Podcast: Francesca Le and Mark Wood Interview
Francesca Le and Mark Wood are business associates, creative collaborators, and life partners. Their careers stretch all the way back to the 1990s, giving them rare longevity in a challenging business. While they could easily rest on their laurels, they still crave new challenges. That’s part of the reason they decided to create Smut Factor, a new label designed to be a ” true representation of [their] personal kind of sex life.”
In this in-depth podcast interview, Le and Wood delve into this latest venture and much, much more! They discuss their own personal love story, the key to finding new porn talent, the atmosphere they try to create on their sets, their recollections of porn in the ’90s, the reality show they’d love to appear on, among many other topics. They also reveal if they sometimes feel jealous or whether they ever bicker on set!
Read highlights from the interview below. We’ve also included a full interview transcript at the bottom of this post. Listen to the audio version on your favorite platform, or check out the video version!
- You can also download and listen to Francesca Le and Mark Wood’s full Adult Empire interview here: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Libsyn
Watch on video:
Select interview highlights
Tell us about Smut Factor, your new label.
Mark
Well, we just wanted something that was more a true representation of our personal kind of sex life. Because we have our stuff we do for Evil Angel and there is some structure to that because there are certain things that do well with that with that line and that company, so that’s our distributors. So LeWood’s distributed by Evil Angel, and certain things sell well on Evil Angel, like anal or those kinds of niches. We want to have something where it’s a little more open, and that we can plug any kind of scene in there. [It] doesn’t have to be an “anal” girl. [It] can just be a girl we find attractive, and that we think would do a good scene.
Francesca
Sometimes we miss some of the brand-new performers that aren’t ready to do anal yet. And we’d really love to enjoy shooting them. But we can’t, because for LeWood product, we shoot predominantly anal. And that’s what sells, so with Smut Factor, we can shoot all different kinds of variety of performers that do all different acts. And so it leaves it more open to shoot all different kinds of stuff, which is fun, because sometimes you miss a girl that doesn’t do anal. It’s not her repertoire, and we wouldn’t be able to shoot her. So that’s nice! That’s nice to have Smut Factor so we can plug in all different kinds of scenes.
Where did the name Smut Factor come from?
Mark
I kind of got it from Fear Factor the TV show. Smut Factor — it kind of flowed and I saw a similar kind of font and I was just like, that’s kind of cool. It’s all encompassing, it’s not too narrow, but you get the idea it’s gonna be raunchy.
How did you meet and get married?
Francesca
I was retired in the business, as in front of the camera. I had been retired for quite some time. But I was working, producing, and directing and also ran sales for an adult company. Extreme Associates is the company. And I was working there and Mark worked as talent. And so I would see him around the office and we started up a conversation. And it took a little while because I was the only female there. So I didn’t want to be dating the talent, or other directors or workers, their employees. So we went out. We dated for three months and then we were married, and we’ll be married 21 years, May 4th.
Mark
We just decided to get in our car and we drove to Vegas and got our wedding marriage license and went to one of the little chapels off the Strip there and did it up. I think yeah, we probably did rush into it. But we just felt like we wanted to do it!
What’s the atmosphere like on a Francesca Le / Mark Wood set?
Mark
We just try to make it fun. I still believe we’re kind of old school. We try not to waste people’s time that when they come work for us, it’s not a 10- hour day, like some shoots. It’s a few hours. Just tell them give me a few hours of your life and you’ll be on the way with a check and hopefully a good time and you have the rest of your day to enjoy. So we try to just like capture that moment as fast as possible. And you know, I think it comes out pretty good.
How do you get what you want out of a porn scene while also maintaining the relaxed vibe you mentioned?
Francesca
So, well, sometimes I feel you have to be a psychologist, on set, and give the the performer what they need. Some people need more compliments to get it out of them. And some people, I like to just make everybody feel as comfortable as possible and give them whatever they need to feel good about themselves and to give a good performance. But yeah, sometimes, maybe we can be a little too relaxed for certain people, and they’re not giving it their 100%. So then I do have to step in. And I as a director, I don’t like to over-direct or direct where it’s too staged, everything’s staged. But when I do have to step in, and I feel like I am being like that, I do need at the end of the day, I do need aesthetically what I need to get the performance and the scene shot. So then I do have to step in. And that’s when I feel like I am over-directing. Because I usually don’t like to direct. I like to just add more free flowing and everybody has a good time.
Talk about your uncanny knack for finding new talent.
Francesca
I like to shoot the new girls, too, because they haven’t been in the business yet. So they’re very fresh and new and excited. And so it’s always great, especially — the best part is when you get somebody who’s brand new and you shoot them and you just know that they’re going to be a big star in the business. And I have very good instincts on who’s going to go far, and I’m pretty good at judging. I’ve been very good with [for example] Remy LaCroix. And we very rarely shoot showcase movies on girls, and showcase movies that I’ve shot have all been on Best New Starlet. So we shot Emily Willis when she first got in the business. I like sometimes we put people out there for other people to see them and help their careers shine. Shot Emily Willis — her Anal Awakening showcase, it won Best Anal Scene at AVN.
Mark
We’re good at getting a new girl that maybe just moved to Los Angeles, and getting a good scene out of them when they’re maybe camera shy still. They’re not so sure themselves sexually because a lot of these girls, you know, they’re 18, 19, 20, 21. They haven’t had a lot of experience especially doing this kind of sex. [It] isn’t like the sex they would have at home, maybe with a long-term boyfriend. It’s a whole different animal. So I think [it’s] because it’s the two of us. And if we can get a good scene out of someone, maybe another company or another producer director might not be able to get that’s more intense and more very structured. Because we just try to make them feel good and feel good about themselves and try to let out that inner sexual energy.
What qualities make a true star?
Francesca
Ah, professional is one, a great personality, fun to be around on set, enjoys sex and their job. And just enjoy sex. You can tell when the camera loves somebody, when they when they start performing. And that’s like there’s not a camera there. They’re not really performing. And the camera just loves them. That’s what I think. Not necessarily even [just being] a beautiful girl. Just all those other elements.
