My Fav is glitch and pilot... AMAZING!!!

by Justin R. Beckner (video) Jeremy Kasten has forged a name for himself in the filmmaking business as a brilliant, ego free person whose resume includes producing, directing, and editing films and feature content. Some may remember Kasten’s work on the Suicide Girls Must Die film or The Wizard of... more

by Justin R. Beckner



Jeremy Kasten has forged a name for himself in the filmmaking business as a brilliant, ego free person whose resume includes producing, directing, and editing films and feature content. Some may remember Kasten’s work on the Suicide Girls Must Die film or The Wizard of Gore which also starred several Suicide Girls along with Crispin Glover. When he’s not directing feature films, he spends his time editing behind the scenes footage for major films including Step Brothers, Spider Man 3, and Water for Elephants to name but a few. We caught up with Kasten to discuss his most recent work, The Theatre Bizzare which opens January 27th, 2012 in select cities.
The Theatre Bizzare takes a rare and unique approach to the horror genre. The movie is comprised of six segments, each with its own director: Buddy Giovinazzo (“I Love You”), Douglas Buck (“The Accident”), David Gregory (“Sweets”), Karim Hussain (“Vision Stains”), Tom Savini (“Wet Dreams”) and Richard Stanley (“Mother of the Toads”). Jeremy Kasten was given the demanding job of tying all the segments together with a cohesive storyline of his own featuring the legendary Udo Keir.
For cities and screenings, check out The Theatre Bizzare Facebook page. If you’re a fan of horror films, you won’t want to miss this summit of brilliant directors doing what they do best.

Justin R. Beckner: May I start off by saying how much I enjoyed The Theatre Bizzare. I’ve always been a fan or horror films and I’m not quite sure why. Why do you think people are so drawn to horror films? Why do people like to be scared from time to time?

Jeremy Kasten: I think movies in general are cheap thrills. There are lots of ways people get thrills – there’s chick flicks where you get emotionally attached to the character and then you get worked up. Then there’s the shock factor which goes all the way back to silent film, The Kiss, where people were first seen kissing in a film. I think horror taps into that primordial part of our brain that responds to fear because fear is a part of us. There’s another way horror affects us in a more surreal way where a film can replicate the experience of having a nightmare. It’s like when you have a nightmare and you wake up and you’re happy to be alive, So I think horror movies can tap into our fears and affect us in that kind of way.

JB: The Theatre Bizzare is a very unique movie in that it is several short story style films within a film – each with its own director. How did all of the directors come together for this unique style of film?

JK: David Gregory and the executive producers handpicked the directors to make the film. I came on after all the films were written and a couple of the directors had already made their films but they did not have a director for the wrap around at that point. I suspect that because of the film The Wizard of Gore, which I did with SuicideGirls, they knew I could deliver a theatrical Grand-Guignol quality to the wrap around part and hold the movie together. They knew they wanted it set in a theatre, they knew they wanted some sort of lead character who would pull you through all of those short stories and give a sense of grounding to the overall story. So I got together with Zach Chassler who is my creative partner who writes a lot of my movies and he had some great ideas. I knew I wanted to do something automatons so we put our heads together and we came up with the idea that became what you see in the film after Udo [Keir] came in and added his own specific and phenomenal sensibility to it.

JB: I noticed several connections between HP Lovecraft stories and the stories in the film. Was that an intentional parallel or simply the result of each director’s influences showing through?

JK: HP Lovecraft has been a huge influence on every horror filmmaker in the twentieth century. I don’t know if it was intentional but it’s hard to look at a horror movie from the era that Lovecraft is known and not see an influence on the movie. I know that there are a couple scenes in a couple of the films that are pure Lovecraft influence – it’s not like anyone talked about it, but it’s certainly there. David Gregory took away a lot of the constraints on the directors for this film and I think that freed them up to let that Lovecraft influence shine.

