Exclusive: Nica Noelle On Directing Gay Porn, Straight Guys Vs. Gay Guys, And Homophobia In Straight Porn

After the success of His Mother’s Lover and A Priest’s Confession, director Nica Noelle has made a big mark in gay porn in a short amount of time. Find out who would be in her dream cast, who her inspirations are, and who is easier to direct in her controversial films: Gay guys or straight guys?

The Sword: Tell me about how you make gay porn versus straight or lesbian porn. Is there a difference to your approach? Are there different kinds of considerations you make in light of the different audiences?
Nica Noelle: My philosophy is the same regardless of the gender or sexual orientation of the performers, because I think certain themes are fundamentally human and not specific to men or women. So whether I’m shooting a lesbian film, straight, or gay, the sex scene should always communicate passion, authentic body language and real emotion to the viewer. I’m known for capturing “real sex,” but at the same time I’m not a documentary filmmaker – I shoot scripted movies where the sex has to go with the storyline, and that often requires quite a bit of directing. Sometimes it’s just a matter of breaking performers of what I call “bad porn habits,” where they’re so used to having fake, passionless sex that they default into it like a dance routine they’ve performed a hundred times. Often when I remind a performer to keep his arms around his partner during sex, he’ll say, “But I was trying not to block the hardcore shot.” Because they’ve all had it drilled into their heads that the hardcore shot must be visible at all times. But I’m not willing to sacrifice real body language or intensity just to get the close up of a cock going in and out of the same hole over and over again.

Who’s more challenging to direct: Men in gay porn or men in straight porn?
I would say the range of ability for acting and sex is about the same in both genres depending on the performer, and it’s a very broad range. Performers in both gay and straight run the gamut between lackluster and truly gifted. Intelligence levels run the spectrum, too. I will admit I prefer shooting gay over straight, for a variety of reasons. But lesbian and female performers in general have it a lot easier than gay or straight male performers do, because women don’t have to worry about keeping an erection and there’s no “cum shot.” And I’m not saying female performers fake their orgasms – I’m sure a percentage of them really climax on film – but obviously they can fake it if they have to. Whereas guys can’t fake a hard-on or a cum shot, so there tend to be more “technical difficulties” with guys than with women.

Your films are beautiful to look at and feel very elegant (if that’s the right word?) while still being very sexual. Without sounding too sexist, do you think that’s a “woman” thing—to show a softer edge to your performers and your sets—or is that just your personal style?
That is such a huge compliment…thank you!

I know the term “feminist porn” has come into fashion, and I’ve gotten some flack for refusing to apply it to my work, but I just don’t think these values or sensibilities are specific to women. In fact I know they’re not. It’s just a matter of showing respect for the audience, the performers and myself by putting thought and effort into every scene in every movie.

When I first started directing I couldn’t understand why so many male and female producers didn’t seem to care about lighting or dialogue or set design – or even the quality of the sex. But I came to realize it’s because paying attention to those things requires thought and time and work, and of course, money. And a lot of people in porn – on both sides of the camera – aren’t used to putting in much effort because until recently they didn’t have to. But now things have changed; most notably that fans don’t have to pay for porn – they can steal it online, and many do. So producers really have to offer fans quality or they just won’t spend money on it, and who can blame them? Give the viewer a quality experience and they won’t mind paying, but nobody can afford to have their time or money wasted.

Which other directors have you looked up to or learned from?
The directors I most admire are Shine Louise Houston of Pink & White studio and Dana Vespoli, who directs for Evil Angel and also writes and directs my former studio, Sweetheart Video. They’re both whip smart and are in the industry because they felt a calling to erotic cinema. But even though I admire what they do, I honestly don’t watch other director’s movies nor do I watch television, and I haven’t in many years. My story lines and the way I shoot is the product of my imagination alone, for better or worse. I like to keep the focus on what feels emotionally accurate, not on fancy camera angles or some cool cinematic aesthetic I want to imitate. I’m not interested in making movies that look stylish or edgy or try to showcase what an avant garde director I am; I’m just looking for the most authentic way to shoot the sex and dialogue. I’ll spend twenty minutes trying to get a performer’s facial expression right during one line of dialogue if what they’re saying won’t ring true otherwise. I like to say I have more of an “autistic” than “artistic” approach to filmmaking.