Mark
Beauty, for sure. I mean, [Emily and Remy are] amazing-looking girls, but from the time they walk in the door and we’re doing paperwork and releases and getting their IDs and that to till they leave, just a certain level of professional and just fun to be around. Especially for that trip we took with Remy [for the Cabo shoot], I needed somebody I can spend [time with]. We are sharing a hotel room — that at least somebody we’re just meeting I have to feel a comfort level. I’m going to share a bathroom. We’re going to eat. We’re going to be with this person 24 hours a day for about a week. I have to really feel comfortable. I’m going to have to conversate with them outside of just sex. So I feel like both of those really had all those kinds of characteristics.
What was the industry like in the ’90s, when you started out?
Francesca
I just think like in the ’90s the porn community was smaller. It was a lot smaller. So you are more close-knit, like a little family — obviously not that [type of] family. Well, you know, because you all had sex. [Laughs] But it was a small group of people. Really, there’s only about 10 male talent that worked. You had Randy West and Joey Silvera and [Tom] Byron, TT Boy, Peter North. You only had so many guys. And there was a limited amount of female talent as well, because it was more taboo. So it wasn’t as mainstream and you didn’t have a lot of people. So I feel like as the business grew, and more and more people came into the business, it’s gotten where it’s not as tight knit as it used to be. So I do miss that about the ’90s. And I do feel like, because in the 90s, the women were a little bit older, and not 18 and 19, they enjoyed sex a little more, because they knew what they liked. So everybody in the business really enjoyed sex. It wasn’t just to say they were a pornstar, or whatnot. They just really liked fucking so that was always great, too. Yeah, so I miss the ’90s because of that.
Mark
I came in in ’98. So it was like, little towards the end of that, but it was still like what Francesca would say. I feel like the girls came in a little older so they were more sure of themselves sexually. They had more experience. They’ve had regular jobs. You know, some girls come in this business, this is the first job they’ve ever had, you know what I mean? So they haven’t had a job or what it’s like to be out there working in the real world and whatnot, and you had a lot more people that were already in adult entertainment. They came from the dance clubs dancing, stripping, you know, or maybe a swinger-invite set. So it was just a different vibe, you know?
How did the industry change when piracy and tube sites arrived around 15 years ago?
Mark
It’s tough, because the people in this business work really hard. Like any business, but you really put your body on the line. It’s literally blood, sweat and tears. And it really affected how much you make home at the end of the day. It’s forever changed the landscape. [ . . ]
The ones that adjusted stayed, and then a lot of companies went out of business. Just in 2004, 2005 I mean, I was working 30 days a month, 30 days, no days off. For whatever rate I could charge, I was getting. There was so many people to work for. And ’08 right around the same time as the housing crisis, ’06, ’07, ’08, it just felt like the tube sites came on and forever put a lot of people out of work, a lot of companies out of business. But you just have to adapt! Basically kind of mirrored the music industry with Napster and the whole thing. They had to adapt, but really affected the artist, and it affected the performers. And also people like us, we’re an independent production team. We had jobs where we’d direct for other companies. We directed at Red Light District where we just got a salary, but these movies that we own that JM and then at Evil, and that was our content, and at Exquisite. We own those products. That’s all our own money.
Francesca
It broke the model, the business model. [ . . .]
I even feel now there’s even a loss of the talent wanting to be their own producers and directors, you know, owning their own product. Now, they just they own their own content, not really wanting to own a label, as such. Where when we started, you wanted to be a performer, then you wanted to direct something for a company, then you want it to all have your own product, and you want to be at a great distributor, and then you want it to move up. And it’s like now, I don’t even think people care to own their own property, their own title brand. I guess it’s a brand now — their own content on platforms, not movies.
Do you plan to write an autobiography some day, as some other pornstars have?
Mark
I don’t know! [It may be] something [where] we’ve got to wait until we’re done with the business. We were approached about doing a reality show. A lot of people in this business have been, but it’s hard to really do it right. It’s been done with the business. They wanted the real raw stuff. It would view like crazy, but I don’t know if it would kill your business. It’s a fine line to walk because you still got to perform with these people and you want to be on good terms all the time. It would be entertaining.
Do you ever bicker or feel jealous?
Mark
A lot of times in the business, especially with some of the newer couples and if they work together, there is some jealousy issues or weird love-triangle type vibe, because maybe they make the talent feel uncomfortable. There’s this edge that’s there. We don’t have that. That’s not the issue. It’s never a jealousy thing. Or anything like that. Usually it’s something technical like the angle she’s shooting something, or light, or the still she took. So it’s always so technical, so we always like to tell the girls if we ever bicker, it’s never you or anything you’re doing wrong or a jealousy issue. It’s something with us bickering about tech stuff.
Francesca
I have one funny story about A.J. Applegate. Because we used to shoot her regularly because we love A.J. And we were on set, and we’re always a little bit bickering. Not always, but she’s used to it. And the one time when Mark was working as talent I was a one-woman team where I did everything myself on set and I shot a different male talent with the females. And A.J. was working with a male talent and it was just me and she’s like, “You know, it’s just not the same without you and Mark bickering here today. I don’t feel the same onset. You guys aren’t here arguing.” [Laughs] So that in a nutshell, that’s it.
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Full interview transcript
Smut Factor
Dallas
So let’s talk about Smut Factor! That’s your new label, your new website. How did this particular brand come about?
Mark
Well, we just wanted something that was more a true representation of our personal kind of sex life. Because we have our stuff we do for Evil Angel and there is some structure to that because there are certain things that do well with that with that line and that company, so that’s our distributors. So LeWood’s distributed by Evil Angel, and certain things sell well on Evil Angel like anal or those kinds of niches. We want to have something where it’s a little more open, and that we can plug any kind of scene in there. [It] doesn’t have to be an “anal” girl. [It] can just be a girl we find attractive, and that we think would do a good scene.
Francesca
Sometimes we miss some of the brand-new performers that aren’t ready to do anal yet. And we’d really love to enjoy shooting them. But we can’t, because for LeWood product, we shoot predominantly anal. And that’s what sells, so with Smut Factor, we can shoot all different kinds of variety of performers that do all different acts. And so it leaves it more open to shoot all different kinds of stuff, which is fun, because sometimes you miss a girl that doesn’t do anal. It’s not her repertoire, and we wouldn’t be able to shoot her. So that’s nice! That’s nice to have Smut Factor so we can plug in all different kinds of scenes.
