Source: Adult Industry News
By: Steve Nelson
It was a beautiful afternoon as I drove the canyons towards Malibu, then up the insanely steep and windy paved trail sarcastically called ”road” by my map. I was on my way to a mainstream movie shoot.
When I got to the location known as Yellow Hill I was astonished by the mansion and surrounding grounds. In the distance the surf can be seen crashing on to the beach over two miles below. The billowing cumulous clouds were an added highlight as the weather cooperated with the shoot schedule.
Mommy & Me stars Stephen Bauer, Keeffe Griffith and Ming Ballard, and is directed by Jennifer James for Jennifer James Films. The first scene to be shot today consisted of grown men wearing diapers. I’m assured that this movie is NOT rated X, but an actual mainstream movie. One look at the craft table and I’m convinced. Great variety of cooked food and drinks!
The first scene I observed being shot depicts a room full of men in suits who are considering giving a grant to build a hospital to a man played by Keeffe Griffith. There is obviously a rivalry between him and the character portrayed by Stephen Bauer, who exposes Keeffe – literally – in front of the other men by pulling down his pants to reveal he is wearing diapers. When Steven bounds off screen to attend his wedding to Keeffe’s sweetheart, the other men drop trou to reveal they too are wearing diapers.
The second scene shot today is of the wedding ceremony where Nikki Benz and Monica Mayhem are brides maids and Tommy Gunn is the best man. You will have to watch the movie to see what a disheveled Keeffe does to this scene.
Among the interesting group of extras assembled for the wedding crowd I found Jacqueline Sheen, Playboy Playmate of the month for July, 1990. She was sweet and delightful and still beautiful almost two decades later.
I asked Monica Mayhem how she got involved with the production. she replied, ”I’ve shot for Jennifer James many times in the past, and we’ve always done great work together. Jennifer called me to ask if I’d like to do the film, and of course I jumped at the chance to shoot another mainstream movie, since acting is one of my many passions. I thought [the script] was great, very funny, and I love comedies. I play one of the bridesmaids, my character’s name is Lucy. Basically, I’m one of the ‘sexy’ friends of the bride, and I end up cutting up my bridesmaids dress, to make it short and skimpy, taking away the attention from the Bride.”
Jennifer James speaks about the production: ”Keeffe was a retired mergers and acquisitions lawyer, who decided late in life to try his hand at acting. After a few years and some small parts in 20 odd films he decide to write a script about tolerance of those different than ourselves. He wanted a trailer of his script produced. He was so happy with our work on his behalf that he hired us to produce the indie-mainstream movie version.”
”This is a pretty amazing project. Not every day does a veteran porn director get the chance to make a real mainstream movie. Keeffe and myself make a pretty unconventional directing team… This is a real movie shot and edited in 1080HD, the footage is gorgeous. We staged a real gunfight shootout, have shot some 30 hours of footage, had a cast of 60 and a constant crew of 10. What we have been able to produce is a top drawer romantic comedy with most of the right elements, for a tenth of what any major studio could produce. I have had a world of fun making this film, I just hope the audience has as much fun watching it.”
Keeffe Griffith adds, ”Jen added some additional scenes [to the script] to make it more of a story. We actually tampered very little with each other’s scenes. This is a story about acceptance and tolerance, both of each other and of ourselves. Although [my character] Roger has ”a little kink”, as he would say, he is in many respects the most ”normal” character in the film. It is hard enough to find love. When someone has a kink, it makes it much more difficult… but still not impossible!”
Watch for Mommy & Me scheduled for a December, 2009 release.