Other than online piracy, what do you think is the biggest obstacle that the gay porn industry collectively faces today? How should we go about trying to fix it?
The biggest obstacles in gay porn are very similar to the ones in straight porn: too many dinosaurs who need to be “selected out” with some old fashioned Darwinism because they have no sense of artistry or work ethic. Agents who pimp out their models with no concern for their careers, health or personhood; producers who put little thought or effort into their product, and performers who would rather be escorting than making a great movie. I have nothing against prostitution and I think it should be legal, but don’t come on my set and complain that it’s taking “too long” because you could be out turning tricks. Go turn your tricks then, and stay off my set. I’m in the business of erotic cinema, not prostitution. I want to make meaningful films, and if that’s not your thing, there’s the door.

You’ve tackled some pretty big themes for gay porn (religion, infidelity, incest, closeted cowboys) in your movies while others just make by-the-numbers porn with two guys on a couch next to a potted plant. How do you come up with the ideas and what drives you to take on such big projects?
My own preference is forbidden themes, so I tend to write stories where the characters are struggling with some moral or ethical dilemma. Family themes and incest are the most taboo, so I tend to orbit around them quite a bit and if I could venture into that territory with full abandon, I would. That’s not because I think incest is hot in real life – I wouldn’t want to have sex with anyone in my family and in fact the idea is nauseating – but that it’s so forbidden makes it fertile ground for sexual fantasy. It’s exciting to think about “someone else” doing it, in some imaginary scenario that still seems plausible. (I also think there’s a thin line between arousal and disgust, but we’ll explore that theory in another interview!)

So I usually start with taboos, whether it’s family or religious themes or even an extreme age difference. Then I write about normal characters whose everyday lives are turned upside down because of a forbidden temptation. In His Mother’s Lover we have the perfect son (Chase Austin) give in to his lust for a fellow student (Travis Irons) which sets in motion the unraveling of his life, his mother’s life and that of her closeted fiancee (Boston Miles). My boilerplate is that beneath our public and social selves – and even our conscious selves – are layers of sexual conflict and desire that erupt when we least expect it. In real life we don’t always act on those desires, but the characters in my movies always do.

As for how I come up with the stories, they just come to me when I sit down to write. Often I have no idea what the movie is going to be about until I start typing. Sometimes I’ll even think “Oh, so that’s how it ends!” when I get to the final scene. I never get writer’s block and I never worry that I won’t be able to come up with an idea, because as soon as I start typing it kind of writes itself from beginning to end, all at once. That’s not to say they’re all masterpieces, but it seems my brain has figured out how to bring the necessary elements together and construct a quality narrative within the confines of budget, cast and location.

Have you faced any criticism or push back because you’re working in gay porn after coming from the world of straight porn? If so, what was it like and who did it come from?
Because I’ve been so vocal about preferring to shoot gay porn, some fans have expressed concern that I’m going to abandon my lesbian and straight studios, which I’m not. But nobody has given me flack about it. In fact, many of my girl/girl and straight porn fans have watched some of my Rock Candy titles and enjoyed them! With female fans that’s not surprising, but apparently even some straight male fans bought His Mother’s Lover and The Horseman. They’ll openly say on Twitter, “I don’t get off on gay sex but I loved the movie anyway.” I see a change happening, where straight male fans are less afraid to be labeled as “gay” and less homophobic about watching gay porn. To me that’s real progress, when a straight man can say, “I’m enjoying your gay porn titles, they’re very well done.”