Dallas
And the vibe from the stuff that I’ve seen under the Smut Factor label seems to have this kind of casual, fun-loving vibe. In fact, I think the tagline is — let me make sure if I can get it right here — “An erotic look into the lifestyle of Francesca Le and Mark Wood.” So was that a conscious intent there or did that just kind of develop organically as you were coming up with the idea?
Francesca
I think that our best work is always with me and Mark together in the scenes. And some of our bestselling product was our travel movies, which did very well. We had Remy LaCroix in Cabo Weekend that did very well. We used to go to South Beach every year and do a South Beach movie. And we really enjoy doing our travel movies, and they are more relaxed and more organic and always fun, too. It was always just for me and Mark to go on vacation and also make a movie.
Mark
Working vacation.
Francesca
So it was always really fun. And so that’s kind of what we’re gonna do with Smut Factor, too, is incorporate those.
Mark
Yeah, it’s more that relaxed thing, like you said. When we’re both in the scene, I feel like that makes our product a little more unique than other products out there. Because we’re a couple that we’ve been together all the time and our chemistry together with the talent makes for a unique scene. And we don’t always do that for our other stuff because she’s primarily behind the camera shooting. It’s me with the girl. So the travel movies kind of lead into this kind of concept, basically.
Dallas
Are there any particular scenes or moments that you think really nicely exemplify what you’re trying to do with this brand?
Francesca
Well, I think Charlie Valentine, it’s her first anal scene, which is exciting. We’ve shot many girls’ first anal scenes, so that’s always fun to see them blossom into being a true top performer, anal performer. So it’s always good to get that first initial scene. That’s really great! And also I’m very, very excited for the Anna Claire Clouds scene and Gizelle Blanco. They shoot boy/girl and they don’t shoot anal yet. So those are two examples of girls that I probably would never be able to shoot for other LeWood products so their scenes are great and very much organic like me and Mark like to shoot.
Mark
See, those are two perfect examples of kind of what we’re going for with with the Smut Factor. Those two scenes — just that vibe and energy and the relaxed, comfortable [vibe]. I think you get a better performance out of the girls as well like when everybody’s having fun and there’s not a roomful of 10 people and they can kind of be themselves.
Francesca
Not so structured sex.
Dallas
And it does seem like in the clips that I saw there was sort of — I don’t want to say “experimental” — but you guys kind of playing around in the sandbox of certain themes. Like there was a jerk off instruction video that you had with Cherie DeVille. It was kind of fun, some sort of stuff where it was a little as you were saying more away from the LeWood stuff you might think of, the anal stuff, and you’re kind of coloring outside the lines a little bit for lack of a better term.
Francesca
Yeah, I shoot all different kinds of stuff!
Mark
But I agree with agree with him. That it’s more niche-y. I don’t know if that appeals to a broader audience, some of that jerk off instruction. People that are into that are really into that. What falls in that might not fit in or our LeWood / Evil Angel-type product. But it has more of a home in this kind of stuff. We can put those videos out, you know, because I still think it’s interesting content.
Francesca Le
Plus Mark enjoys the cuckold [stuff]. [Laughs]
Mark
I just like stuff that’s off the norm sometimes.
Dallas
For sure, and the name of the site is great, too. How did you come up with that?
Mark
We made a huge list. We made a list, a whole legal pad and just whatever popped in our head.
Francesca
Yes, we still write things down on paper! [Laughs]
Mark
We made a huge list and ran it by Some of the guys there in house [at Adult Empire] and kind of narrowed it down.
Mark
I kind of got it from Fear Factor the TV show. Smut Factor — it kind of flowed and I saw a similar kind of font and I was just like, that’s kind of cool. It’s all encompassing, it’s not too narrow, but you get the idea it’s gonna be raunchy.
Francesca
Plus I still always love the whole old school raincoat type [words]. [Laughs]
- Download and listen to Francesca Le and Mark Wood’s full Adult Empire interview here: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Libsyn
Porn’s raunchy era
Mark
Yeah, I like that word! Like the old adult bookstore kind of vibe, arcades and different [things]. Raunchy!
Dallas
Right, right! It is a very evocative word and you’re right, it does kind of call back to that whole history of going to a porn theater [in a] raincoat. I think Kayden Kross had a brand called TrenchcoatX that was kind of going through that same vibe of embracing the pervy aspect in a way or however you want to put it.
That whole aspect of the industry is kind of going away as we go all digital. Do you kind of missed that kind of stuff, the adult bookstore, the dirty magazines, that whole thing?
Francesca
I miss the whole adult business being taboo, I guess. It’s a little more mainstream now, which I know everybody is happy about. I mean, I was in the business so long, when we were at AVN, we were behind the curtain. You know what I mean? That’s how long I’ve been in the business. We were at CES but behind the curtain to go to that section of adult, so yeah, I miss it. I miss it being a little more dirtier.
Dallas
Right, because you started — I guess I’ve seen varying years! Some sources say 1990. I’ve seen 1992. I don’t know what the truest and most accurate one is, but early ’90s, right?
Francesca
1990 is correct. Yes. Long, long time ago.
Dallas
And you, Mark, were more like, what, 1998?
Mark
Ninety-eight, yeah! I started and about this time of the year ’98. And then we met in the industry.
How they met and fell in love
Dallas
Right, well, that’s a perfect segue! So I wondered if you could tell us the story of how you met and fell in love and got married.
Francesca
I was retired in the business, as in front of the camera. I had been retired for quite some time. But I was working, producing, and directing and also ran sales for an adult company. And Extreme Associates is the company. And I was working there and Mark worked as talent. And so I would see him around the office and we started up a conversation. And it took a little while because I was the only female there. So I didn’t want to be dating the talent, or other directors or workers, their employees. So we went out. We dated for three months and then we were married, and we’ll be married 21 years, May 4th.
Dallas
Wow, so three months, that’s that’s kind of whirlwind! So once once things got going, they they really got going, then, it sounds like.