JB: Did you and the other directors work in close proximity throughout the making of the film?

JK: I’m not sure anybody knew each other until this film happened. I knew David Gregory, the producer – he brought me on – but I didn’t know any of the other directors and I’m not sure that they knew each other. We’ve been to film festivals and done panels together and we all get along very well but there was not of communication among the filmmakers leading up to the movie other than reading each other’s scripts. Because I was doing the wrap around I was given all the scripts and was able to get a glimpse at a couple of the films before making the wrap around. We really all met at the first film festival the movie was at. There wasn’t a lot of communications between us until the movie was done. Since the movie has been done, we’ve formed some friendships that I think will last a long time. I was really glad to have the opportunity to work alongside some filmmakers that I admire and some of them I’ve even been influenced by their work.

JB: The Theatre Bizzare opens on Friday, January 27th, where can people go to check out this movie?

JK: It’s opening in select cities which can be found on the film’s Facebook page or at Shocktillyoudrop.com. Its opening this weekend and then they’re doing a platform release over the next couple weeks in other cities. Then eventually it will be coming out on DVD and will be available in that format as well. But if you look on the Facebook page and the film is not paying in your city, you can demand it on there and a theatre chain in your city will be more likely to book it. That’s the way it goes these days in the movie business. All the theatre has to do is pay for a person to run the projector, so if they know people will show up it makes sense for them to book the movie for a couple days. So if you’d like to see The Theatre Bizzare and it’s not in your town, I’d encourage you to be vocal about it and demand it on the Facebook page.

JB: You mentioned previously that you worked with SuicideGirls in the movie The Wizard of Gore. How was that experience?

JK: I have to say, it was really an amazing experience because when I first started that project, SG was not the brand that it has become today, it was still very much coming up. As one of the producers and editors of the Suicide Girls Must Die video, I joined that after they shot it, I was lucky enough to work with Sean and Missy on that project and get closer to SG and seeing what it had become was pretty amazing.

JB: With all the directing, producing, and editing, you’re a busy guy. What have you been working on lately aside from The Theatre Bizzare?

JK: Last fall I did the recut for the movie 11/11/11 and that came out on 11/11/11 of this past year. So it was a movie that had a really obvious promotional release date which made for an intense end of the summer for me because we basically did a total recut. But it was really cool and I learned a lot. Now I’m back doing what is essentially my day job which is where I produce and edit behind the scenes specials for movies. I’m currently working on Abe Lincoln Vampire Hunter and Men in Black 3 which is going to be out this summer.

JB: Abe Lincoln Vampire Hunter, that sounds pretty awesome.

JK: Yeah, it’s gonna kick ass. It’s by the guy who did Nightwatch which was the movie that really broke him out and then he did Daywatch. He’s pretty much a genius.

JB: Do you have any advice to people who may want to enter the filmmaking business?

JK: I would say if you’re going to do it, take yourself seriously – don’t half ass it. I think a lot of people dip their toes in the water and think that maybe they might want to try to make a movie. You’ve got to commit to it and really go for it and make every effort to know what you need to know for something, that makes a big difference. The people who are successful are usually the ones who immersed themselves and educated themselves about something. In order to break the rules, you have to know what the rules are; that’s a big part of filmmaking now in an age where everything is so wide open as far as independent films go.

JB: I really want to thank you for taking the time to talk to us. Do you have any final thoughts comments or plugs?

JK: I guess I’d like to say about this movie that I was most pleased about was what a pleasure it was to work with one of my heroes. I’ve always been a huge fan of Udo Keir, and it was a privilege to work with him because he’s so much fun and he’s so good at what he does. That was really special to me, it was a dream come true.

by Steven-Elliot Altman (SG Member: Steven_Altman) Our Fiction Friday serialized novel, The Killswitch Review, is a futuristic murder mystery with killer sociopolitical commentary (and some of the best sex scenes we’ve ever read!). Written by bestselling sci-fi author Steven-Elliot Altman (with Diane... more

by Steven-Elliot Altman (SG Member: Steven_Altman)

Our Fiction Friday serialized novel, The Killswitch Review, is a futuristic murder mystery with killer sociopolitical commentary (and some of the best sex scenes we’ve ever read!). Written by bestselling sci-fi author Steven-Elliot Altman (with Diane DeKelb-Rittenhouse), it offers a terrifying postmodern vision in the tradition of Blade Runner and Brave New World...