How would you characterize the straight porn industry’s attitude toward the gay porn industry? My impression is that there’s a lot of homophobia, especially when you start talking about crossover performers, STD testing, etc. Am I wrong?
You’re not wrong. There is a great deal of anger and fear in straight porn regarding “crossover” performers due to the perception that gay performers will infect the straight talent pool with HIV. This belief is in part due to straight porn’s general culture of homophobia and in part because STD testing standards differ from straight to gay. Straight performers argue that gay talent isn’t following the same safety protocols straight performers do – including that HIV positive performers are not allowed to work under any circumstances, condom or not. But even aside from those concerns, you see a lot of irrational and offensive homophobia on the straight side and quite frankly it’s nice to be away from that.

How do you feel about mandatory testing that some studios (both gay and straight) require? What about mandatory condoms?
I don’t shoot bareback gay porn, and while I think there are some legitimate First Amendment arguments against completely outlawing non-condom porn, in reality the current conditions of the industry, including the persistent porn/escorting overlap, are troubling. It’s a complicated question. I know straight performers’ fear is that with mandatory condoms talent will no longer be required to share STD test results and their long-time testing system will break down. There’s also a fear that mandatory condoms will send porn producers back “underground” where they can avoid both STD testing and condom protocol and performers will be in more danger than ever. There are so many compelling arguments both for and against mandatory testing and condoms that I don’t think we’re going to see a final, ethical resolution any time soon.

Who would you want to work with in your next film if you could handpick your very own “dream” cast? What would be the storyline?
I’m still meeting and working with performers for the first time on every shoot and still learning who everyone is, so it would be hard for me to give you a wish list yet! But I have found some stand out performers I’ve already used multiple times. Boston Miles is a trained musical theater actor who starred in my very first movie (His Mother’s Lover) and he’s just incredible in everything I put him in. Travis Irons is another compelling, unique performer who has a distinctive look and charisma, and even though he left porn to go back to school, he still shoots special projects for me. Bobby Clark is as good as it gets when it comes to bringing real passion and emotion to sex scenes, and Tommy Defendi is obviously a charismatic screen presence and fantastic sex performer.

But I’d have to say my current muse is Ricky Larkin. I recently worked with him for the first time and I was just blown away. His looks, body, attitude, professionalism, acting ability and sex scene performance – he’s got everything we look for, in abundance. So expect to see a lot of Ricky Larkin in upcoming Rock Candy Films.

What are you working on next?
We’re currently in production for a movie called His Lover’s Son, where Ricky Larkin plays a baseball coach who falls in love with one of the boys on his team (played by newcomer Matt Slate), only to discover the boy’s stepfather is someone with whom he recently had a one-night-stand. So there’s plenty of conflict and secrets and moral and ethical compromises and even a family theme. All my favorites!

If you could be one other gay porn director for a day, who would it be and what is the first thing you would do?
I don’t know who everyone is yet, but I would probably be one of the directors who doesn’t put his heart into his work anymore, and I would try to rekindle his passion and sense of artistry. As directors we’re given the opportunity to work with some of the most talented and beautiful men in gay cinema, and we should create projects worthy of their efforts and worthy of our fans time and money. We can do great things if we’re willing to put in the effort, and I think we should all be doing that or we shouldn’t be here.

Thank you so much for chatting, Nica.
You’re welcome, and thank you!

Watch Nica Noelle’s His Mother’s Lover on NakedSword:

[NakedSword: His Mother’s Lover]

 

26 thoughts on “Exclusive: Nica Noelle On Directing Gay Porn, Straight Guys Vs. Gay Guys, And Homophobia In Straight Porn”

  1. I just wonder if this bitch regrets giving up lesbian porn, where she was practically a legend…for gay porn, where she’s merely a footnote….or less…a nothing
    Never mind that she’s finished in BOTH genres.

    Leaving her reputation as a legendary lesbian director, to become a gag director was a mistake…whether she actually admits it OR NOT.