Mark
Yes, she got me drunk basically, and made me go to Vegas and we got married by Elvis. No, it was like an Elvis-looking guy at one of those chapels on the Strip, that kind of vibe.
Francesca
He was looking at his pager when he was reciting the nuptials. That was pretty funny!
Mark
Yeah, yeah, we kind of jumped into it.
Francesca
I didn’t get you drunk! You just were drinking and you’re not a drinker, by the time we were dating. I just said, “You want to get married?” He goes “Yeah, sure!”
Mark
Yeah, it was pretty organic.
Dallas
I think one of you — I think it was you, maybe, Mark, recently tweeted the wedding picture I saw on your Twitter feed.
Mark
Yeah, I had the spiky hair. But it was wild. It was wild. I was playing in a heavy metal band here in LA. So I had my spiky hair. And we just decided to get in our car and we drove to Vegas and got our wedding marriage license and went to one of the little chapels off the Strip there and did it up. I think yeah, we probably did rush into it. But we just felt like we wanted to do it!
Francesca
And nobody knew we were married.
Mark
Yeah, nobody knew. They didn’t even know we were dating. Because she had come my band playing on the Sunset Strip here at the Whisky. It’s a nightclub and I had a lot of people from her office come. And she came in and after I we performed I got off stage and then I just went up and kissed her. And everybody was like, “Oh my god, what’s happening? But you know, we just threw it on on them then that we’re dating and we’re getting married. Yeah, so that was fun!
A day of shooting with Francesca and Mark
Dallas
At that point could you ever have an envisioned that 20 years [later] you would be this porn mega couple?
Mark
We just we take it day by day. We just were in the moment and we make a good team. We just balance each other. She’s one of the few women in the industry that does her own camera work. She shoots all the video and all the pictures that you see for the box cover and whatnot for all of our LeWood Evil Angel product and now for the Smut Factor as well. Not a lot of women do that. There’s a lot of female directors but they don’t always do the camera work. She’s a unique breed that she does both so I’m really proud of her for that.
Dallas
Right, from what I understand, the two of you really are a two-person team — the two of you pretty much do everything, is that correct?
Mark
Yeah, people get shocked because they come to our set and it’s literally a makeup artist — traditionally. We haven’t had it during COVID because of testing logistics, but usually we have a makeup artist, a PA who has now been demoted to our dog sitter because he breaks all our equipment. So we demoted him to dog sitter, unfortunately, so he’ll take the dog on a walk when we’re shooting. And then just the two of us on set. So if I’m in the scene, she’s usually shooting video and camera and stills. Makeup artist is already gone because she’s already done the makeup and it’s really just a two-man team, but I feel like that’s kind of what works for us. I think especially nowadays, we’ve gotten into this thing — there’s more production value. The production value in the business overall, it’s gotten really high. The cameras have gotten so high tech. But I still sometimes think it takes away when you have these big massive crews. I feel like it takes away from the sex. The more cooks in the kitchen kind of saying, just kind of ruins the dish. I feel like that’s why our stuff comes off as fun and like it just kind of people having a good time.
Francesca
I think the girls always enjoy working for us. It’s very relaxed setting. They always say it’s so nice and fun and easy. They always usually have a good time. I tell them you don’t have to tell me that because I’m paying you.
Dallas
Well, right! To your point, actually, I have a quotation handy from Brittany Andrews, when we interviewed her, we asked her about working with the two of you. And she said, “They are incredibly easy to to shoot with. I enjoy their personalities and as human beings.” And she also said, “Mark’s got a proper cock as well.” So that was her little three-sentence [take]!
Mark
Always nice to hear!
Francesca
Oh, Brittany, yes, I love her. She’s awesome!
Mark
We just tried to make it fun. I still believe we’re kind of old school. We try not to waste people’s time that when they come work for us. It’s not a 10- hour day, like some shoots. It’s a few hours. Just tell them give me a few hours of your life and you’ll be on the way with a check and hopefully a good time and you have the rest of your day to enjoy. So we try to just like capture that moment as fast as possible. And you know, I think it comes out pretty good.
Playing “bad cop” to get what you want in a scene
Dallas
So in the context of that kind of easygoing vibe that you’re talking about there, do you ever have to switch and kind of play bad cop to get what you want, visually, in a scene or a movie?
Francesca
So well, sometimes I feel you have to be a psychologist, on set, and give the the performer what they need. Some people need more compliments to get it out of them. And some people, I like to just make everybody feel as comfortable as possible and give them whatever they need to feel good about themselves and to give a good performance. But yeah, sometimes, maybe we can be a little too relaxed for certain people, and they’re not giving it their 100%. So then I do have to step in. And I as a director, I don’t like to over direct or direct where it’s too staged everything’s staged. But when I do have to step in, and I feel like I am being like that, I do need at the end of the day, I do need aesthetically what I need to get the performance and the scene shot. So then I do have to step in. And that’s when I feel like I am over-directing. Because I usually don’t like to direct. I like to just add more free flowing and everybody has a good time.
Mark
Yeah, I agree with that. Just to add on to that, we don’t like to have a structure. I’ve worked as a performer for just about every director that’s come through. And I’m primarily what you would call a gonzo guy, hardcore. I do features, but I’m not known for features. But sometimes you’ll go to a set and it’s very structured. “Okay, we’re going to do these four positions for this length of time. And we need this amount of footage when you come work for us.” Sometimes the girls were programmed to say, “Well, how many positions do you need? Or how much time in this position?” We don’t tell them. We just say we need about roughly this amount of time, but we could do one or two positions long or we could do five, six, seven positions short. Whatever we just fall into, we’ll do. I don’t like it to be so structured like that. I just feel like I just like it to look like more intense and raw. And I feel like that’s what I want to convey with our product no matter what it’s for. I just wanted to be like, “Wow, they really got intense sex, the best sex we could out of that performer.”
Porn editing
Dallas
When you’re shooting a movie, how much material ends up on the cutting room floor? I guess I’m asking, when you have, say, a two-hour movie, how much footage total do you shoot for something like that?
