NYC. The worst snowstorm ever! But it was fun and we saw a lot of new art on view at the museums and galleries. That is why you haven’t heard from me in a week. This is a picture of Columbus Circle as the snow was mounting. Was eating a burger and fries in a rooftop restaurant when I snapped this shot. Unfortunatly there were no naked ladies in NYC for me to shoot (not that there weren’t any), but that’s just the way it is for me now. . .maybe soon.
In the meantime I’m uploading clips to my site AndrewBlake.com. I appreciate your support!!
Here is an example of gurilla filmmaking. About 4am in our hotel off the Place Vendome in Paris, Regina had her make-up and hair done. Then at 6am my driver picked us up drove around Paris to shoot Regina in various states of undress. The short clip you see here was shot on the Plaza overlooking the Eiffel Tower. Usually this spot is filled with tourists. We jumped out of the car and started to shoot away. Regina knew exactly what I was looking for in terms of nudity. This type of shooting always gets the adreneline flowing! Ran back to the car and drove around to several other spots that you’ll see in this scene from SECRET PARIS.
Regina was so into showing herself off that when we got back to the hotel, she stripped out of the wardrobe elements then walked back to her room, wearing nothing but heels and Chanel No 5! That image has stuck in my mind for many years. I ordered some Room Service and enjoyed breakfast with Regina lounging about in the nude.
Another trip to the French Countryside with the beautiful submissive zdenka, from my film SECRET PARIS. I was very pleased with the way this movie turned out.
For those of you who made comments and want some technical info about me - here it is.
This movie, SECRET PARIS, and many others were shot using my Bolex Super 16 camera. Having shot a number of films in France and Italy, I had the lab and post facility lined up. After the film was developed, I had it shipped to Los Angeles. With this movie and those prior to 2001, the film was transferred to NTSC Digital Betacam, and after 2001 had the film transferred to HDCAM-SR 1920×1080 HD. That is why I’ve presented this clip (and others) in NTSC Letterbox format.
After the Telecine I edited SECRET PARIS on an Avid system. This was just before Final Cut Pro rose in prominance. Avid is a more expensive and complicated system, most suited to Post Production houses. So shortly after this I switched over to FCP.
My editing technique is to arrange the footage, pretty much like I shot it, into a surrealistic montage of what went on in the scene. The girls that I hire are very skilled in displaying themselves in front of the camera, so all I need to do is present a senario and let them take it from there. Of course I directed the wardrobe and positions, but I left it up to the girls to fill in my fantasy. There are really no other tricks to what I do. It’s quite minimalist. Locations, wardrobe and the girls are the main ingredients.
I still film today with the Bolex wind-up camera, so that hasn’t changed. What has changed is the entire post procedure. I’ll elaborate on this soon. . .
This clip was shot by my Nude Assistant while I filmed Amia for the first time in my studio yesterday. I think she has great potential! Amia has only been modeling for a short time, and has never been filmed (shot on motion picture film), so this was a unique experience for her.
I dressed her in shorts, tank-top and silver studded heels as you can see, then gave her an industrial strength crystal dildo. Then we ripped the clothes to shreds for a version of body revealing couture!
AB
I traveled to France with Regina Hall, a Czech beauty working as a model in Los Angeles. We also flew in a friend of Regina’s, another Czech girl Zdenka, with an amazing natural body. Zdenka did one other movie for me, DECADENCE, shot in Venice Italy. But that’s another long story. . .
We also had a very unusual couple in this film, Sophie Evans and Tony Ribas. I had met them at a sex convention in Barcelona. Sophie and Tony did a live sex show in front of about 1000 people at the convention! They also performed together in a private Barcelona club. Tony worked for me as production assistant for this shoot. I also met Kate More, from the Netherlands at the same time in Barcelona. She was a popular porn performer in Europe. So I asked them to join me for this international shoot in Paris. Our final girl, Bree Maddox, a Penthouse Pet from Austraila flew in for the shoot. She seemed a bit hesitant about the overt sexually of my other seasoned performers, but eventually got into it.
We all stayed at a hotel near the Place Vendome in the heart of the city, which was within walking distance of the first location. The apartment that you see in this preview was owned by a shoe designer, who’s studio and store was located underneath on the ground floor. As you can see it’s decorated like a stage set - unfinished walls, elegant bric-a-brac galore - the perfect place to display women in fetish couture. I filmed with my Bolex Super 16mm camera, with mostly natural light. Locations like this are a dream come true for me! The second location was an ancient Abbe deep in the heart of the French countryside.
I went to the XBIZ Awards in Hollywwod last night to receive an award for “Excellence in Progressive Erotica”! Before the show I ran into Faye Reagan and brought out my HD stick camera. She’s mentioning that she often watches the film we made together - PAID COMPANIONS and ‘touches herself’ while viewing. Faye is another girl we need to get in front of the camera again. So many girls, so little time!
I was fooling around with a model who came over to see me yesterday. She had really nice breasts and arrived with them practically falling out of her t-shirt. So I whipped out my little video camera and shot them! I’ll be shooting her (them) next week for a new film. Stay tuned…
AB
