Norman Jean Interview: Inside Junk Productions’ Experimental Porn
Norman Jean is the mind behind the daring, unusual Junk Productions studio. The sequences are concise, economical, artistic, and often startling, all while providing the requisite hardcore thrills. Learn more about this provocative brand and its innovative creator in our new interview!
Tell us a little bit about your background. How did you get into filmmaking?
For as far back as I remember, I’ve been obsessed with cinema. Growing up I would go to Blockbuster and eventually have to go into the small “indie” section in the basement to find something I haven’t yet seen. My father and I connected through cinema. He used to say, “it’s bonding time in which we don’t have to talk.” But for a few reasons I ended up studying economics and finance and took a job in that field. In 2017 I was in an Arclight movie theater lobby, John Williams’s score was playing through the speakers, and I realized that all my life I was meant to be a filmmaker. I’ve spent my life “exploring” people, places, things. The empathy developed from those experiences inspires me to share my experiences in an artistic way.
How would you characterize your own filmmaking philosophy?
I have no idea and wouldn’t even try to put myself in a category. If anything, experimental. I tend to focus more on stories that push the audience to explore a part of themselves that they generally repress. My goal as a creative is simple: to explore the absurdity of being human and to make people feel that, in the end, everything will be okay. To do that, you need to offer a way to get perspective over the everyday struggle of life and the human condition.
What’s the origin story of Junk Productions? How did you choose the name?
Webster defines Junk as “discarded articles that are considered useless or of little value.” Yet at the same time the slang term for Heroin, a substance that has immense power over the human brain and spirit, is “junk.” Also slang for a cock, which is a sacred symbol of power and value. It’s an interesting word. All language is symbolic of something much deeper. We call life “life” for a reason. We call dying “death” for a reason. The word “Junk” I think is really complex and beautiful.
Is there a specific Junk Productions scene that you think particularly captures the brand’s style?
I don’t think so. Our style is still developing and hopefully will develop as time goes on. Junk is “experimental.” I have no desire to create a specific niche of videos. I love being able to do something different every shoot. While niche companies tend to sell better, I’m not creating adult content for that reason… yet it would be nice to work with larger production budgets.
Name some filmmakers whose work you admire (mainstream or adult).
There are so many. If we’re talking about mainstream film directors, I feel most influenced by Andrei Tarkovsky, Gasper Noe, Harmony Korine, Terrence Malick, Michael Mann, and Josh and Bennie Safdie. In adult, I admire what [Erika] Lust is exploring creatively. I admire Adult Time’s original content, which I think is pushing the industry closer to mainstream. I admire Disciples of Desire for being great pornographers.
Gloria Leonard once supposedly said, “The difference between pornography and erotica is lighting.” Do you agree or disagree?
I think she’s right but missing a crucial part of that. Porn appeals to our animal brain (primarily based on power) while narrative drama appeals to the more developed brain (primarily based on emotion). What is lighting (and framing)? I believe it’s establishing focus. Lighting and frame help the viewer focus on the image so that they can immerse themselves in the characters emotional change. I think erotica lies somewhere in between porn and narrative drama so lighting should be more “cinematic.” So, I believe erotica for sure should have different lighting than pornography, yet I think that’s a result of what it’s trying to achieve, which is something that appeals to the outer, more developed parts of the brain. I think as adult filmmakers produce content closer to the narrative genre side of the spectrum of influence, then lighting will become more and more “cinematic.”
Take us through the creation of a Junk Productions scene, from development to shooting to editing and release.
It varies. Some projects are way more thought out than others. Often, I come up with the idea a day or two before the shoot, once I find a location I like. Sometimes I’ve had the idea for a while and am crafting the pieces around the idea. My shoots are incredibly quick. Everything I’ve shot (except for What Dreams May Come and Magna Cum Laude) is filmed within 4-5 hours and with me shooting alone without crew. Editing generally takes a day, sometimes two of full-time work. Now my shoots are quick because, as a new studio, I’m operating on no budget. I have to do things as cheaply as possible. Oh boy do I look forward to having money to shoot scenes. I feel like what I’m doing now is about 5% of my creative potential in adult. So, in January of 2022 I’m going to make it my priority to raise investment capital for Junk and to shoot (whether that means directing or doing camera/lighting) for companies with bigger budgets.
Which Junk Productions scene was the most technically challenging?
Magna Cum Laude Tesla driving scene for sure. We shot in a Tesla with a blue screen in a friend’s driveway but had only 3 hours. The sun was so strong that day and it was 105 degrees. We got it done but had to sacrifice a lot. I thought about reshooting the scene at a later date but it’s best just to move on. I want to send a shout out to Chloe Cherry who was a star, coming on board at 11PM before a 8AM shoot after the actress dropped out last minute.
What would you dream film project be, if budget were not a concern?
I’ve been developing stories my whole life so I have a number of “dream” projects. I’m working on my first mainstream feature as we speak, which will hopefully begin shooting in Spring 2022. I would love to one day make a movie about the struggles of Anne Frank and a biopic of Owsley Stanley. As for adult, I have a folder of scripts I would love to produce but that would require a budget of around $15k for each project, so who knows if that’ll happen. I started developing a story about a trans woman getting a cis man pregnant, which I think could have potential, so we’ll see where that goes.
What’s the key to coaxing good performances out of actors?
There’s no coaxing performance. There’s perhaps a way to guide an actor but a bunch of things need to be settled before that can happen. The actor needs to be given the information to empathize, (somewhat) understand the character so they can be present and perform. Generally, that means characters need depth and complexity. They need clear intention. They need obstacles. They need stakes. Before the shoot there needs to be discussion of character. And on set there needs to be comfortable setting and time to explore. I’m believe that, per capita, adult performers are more talented than mainstream performers. I just think there are a lot of impediments that prevent adult content from being character driven and that prevent creatives from spending time with their actors developing and understanding character.
If you could cast any popular mainstream actor in one of your movies, who would you choose?
There is so much talent in entertainment industry these days. I love Robert Pattinson, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Joaquin Phoenix to name a few A listers. More indie actors, I love Vanessa Kirby, Diana Silvers, Caleb Landry Jones, and Buddy Duress. There are too many.
In adult, I would prob forgo all of these names and build a story around Willem Dafoe. I imagine he’s got a monster cock.
What are some of your filmmaking pet peeves?
None. We all express ourselves in different ways. Of course, some decisions will attract me and some that will turn me off but that’s completely dependent on how and why they’re used. At the end of the day it’s all about what you’re trying to do.
What do you enjoy doing in your downtime?
Hiking. Exercise. Exploring outdoors. Meeting interesting people. Watching Movies. Live Music. Socializing. Traveling.
What are your filmmaking plans for 2022 and beyond?
By the end of 2022 my goal is to be (mostly) finished shooting my first mainstream feature. In adult, I would love to be shooting regularly for companies with bigger budgets and where I can focus on the look of their content and how to better connect with their audience. I also would love to continue to experiment with my own ideas in adult.