  2. Still agog at your turning Jimmy Fanz from a cute little bottom stud muffin into one of the great porn ACTORS of the last 30 years. The nuances, the intensity, the sheer beauty (and he’snuts, his chin is gorgeous and makes the face the most expressive in queer porn today) The final LOVE SCENE betwen Stehpen and Daniel is the most touching and beautiful since Richard Locke and Will Seagers in the finale of Joe Gage’s L.A. Tool and Die in 1982. I onlyhope you or somedy of your calibre collars Jimmy for another (beardless) performance, because he is flat out the best there is in this period in queer porn, Sincerely,
    James McCourt, former film critic at Film Comment

  3. I’m sure she is rubbing her snatch all over Ricky Larkin. And he doesn’t care because he is a meathead.

    Good luck with the gay porn in a spiraling market! Dummy.

  4. I’m still not completely on board with Noelle’s penchant for period pieces, but her work is still praiseworthy. Maybe (given how she likes the theatrically trained) she can coax Gus Mattox out of retirement for a couple of projects.

  5. great interview ,I agree with a lot of her points , I’ve ‘seen The Horseman and I thought it was really good ,I love passionate scenes with a storyline and I’m definitely going to watch more of her work, I’m impressed

  6. Hope to have it soon. This director only showed RESPECT to his gay actors. And I LOVE everyone who thinks gay men are worthy people. My support for her.

    1. I like that she treats her performers as actors instead of ‘holes’. Just because you are getting paid to have sex on camera doesn’t mean you don’t have to have talent and not be respected in your area.

      1. Yes I agree, these gay porn actors are people with feelings too. If the society is not biased on straight guys they maybe in hollywood now. I hope her films has a lot of kissing and cuddling between men and not just s@ck and f@ck.

  7. I like porn with plot, but I’ve found Nica’s films pretty disappointing. Her style is too restrained and the sex scenes are so white that turn icy.
    Speaking of great porn directors, Joe Gage is much much better, without pretensions, all the hotness, a rich symbolism and even a subtle social critique.

  8. I wonder if the dinosaur comment was about Larue & Scarborough….because their work is getting extremely stale. And she was SPOT ON about the escorts….they tend to turn in the most boring and lifeless performances. It may be nothing more than ass-ramming on camera, but at least show you care about the task you are doing. That could also apply to the straight guys doing gay porn—-motherfuckers, look engaged, pay attention to what you are doing or go the fuck home. If you need pussy porn off to the side to get you hard and keep you hard, then that is the Universe saying take you ass home. If you have to focus on dripping snatch, then you are not focusing on YOUR scene, and you are shortchanging the audience.

  9. Does it make my dick hard or not? That’s the ultimate test of gay porn I watch. I don’t watch for the ‘art’ of it, I watch to get off. I can appreciate an auteur, if only principle. But they don’t get my money unless their work makes my dick hard and keeps it hard so I can get off. B/c ultimately that’s what’s going on here. I find that porn made by women for a female audience doesn’t do that as often as porn made by men for a male audience.

  10. I saw “The Horseman” the one with Logan Vaughn. It was far superior to most gay porn that’s being produced. I’m old fashioned and like a good story line

    1. It was like one of those made for tv movies but with actual sex in it. I too like porn with a story, most of it is crap though because the acting is crap and there is no real care put into it to make it good. This was a million times better and it’s great that there is something else on offer besides bog standard two guys on a couch porn.

  11. Wow, finally a true artist in gay porn. Finally! I’m looking forward to his lovers son, will definitely spend money on it. Like she said, people won’t mind paying for quality and from what I’ve seen she’s very talented.

    1. Agreed, just about the only person doing something super hot/sensual besides BlackSpark. She has the potential to take gay porn to the next level. I wish she would study vintage gay porn — she seems to be the only industry person with the ability to bring back the magic of the the John Daveport/William Higgins era.