Francesca
We only we we shoot what we need and that’s it. I don’t know. We don’t overshoot. I feel like a scene peaks at a certain point where it’s just it got to where the tippy top and then it’s done. Whatever that time is, that’s kind of where we cut it off, because we can go back and make the performers robotically shoot for time. But then they’re just going through the motions at that point, they’re not in the moment, and that chemistry is now evaporated. So we shoot to where the scene peaks, and then we’re done.
Mark
There’s very little like cutting room. It’s shot to edit. We shot yesterday — there’s not a single edit in the scene. We stopped to do a step to do hardcore stills, but that’s it. So we shot about 40 minutes straight through, no breaks, just everything was flowing and worked. Unless the performer requests to stop, of course, we want to accommodate them. They need to stop to go to the bathroom or whatnot, or whatever, get a drink of water, but otherwise, we try to get it in one fell swoop. And if we get it, there’s no nothing on the editing room floor. Like there’s very little BTS outside of an interview after. There’s not a lot of extra footage sitting around.
Francesca
And I prefer to shoot what we call hard stills, which is the sex stills — I shoot them at the very end of the scene. I know some people like to shoot them in the beginning, because the girls’ makeup is fresh and whatnot. I like them to look like they’ve been fucked. And also, we don’t know what positions we’re going to do. We have no idea what’s going to happen in the scene. So I like to shoot it at the end. Because then we know what we did. If you shoot in the beginning, you’re set to that’s what you’re going to do in the scene.
Mark
Because maybe you’ll do something cool you never even thought you would do. You know, you pick up the girl or you do something unique. And if you did all the stills in the beginning, you didn’t capture that. It’s better to do it right before what we call the pop shot. That way we can go back and do those pictures of stuff we actually did.
Dallas
Right, I think I heard you guys once describe your style as “guerilla style.” Now that was an old interview you said that so I don’t know whether that term still applies.
Mark
Yeah, I’d say guerilla style this way, you know, and that’s what happens, too. Sometimes I think, too, going back a little, too — like just being the two of us on set. Sometimes, I think people come in, and they think it’s not as serious because there’s not a big crew of six, seven people standing around, which we, you know, unnecessarily sometimes, but the product, I always tell them, the end product comes out just as good as anything out there. And sometimes I feel a lot better. Don’t judge because there’s only the two of us here. It’s like, we know what we’re doing. There’s a method to our madness kind of thing.
Finding new talent
Dallas
Your brands are famous for introducing a lot of new talent. What’s the key to that?
Mark
I think just going like piggy back over saying I think we we feel like that’s our niche and the business, we’re good at getting a new girl that maybe just moved came to Los Angeles, and getting a good scene out of them when they’re maybe like a little camera shy still. They’re not so sure themselves sexually because a lot of these girls, you know, they’re 18, 19, 20, 1. They haven’t had a lot of experience especially doing this kind of sex. [It] isn’t like the sex they would have at home, maybe with a long-term boyfriend. It’s a whole different animal. So I think [it’s] because it’s the two of us. And if we can get a good scene out of someone, maybe another company or another producer director might not be able to get that’s more intense and more very structured. Because we just try to make them feel good and feel good about themselves and try to let out that inner sexual energy.
Francesca
I like to shoot the new girls, too, because they haven’t been in the business yet. So they’re very fresh and new and excited. And so it’s always great, especially — the best part is when you get somebody who’s brand new and you shoot them and you just know that they’re going to be a big star in the business. And I have very good instincts on who’s going to go far, and I’m pretty good at judging. I’ve been very good with [for example] Remy LaCroix. And we very rarely shoot showcase movies on girls, and showcase movies that I’ve shot have all been on Best New Starlet. So we shot Emily Willis when she first got in the business. I like sometimes we put people out there for other people to see them and help their careers shine. Shot Emily Willis — her Anal Awakening showcase, it won Best Anal Scene at AVN.
Mark
And she went on to be Performer of the Year. We shot her in a regular scene. And I just like she has the combination — beautiful girl, I feel like this girl’s going to make noise in the business and let’s do a showcase on her. And then she went on and ended up winning Performer. In the same way. when we first started at distributing an Evil, we did the Remy’s Cabo Weekend and I just knew this girl has that kind of energy, and she was very successful. she won best. Yeah, she went on to be very successful in the business. So I feel like we do have a pretty good eye for that. But there is ones we got to pull a scene out of a girl that just doesn’t necessarily have it or might be doing it for alternative reasons, financial reasons. But I still want to try to get a good scene out of them, but you can’t all hit home run or make the winning basket. Sometimes Michael Jordan missed the basket. Anybody that says every scene they shoot in the business is incredible is full of it. Not every scene is a homerun, but when you find those good ones, it really makes the day worthwhile. They’re like, I really love what we just shot or did.
- Download and listen to Francesca Le and Mark Wood’s full Adult Empire interview here: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Libsyn
What makes a star?
Dallas
What are the qualities common to those stars like Remy or whomever that you knew were going to be really big in the industry?
Francesca
Ah, professional is one, a great personality, fun to be around on set, enjoys sex and their job. And just enjoy sex. You can tell when the camera loves somebody, when they when they start performing. And that’s like there’s not a camera there. They’re not really performing. And the camera just loves them. That’s what I think. Not necessarily even [just being] a beautiful girl. Just all those other elements.
Mark
Those two have beauty, for sure. I mean, amazing-looking girls, but from the time they walk in the door and we’re doing paperwork and releases and getting their IDs and that to till they leave, just a certain level of professional and just fun to be around me. Especially for that trip we took with Remy, I needed somebody I can spend [time with]. We are sharing a hotel room — that at least somebody we’re just meeting I have to feel a comfort level. I’m going to share a bathroom. We’re going to eat. We’re going to be with this person 24 hours a day for about a week. I have to really feel comfortable. I’m going to have to conversate with them outside of just sex. So I feel like both of those really had all those kinds of characteristics.
Dallas
So is there anyone that you’ve worked with recently, any new performer, that you have that feeling about that you think could be you know the next big star, the next big award winner?
Mark
Good question! I don’t know if she’ll win an award, but we’ve already shot her multiple times: April Olsen.
Francesca
April’s great!
