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May 2007: PAUL'S PIECE - Anna Span and the Hug a Hoodie film launch
When Conservative party leader David Cameron gave his famous Hug a Hoodie speech in July last year, he was talking about displaying compassion for the disaffected and disenfranchised youth of contemporary Britain. He just wanted to show them some love. However he probably wasn't thinking of the sort of love the stars in Anna Span's new erotic production of the same name show each other. Their love is less 'Cuddle a Chav' and more of a 'three-way, girl-on-girl, juicy DP porn-fest'.
Anna's new film, the first she's directed in over 18 months, focuses on a subculture that's something of a guilty-pleasure fantasy for many women (and men); that of the modern street urchin, who'd pinch your mobile, iPod and Nikes as soon as look at you. Probably there's a wrongness to 'Council Flat Scum' which appeals to whatever part of people's erotic makeup is attracted to 'a bit of rough' but they're a group the gay film market has embraced (hugged?) for some time, with titles such as EuroboyXXX's Rude Chavs, Innit and the Rudeboiz series. Anna's brought the same gum-chewin', scowling, attitude-heavy tattooed style to the hetro market. I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "Is it?" and yes, it is.
The April 16th launch party for HaH was at the confusingly named 'Dream Bags/Jaguar Shoes' on Kingsland Road in London's east end. It's a club/bar with not a dream bag or shoes for jaguars to be seen. But as a door towards the rear marked Private Party was opened and a roar of sound and a blast of heat wooshed up the metal stairs to meet us, I knew we'd come to the right place. I say us, as I was accompanied by a glamorous companion for the evening; the lovely Goddess Qing (pronounced Ching). She'd just agreed to feature in a BDSM scene for my film project (see the February issue of ETO for a bit about my porn plans) and I thought the party would be a good introduction to the murky world of porn for her. By the end of the evening, I'd have had my suspicions confirmed…
Once amongst the throng of adult stars and other industry people, I had to prioritise my precious time at the event. So after visiting the free bar and rattling off a few photos of people having a good time, I sought out Anna. She looked stunning in a black dress and sparkling jewellery with her hair up, and I dragged her somewhere she'd be able to hear my questions and I'd be able to hear her replies. All the way to the street as it turned out, as I already needed some fresh air.
"I'm really excited about Hug a Hoodie", she told me. "It's the first film I've personally shot in eighteen months and is the first in a series I'm doing on British subcultures. The next one's going to be about Rockabillies." For those not in the know, Rockabilly was an early Rock 'n' Roll style, coming out of the US in the 50s. If you see a 20-something in a polka dot dress with crinolines, or a Bettie Pagesque 'bad girl' pinup with tattoos, horn-rimmed sunglasses and Capri pants, she'll be a Rockabilly. Anna continued, "I'm not sure about Emo now -I'm uming and ahing- but I know I'm definitely not doing Goths. I used to be one when I was 18 and don't feel the need to go back there." (At this point I noted how dark her eye shadow was, but said nothing.) "I took a break from filming because I was a bit tired with shooting, and I wanted to find a new direction. I feel this film, and the challenge of shooting different subcultures, offers me that."
I wanted to know where her inspiration came from, and was surprised by the answer: "I moved onto a council estate about 18 months ago and wrote an article for Arena magazine called Charlie Boy about a Hoodie losing his virginity to a 35-year-old business woman. Not quite autobiographical - fantasy autobiographical! I suddenly realised it wasn't just me, but other women and guys had Hoodie fantasies too."
"The whole thing with the Cameron quote sort of gelled too. Before that speech I was going to call the film 'Hello Hoodie', which was just a bit too funny-sounding. As this project was coming together, Easy on the Eye (Anna's production company) was developing its own DVD distribution. Previously we were with Rude Britannia, and we now have eleven hardcore and nine softcore titles out there, by ourselves. We were working on annaspansdiary.com and I was also training up other women directors, through a series called 'Women Love Porn' that included a competition for five women to shoot a scene each, which lead to a whole DVD. My camerawoman, Jelena Lakic (I asked her to spell the name. Any mistakes are down to the lateness of the hour and, perhaps, wine), did a film for me called Rock Hard as well."