      1. She’s not the ONLY one who has made artistic gay porn. You can agree or not but I think Cockyboys has made some great films/scenes recently. They aren’t stale or by-the-numbers. They’re very original and entertaining. I’d love to see more of that in gay porn.

    2. I know this site is just a shill for Nakedsword et al, but I just saw His Mother’s Lover and WOW! I’m impressed.

      1. I hope tat SWEETHEARTS VIDEO cancels their contract with Nica Noelle and that she’s out of straight porn and lesbian porn too. Gay actors better than straight…better than lesbian? She should her true colors ib this interview bt saying she prefers working with gays over straight actors…and putting girl-girl porn in THE BACK ROW!
        NICA NOELLE IS A FAG HAG DIRECTOR LIKE MR. PAM.
        I hope that straight companies stop using her since she knocked straight guys compared to gays…and I hope the lesbian companies like SWEETHEART VIDEO stop using her too, since she put the knock on lesbians!
        Bitch….these women made you what you used to be….great. Now though you’ve turned shitty!
        It’s “good” you haven’t given up on the actresses who msde your work great….AND THAT YOU’LL STILL DO AN “OCCASIONSL” GIRL-GIRL feature and throw all you straight male fans….AND YOUR LESBIAN FANS TOO…A CRUMB EVERY NOW AND THEN…..OHHH NICA HOW WONDERFUL YOU ARE.

        READ INTO THAT COMMENT, SARCASM. IT WAS INTENDED…YOU DIS-LOYAL GOLD-DIGGING OPPORTUNISTIC BITCH!
        Thanks for ruining lesbian movies an lesbian careers….they ONLY BUILT YOUR REPUTATION…so what do you OWE them….RIGHT?

        BITCH!

        1. Yeah bro I know what you mean and like you I’m not gonna give my name or address either cause this is a GAY site. Just saying I agree with you. Nica’s being dis-ingrnous I feel. She’s telling gays how much better dhe likes them thst straight guys and lesbians because she’s working for them bro!
          She has to promote her NEW interest by DUMOING on the lezzies you kni? I can remember when Nica talked up the lesbians too….at the BEGINNING of her career when she first became a director.

          Don’t get overwrought thoug dude…cause now that Nica just got fired from directing gay movies…you can bet thst now the bitch is gonna be talking up LESBIAM MOVIES AGAIN…LOL!

          Yes! She’s going to be kissing lesbian asses with her compliments to THEM…and how the GAYS just DIDN’T get her lol…and how GREAT IT IS TO FINALLY RETURN TO LESBIAN FILMS!
          NICA IS GOING TO SOUND LIKE SOME SYCOPHANT…AN ASS KISSER…AND I CAN HSRDLY WAIT TO READ THIOSE COMMENYTS OF HERS…ONCE AGAIN PRAISING LESBIAN ACTRESSES AND LESBIAN FILMS!
          IT’S GOING TO BE HILARIOUS! I JUST HOPE THAT NO ONE IS FOOLED…AND THAT NO ONE WILL WANT HER…OR WILL HIRE HER BACK!

          THE DOOR TO LESBIAN PORN NEEDS TO STAY CLOSED TO THAT BETRAYER OF LESBIANS…NICA NOELLE…AFTER ALL WE DON’T REALLY NEED HER WE HAVE; TANYA TATE ..DANA VESPOLI…NIKKI HEARTS…LILY CADE….ALEX CHANCE…ALYSSA BRANCH AND A LOTBOF OTHER WOMEN DIRECTORS…WHO ARE STILL PROUD TO MAKE LESBIAN FILMS!
          WELL….PEACE OUT DUDE…AND DON’T GET SO UPSET…NOW THAT NICA’S TOLD EVERYONE HOW MUCH LOWER SHE REGARDS LEBIAN MOVIES OVER GAY ONES…SHE’LL SOON BE CAPUTBIN THE LESBIAN INDUDTRY…JUST LIKECSHE IS IN THE GAY ONE!

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