Mark
Really nice! For us, because we are known for shooting new girls, usually we shoot a girl one time. If we really like her will shoot her two, three times. But a lot of companies shoot a girl five, 10 times, but because we’re always trying to get the next new girl. We usually shoot a girl just once, so for us to repeat a girl more than once, they have something that we like. But I think she has those qualities.
Francesca
I love Anna Claire Clouds.
Mark
She’s great!
Francesca
And I love Gizelle Blanco. Both of those girls, I think, are going to have a really good, long-standing career in the business.
Mark
There’s some that fly under the radar that I think are great. They don’t always become whatever “a big name,” and I never understand why, but I guess everybody has their own things they’re into, looks and style. But those are the ones I feel bad for. Because I feel like, this girl’s great. I like everything about her look, or performance or attitude. But some unfortunately, don’t. You know, there is some politics involved. Doesn’t always translate.
Dallas
Right, I suppose timing’s a big part of it too. I suppose there are certain stars who come along and it just isn’t the moment for that kind of star. I suppose if Remy had debuted in 1995, she might not necessarily have been the star that she was, etc.
Mark
Yeah, yeah, I agree. Because that body type — the ’90s they wanted the big hair, a lot of more augmented boobs. And it was a different look. Now, it’s a curvier girl, primarily. There’s a combination they either want the big butt, kind of hourglass shape or more of a thin, petite kind of look. So it goes in trends kind.
Porn in the 1990s
Dallas
Right. And speaking of the ’90, that’s a perfect segue to a topic I wanted to bring up. Adult Empire is, of course, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, believe it or not. Crazy, isn’t it? So I wanted to talk a little bit about that. Well, first of all, just what, in general — and you’ve touched on this a little bit — what are your memories just of the late ’90s? Or ’97? When you think late ’90s, what do you think?
Francesca
“Awesome”! Somebody was just tweeting something today, and they’re like, “We need a time machine to go back to those days.” And they’re talking about the early 2000s. The ’90s were just wow!
Mark
It’s sometimes even on set, I’ll have these conversations with the talent, because the talent, usually we shoot a lot of the younger talent. So they’re 19, 20 — they’re born in 2000, 2001, 2002. They hate hearing it! I started to sound like your parents: “So you should have seen it in our day!” Because they don’t understand the history of the business and the differences in how porn’s changed over that time. From the business side to even the production side, they don’t know. They just don’t, you know? So you try to explain it. Some take an interest and some are like, “Yeah, whatever!”
Francesca
I just think like in the ’90s the porn community was smaller. It was a lot smaller. So you are more close-knit, like a little family — obviously not that [type of] family. Well, you know, because you all had sex. [Laughs] But it was a small group of people. Really, there’s only about 10 male talent that worked. You had Randy West and Joey Silvera and [Tom] Byron, TT Boy, Peter North. You only had so many guys. And there was a limited amount of female talent as well, because it was more taboo. So it wasn’t as mainstream and you didn’t have a lot of people. So I feel like as the business grew, and more and more people came into the business, it’s gotten where it’s not as tight knit as it used to be. So I do miss that about the 90s. And I do feel like, because in the 90s, the women were a little bit older, and not 18 and 19, they enjoyed sex a little more, because they knew what they liked. So everybody in the business really enjoyed sex. It wasn’t just to say they were a pornstar, or whatnot. They just really liked fucking so that was always great, too. Yeah, so I miss the ’90s because of that.
Mark
I came in in ’98. So it was like, little towards the end of that, but it was still like what Francesca would say. I feel like the girls came in a little older so they were more sure of themselves sexually. They had more experience. They’ve had regular jobs. You know, some girls come in this business, this is the first job they’ve ever had, you know what I mean? So they haven’t had a job or what it’s like to be out there working in the real world and whatnot, and you had a lot more people that were already in adult entertainment. They came from the dance clubs dancing, stripping, you know, or maybe a swinger-invite set. So it was just a different vibe, you know?
Dallas
So how many people do you run into that have been in the business as long as you guys have been?
Francesca
There’s not many, not any left in the business. We were just saying that to there’s not very many couples. That back in that era, there was a lot more like swinging couples and couples in the business. There’s not very many. There’s maybe 10, but not as many as [before].
Mark
We didn’t come in as a couple. But there’s not many people left my era of guys and I came in with really. The only guys left or myself and John Strong. And Michael Stefano just recently came back, you know, but he was gone for, you know, seven, 10 years, but those were the first guys, we all came in about ’97, ’98.
Working with classic directors Andrew Blake, Alex deRenzy, and more
Francesca
I don’t think there’s any girls around. I mean, Nina Hartley‘s still around. I don’t think there’s very many from the ’90s. Julia Ann and was in the late ’90s. Victoria Paris just passed away. I was around with Victoria Paris. Ashlyn Gere. Racquel Darrian, the original Savannah, which people don’t remember the original Savannah. Yeah, all those girls are gone. You know, even some of the directors that I miss that I worked with. Freddy Lincoln‘s passed away. Alex deRenzy, Henri Pachard, just a lot, a lot. Yeah. All great directors, too.
Dallas
Right, yeah, you’ve really worked with a who’s who of very well-known directors. I think you’ve worked with Paul Thomas, right, and Andrew Blake.
Francesca
Andrew Blake, yes. That was in the very first Hidden Obsessions with Janine Lindemuler and Julia Ann. That was like their first movie? Yeah, he was amazing to work for.
Dallas
That’s the ice dildo movie, right? The famous one. So just quickly, is there any anecdote that stands out about Andrew Blake that comes to mind that captures him?
Francesca
He really enjoyed his BDSM. [Laughs] Yeah, he was great. He was a visionary. I loved working for him. I loved working for deRenzy. deRenzy was the epitome of gonzo before it was gonzo, like there was a really Gonzo, then in the early 90s. We called it features. But deRenzy really, he had a house up in Mill Valley. And he would send us up there and we’d stay in hotels, and we’d go up to his house. A driver would pick us up. And we would go up there in, you know, twos and four pairs. And we’d be laying by the pool or whatnot. And he’d be like, “Okay, who wants to fuck?” And we would just all pair up or not pair up. And sometimes there’s two of us. Sometimes there’s four of us. We’d all fuck and have sex and have a good time. His wife would make us lunch. And then we’d go back and maybe go bowling or go to the Mexican restaurant at night and then do it all again the next day. But he was a great director and really fun to work for, made it very comfortable. Like Mark and I do now!
