MISTY MUNDAE: THE ART OF SEDUCTION

How did you initially hook-up with the Seduction Cinema people? ^ Well, originally I started working on movies with Factory 2000 when I turned eighteen. The videos we were producing at the time were really low budget, and more obscure fetish fantasy (a la bondage, strangulation, slasher, whatever!) About three summers ago I received a part in Seduction’s “Gladiator Eroticus,” just because I was kind of buddies with director John Bacchus, whom I had met through the Factory’s Bill Hellfire. Apparently, everything kind of snowballed from there. Before I knew it I was starring in practically every feature that they produced

Had you done much acting prior to that? ^ No, not really. Even when I first casted for roles through Factory 2000 and later other directors, it was all so accidental. I have always enjoyed acting, and of course expressed a lot of interest in independent films and such, but I never had the intentions of becoming an actress of breaking into this particular industry. For these specific types of roles, I would think that a lot of formal acting training would destroy you. It’s not something to0 be taken too seriously. All you really need is a natural knack for the make-believe, and a good sense of humor.

They’ve just signed you to an exclusive three-year contract as an actress and writer/director. How did this all come about? ^ THREE YEARS! Oh s**t. I must have not read the fine print. Actually, I’m under contract until February. And I must admit it’s actually pretty f*****g cool. I’m very well taken care of. I think that a big factor for having been contracted has to do with all the crap (I’m using the term loosely) that is being put out there, especially within this genre of filmmaking. Although there are a lot of very inspiring new directors out there, a huge portion of them are poorly executing their adolescent pipe dreams. I’m not trying to toot my own horn, or anyone else’s at Seduction Cinema, for that matter, but the fact is that they are professionals, and they are extremely cool to work for. Under contract I really don’t have to worry about being exploited or underpaid for some obscure half-assed video that will never even see a release. And I guess from their end, it’s preventing HBO from snatching me up and paying me exorbitant amounts of loot that they could never match! I’m exaggerating.

What can you tell us about “Confessions of a Natural Beauty” your writing and directorial debut? ^ It’s modest really. I didn’t want to attempt anything too self-righteous. It was an experiment, and I didn’t really want to get in over my head. I see a lot of new directors struggle to ever even complete the film that they invested so much passion into. I have tons of ideas for intense and in depth feature films, but I think it would be very audacious to attempt something of that nature for a two day shoot with one location and the allotted budget. It’s just a simple, cute story about young girlie love. But I really enjoyed working on it, and hopefully people will dig it. I do!

Is writing/directing something that you’ve wanted to do? ^ Yes. Well, once you’ve worked in front of the camera enough times, and you see what goes into the production end of film making, I think almost everyone thinks to themselves, “Hey, I’ve got an idea for a flick!” Working on these indie movies you also get a reasonable amount of input on other peoples’ projects. Finally you come to this recognition that any input is viable, and people do want to hear what you have to say.

Did you feel like you did a good job–being a first-time director and all? ^ Growing pains, ya know. There were plenty of obstacles, and certain things went smoother than I had anticipated. I’ll be the first to admit that I have a lot to learn, but I’m anxious to figure it all out and come into my own.

How important was the story to you? Most of the Seduction Cinema flicks seem to be all about skin. ^ Well, of course my interpretation of the situation that I was portraying was personal to me and my own experiences–but yeah, lots of skin.

What were the biggest challenges you faced in doing the movie? ^ Well, obviously I’m at best a technical novice. I had a great crew to assist in lighting and sound, and all of the other important factors that I would probably have royally f****d if I had attempted it on my own. On the other hand, although I understand why it is so important for a really competent director to thoroughly master all of these aspects, in the huge scheme of everything, things like lighting and editing are rarely expected of the director. And I’m certainly glad that they were not solely expected from me, because it allowed me to concentrate more on the bigger picture.

Get the rest of the interview in part three of MISTY MUNDAE: THE ART OF SEDUCTION>>>