After Andy, an extra who played Cameron cut in to say thanks for his t-shirt and goodnight to Anna, she returned to the film. "Hug a Hoodie was shot on HD as a bit of a future-proof thing. It's just a DVD release at the moment but when it's right to, we'll release it on a next-gen format too. Actually, the t-shirts thing is something we might do as a fashion line. Building the- the- empire? No, brand! We're already pretty well known as we're in so many Ann Summers- actually can you be sure to mention them? They're cosponsoring the party." I said I would, and good to my word (see above) we continued chatting over the sound of Monday-night London. With the hubbub of the club behind us, and motorbikes and ambulances in front, this might explain why the Andy mentioned earlier may actually have been a Danny. Apologies if he was.
"There's an 18-rated version of Hug a Hoodie coming out on May the 1st too, and both versions have a 75 minute Making Of documentary on the same disc with them, with interviews and bloopers, taking the total running time over three hours. Something else for the future I'm looking at is possibly presenting a mainstream TV programme on sex. I'm shooting a pilot for that to do the rounds with, looking for it to be picked up by a major broadcaster. I've also got plans for a programme of women's erotic film screenings. Hopefully at the ICA, but if not, at another arts cinema, with talks and guest speakers from overseas."
We were interrupted again, this time by someone who worked for Anna whose car looked like it'd been stolen, but had actually just been clamped -and presumably removed. A little bit of drama best summed up by a wise-beyond-her-years Anna: "It pays to park well in London!"
"The party's going really well", she added, "Carmel, Stefan Hard, Vince Velvet and Karlie Simon are all here, and in the movie too. I used this film for a lot of tryouts for new guys, and Justin Joy and Kody was two of those who made the grade. Exciting talent, new to the industry. And then there's Marius (her voice went a bit breathless at this point) who's a good looking Eastern European boy with muscles. He was handing out drinks with his top off earlier. All muscled…tight…A very good lookin' boy. Definitely one for the laydies! Isabelle Ice, Crystel Lei, Sahara, Emma B, Jamie Lee and Leah Capris are also in it. There are threesomes, foursomes, DP- all good action! They do take their hoodies off and yes, I am aware Hoodie is a euphemism for foreskin."
I asked if any of her stars were circumcised, which stalled her for a moment. "I'm supposed to watch for that -or care about it- I know gay directors do but I don't really care if they are or not. It's just whether they're good looking dicks. Some with are, and some without are, you know, and I hardly even notice it. Especially as I only really see them erect so it's not an issue!"
With that we'd talked enough cock and once back into the oven-like cellar, the party crashed on for a while, with Qing making quite a splash - although not as much of a splash as Crystel Lei, who showed off her trick with a bottle of beer. Not so much down-in-one as- Anyway, Qing also quickly bonded with Avalon, who seemed to be having a great night too. I bumped into Jerry Barnett from Strictly Broadband and did a bit of shouty networking with everyone Qing took a shine to. Not that she was shy, but I'm good at introducing myself and striking up conversations- It's my job. All too soon it'd gone 11pm, time to leave, and I had a goodie bag pressed into my hand. It contained a blue Hug a Hoodie XL t-shirt which actually fits (no hood though), a vibrating cock-ring courtesy of Ann Summers (as yet untested for fit) and a copy of Anna's new film, in all its BBFC-approved R18 glory. It looks very professional, thanks in part to Anthony Allin, MD of Petrol Digital Media who did Anna's DVD mastering. I learned this bit after collapsing onto a train seat opposite him, having raced him across London and up a long escalator at the tube station to catch the last train out of town moments before it pulled away. It was almost the perfect end to an evening partying with saucy porn stars; I was all sweaty and panting at least.