A tell-all autobiography?
Dallas
Do you someday plan to write your autobiography? I feel like there would be a lot of material. All the experience you guys have — a collective story of LeWood, something like that?
Francesca
I think some people wouldn’t want to hear some of the stuff we would write!
Mark
I don’t know! [It may be] something [where] we’ve got to wait until we’re done with the business. We were approached about doing a reality show. A lot of people in this business have been, but it’s hard to really do it right. It’s been done with the business. They wanted the real like raw stuff. It would view like crazy, but I don’t know if it would kill your business. It’s like a fine line to walk because you still got to perform with these people and you want to be on good terms all the time. It would be entertaining. A book would probably be better, yeah.
Francesca
A tell-all!
Mark
If I could get 15 million like Britney Spears I heard just got for her tell-all, I’m all about it.
First interactions with Adult DVD Empire
Dallas
There you go, publishers listen, listen up! So it might be hard to pin down, but do you remember when you first encountered what would have then been Adult DVD Empire?
Mark
Tough for us because we’re on this side of it! When we first started owning our own movies we had before we were at Evil Angel. So we’ve had a distributor, we were at JM Productions, going way back and, and we would have someone handle our video on demand. And that’s the probably the first that I’ve heard of Adult DVD Empire and these vendors. Because the whole concept was new to us. We were used to VHS. And then later DVD came along. And that’s how we thought we made money and this whole new concept: video on demand. Adult DVD Empire was new. And you guys have had obviously, longevity, all this time. You’re still here! That says a lot because this business can be very tough on the business side, still be around after all these years says staying power to me.
Adapting with the times / the impact of tube sites and piracy
Dallas
I was just thinking about it — there’s obviously some parallels between Adult Empire and you guys. I mean, kind of same [time] span, kind of have adapted to the times, that that kind of stuff.
Francesca
In this business, you have to adapt.
Mark
Yeah, you’re constantly changing, or I don’t think we would have lasted this long. And we’re still adapting, you know, it’s like as you’ve witnessed, as well as everybody about the tube site. That was a big hurdle just to survive through that. It forever changed the landscape of the business.
Francesca
I even feel now there’s even a loss of the talent wanting to be their own producers and directors, you know, owning their own product. Now, they just they own their own content, not really wanting to own a label, as such. Where when we started, you wanted to be a performer, then you wanted to direct something for a company, then you want it to all have your own product, and you want to be at a great distributor, and then you want it to move up. And it’s like now, I don’t even think people care to own their own property, their own title brand. I guess it’s a brand now — their own content on platforms, not movies.
Mark
It’s tough because, the people in this business work really hard. Like any business, but you really put your body on the line.
Francesca
Blood, sweat and tears.
Mark
It’s literally blood, sweat and tears. And it really affected how much you make home at the end of the day. It’s forever changed the landscape.
Francesca
Yeah, it broke the model, the business model.
Dallas
Right, I’ve heard that from pretty much everybody I’ve ever interviewed that there’s basically this fissure between like the pre-piracy tube site days and then afterwards. A lot of the money left. Everything changed at that moment. Everybody had to adjust, survive, evolve.
Mark
Yeah, the ones that adjusted stayed, and then a lot of companies went out of business. Just in 2004, 2005 I mean, I was working 30 days a month, 30 days, no days off. For whatever rate I could charge, I was getting. There was so many people to work for. And ’08 right around the same time as the housing crisis, ’06, ’07, ’08, it just felt like the tube sites came on and forever put put a lot of people out of work, a lot of companies out of business. But you just have to adapt! Basically kind of mirrored the music industry with Napster and the whole thing. They had to adapt, but really affected the artist, and it affected the performers. And also people like us, we’re an independent production team. We had jobs where we’d direct for other companies. We directed at Red Light District where we just got a salary, but these movies that we own that JM and then at Evil, and that was our content, and at Exquisite. We own those products. That’s all our own money.
Francesca
We don’t have a silent partner.
Mark
Yeah, that’s our own money we saved from working for other companies. We put [it] into our own productions and whatever we make on it would be our profit.
Francesca
I feel like sometimes the people in the business, they don’t care if it’s happening to other people. But if somebody is going into your wallet and stealing your money, then it becomes a problem. It’s ironic, when ambassadors of certain places are complaining about their content being stolen, when there are ambassadors of people, of companies, of entities that stole from a lot of us for years. It boggles my mind.
- Download and listen to Francesca Le and Mark Wood’s full Adult Empire interview here: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Libsyn
Things they love off the set and work/life balance
Dallas
Right, it’s like the snake that’s eating its own tail or whatever the image is. You mentioned music there so I wondered what what are some things that you guys love? You know, sort of off the set in terms of leisure activities, be it music, movies, TV, whatever may come to mind.
Francesca
Yeah. Well, I guess we live a very normal lifestyle.
Mark
We’ve been in so long and we’ve done a lot done this for a long time that you’d think we live the life, [but] we’re kind of nerdy, I’d say.
Francesca
We like to volunteer, like I was telling you before. We like to volunteer at the [animal] shelter.
Mark
My sport is basketball. I’m pretty tall guy. So I play basketball about three nights a week. I play in a league. And then tennis, play tennis maybe once or anything. I took up boxing recently a couple of years ago. I’m actually boxing today, later this afternoon. She lives to work out and do that stuff.
Francesca
And I love meal prepping! I get excited about it! We live kind of a regular life. We really do have two different lives. It’s really hard, though, because we do work from home remotely. Because it is always just me and Mark. I don’t have an assistant. I really need an assistant, but I don’t have an assistant. So we are always working 24/7. Because we’re not at going to an office so I’m always producing. Or today I had to switch things around! So I’m always producing, I also have my OnlyFans that I work on constantly. I do my sexy auction my Sex Panther or shooting. Also I QC, which I screen all of the scenes for our Evil movies and also our smart factor so I QC all the scenes. I pick all the promotional pictures. We do everything so truly is like constantly working so when you say what do you do for fun I’m like, “When? What fun?”
The “nerdy” side of things
Dallas
Mark, you mentioned having somewhat of a “nerdy” existence. What would you say is the single nerdiest thing about about either of you?
Mark
I’m like a nerdy jock. So the sports things would probably be more considered mainstream. But I went to college. I got a degree. I’m probably one of the most over-educated people in the biz. I got a master’s in finance, which I don’t use, obviously.
Francesca
You do! You do all the books. [Laughs]
Mark
I’m really into the following the stock market, which is kind of nerdy. Most people are playing video games, which which I think is mainstream now. But I watch CNBC. I watch the stock thing all day on the TV over here and I’m just kind of weird like that. And I don’t know what else I do! I read a lot of alternative press. I watch a lot of YouTube videos on financial collapse and finance. I know that’s not very porn-like, but I’m into it.
Francesca
He’s not geeky in a tech way. He’s actually very bad tech. I’m good with tech. I’m not even that good, but I have the patience to to figure out the computer.
Mark
I went to a public high school and I’m older. We didn’t get a computer at our high school till the my senior year.
Francesca
Neither did I! [Laughs]
Mark
Still, she’s a couple of years younger, but yeah, I didn’t grow up with all the tech stuff. So I’m learning as we do it. I’ve learned a lot, but I’m not engrossed. I remember going to the arcade, like actual video arcade, like an arcade with beings. Now everything’s at home.
Francesca
That comes with the territory that we were speaking about — adapting. Because with our age, and even in the business, you just went and you shot your scene and you went home and that was your day. You went and shot and that was it. Now and all the new platforms, you do have to start learning how to edit and do all these other things. You know, you have to have the social media existence. You have to know how to do the Instagram and the Tik Tok and all this. It’s exhausting. I don’t know where the girls have time with all social media. How do you have time to do anything being on there? It’s a 24 hour to make your brand nowadays. It’s a lot a lot of work.
Mark
Plus, I like HGTV, like all the housing [stuff]. And I like the cooking channel. I’m weird!
Francesca
He likes Amazing Race. Oh, me and Mark should be on Amazing Race. We would be hysterical! we wouldn’t make it out of LAX, but we would be hysterical.
Jealousy or arguing on set?
Dallas
There you go! Another fun potential crossover, right? So the cliche about a couple married as long as the two of you that work together is there would be a lot of bickering. Do you guys bicker or do you get along pretty well when you’re working together?
Francesca
It’s funny because we always tell the girls we’re going to argue and bicker. It’s never you. It’s never about you. It’s always about us.
Mark
A lot of times in the business, especially with some of the newer couples and if they work together, there is some jealousy issues or weird love-triangle type vibe, because maybe they make the talent feel uncomfortable. There’s this edge that’s there. We don’t have that. That’s not the issue. It’s never a jealousy thing. Or anything like that. Usually it’s something technical like the angle she’s shooting something, or light, or the still she took. So it’s always so technical, so we always like to tell the girls if we ever bicker, it’s never you or anything you’re doing wrong or a jealousy issue. It’s something with us bickering about tech stuff.
Francesca
I have one funny story about A.J. Applegate. Because we used to shoot her regularly because we love A.J. And we were on set, and we’re always a little bit bickering. Not always, but she’s used to it. And the one time when Mark was working as talent I was a one-woman team where I did everything myself on set and I shot a different male talent with the females. And A.J. was working with a male talent and it was just me and she’s like, “You know, it’s just not the same without you and Mark bickering here today. I don’t feel the same onset. You guys aren’t here arguing.” [Laughs] So that in a nutshell, that’s it.
Dallas
Has that back and forth ever been captured in a behind the scenes video or is that not something you’ve ever done?
Francesca
No, because we don’t have behind the scenes! [Laughs]
Mark
We try not to do anything, save it till they leave outside the door, and then we let it all out.
Francesca
Oh, yeah, there has been one where he’s maybe snapped at me or said something that’s pissed me off, And then I don’t say anything because I never want the girl to feel uncomfortable on our set. And then after they leave, yeah, we’re going at it! But never on set.
Closing
Dallas
Right, that’s the smart way to handle it, Definitely! Well, I know we’re running short a little bit on time here, but I did want to give you a chance, first of all, to talk about any other cool upcoming projects that you have that you want to tell people about. And also just to let people know where they can find you on social media and follow you and keep up with all your comings and goings.
Francesca
Well, Smut Factor has a lot of amazing scenes coming out. We have Madison Summers.
Mark
We’ve been shooting like crazy.
Francesca
I can’t wait for the Mia Kay scene.
Mark
Yeah, she’s great.
Francesca
She’s amazing. She is adorable. Yeah, we’re we’re dominating them in some scenes. Pretty fun!
Mark
Yes, yes! You want to plug your social media?
Francesca
Oh, my OnlyFans, of course, Francesca Le, and my Twitter. Well, Smut Factor Twitter first and francescalexxx. Because my Instagram I’m very, very bad at, but you can follow it, which is francescale. I don’t have a lot of pictures with clothes on so I don’t have a lot of stuff to post on Instagram.
Dallas
It is hard! You’re right!
Mark
I have no Instagram. I like to be off the grid a little bit. And I have no Facebook, although there’s a couple fake Facebooks of me. I am only on Twitter — markwoodxxx on Twitter. I’m just not into it as much as others, but I am on there occasionally. Smut Factor has an Instagram, too. Smut Factor has a Twitter and Instagram. That’s probably the place to see us. Lewood.com, too, we have that and they can see us at evilangel.com. And they can see us at Adult DVD Empire all the time.
Dallas
Exactly, exactly! Exactly, people can go on there. In fact, I was looking and there are scenes of you guys way back, all the way to the beginning. I was trying to see if there were any scenes of you, Francesca, from your early ’90s period. There are! Boom, so you want the complete history, the potted history of you two guys, Adult DVD Empire is a great place to start.
Mark
Yeah, it’s great! Sometimes we can see all of our different hairstyles or like a time machine you can see how you changed over the years.
Dallas
Exactly, exactly. Well, this has been a great treat, treat chatting with you guys!
Mark
Thank you for having us! It’s been fun.