By the year 2156, stem cell therapy has triumphed over aging and disease, extending the human lifespan indefinitely. But only for those who have achieved Conscientious Citizen Status. To combat overpopulation, the U.S. has sealed its borders, instituted compulsory contraception and a strict one child per couple policy for those who are permitted to breed, and made technology-assisted suicide readily available. But in a world where the old can remain vital forever, America’s youth have little hope of prosperity.

Jason Haggerty is an investigator for Black Buttons Inc, the government agency responsible for dispensing personal handheld Kevorkian devices, which afford the only legal form of suicide. An armed “Killswitch” monitors and records a citizen’s final moments — up to the point where they press a button and peacefully die. Post-press review agents — “button collectors” — are dispatched to review and judge these final recordings to rule out foul play.

When three teens stage an illegal public suicide, Haggerty suspects their deaths may have been murders. Now his race is on to uncover proof and prevent a nationwide epidemic of copycat suicides. Trouble is, for the first time in history, an entire generation might just decide they’re better off dead.

(Catch up with the previous installments of Killswitch – see links below – then continue reading after the jump…)



[THE KILLSWITCH REVIEW – CHAPTER EIGHT, PART ONE]

[THE KILLSWITCH REVIEW]

[Previous Chapter]

“It’s a cemetery,” Elsa stated flatly as she powered the Corvair down a dilapidated section of deserted beltway.

“My family’s final resting place,” Haggerty said. “Pull up to the gate.”

She drove alongside a security fence lined with laserwire to an autoterminal. Haggerty told her his code. She entered it on a keypad and the gate swung wide.

The place was deserted, as Haggerty hoped it would be; at this early hour few patrons ventured out to visit the departed. Haggerty assumed android groundskeepers had monitored their arrival but unless he summoned one via a call button or committed some act of vandalism, he doubted they would hinder him and Elsa.

They stopped at a restroom. “Keep watch while I change out of these filthy clothes and clean up,” Haggerty told his assistant.

He stood shaking on weak legs, his skin burning over spastic muscles, staring at his awful reflection in the restroom mirror. The tuxedo reeked of sewage. He clutched the white box in his hands, staring at the numeral “3.”

It took seven doses to kill and Traci had used one, rendering the unit nonlethal. There was no danger if he dosed again. He needed a clear head and right now he didn’t have one. His skin itched, his mouth was dry, his limbs trembled. He couldn’t concentrate, couldn’t think. And he needed to think. He needed to calm the craving and concentrate on gathering the evidence required to prove him innocent. He hesitated a moment, then pressed. The unit ticked up to “4.”

With a moan he resisted the orgasm threatening to engulf him. The effort brought him to his knees. It was several moments before he was able to force himself to his feet and strip.

The sink provided as much of a shower as he was going to get. It was a long way from what he needed but Haggerty was satisfied he’d washed away enough of the stench to not draw undue attention in public. He dressed in the stolen cargo pants and sweatshirt, concealing the white box beneath it. He stuffed the ruined tux into a garbage bin and rejoined Elsa, who waited by the car.

“Is everything all right, Jason?” she asked. “You were in there longer than I expected.”

“I’m fine,” Haggerty said, and wasn’t lying. The Happy Styx infusing his system had stabilized his body, leaving him certain that he could do what needed to be done.

They walked along a path, their steps activating pinlights every few feet ahead as they proceeded. Moonlight reflected on the slick gravestones around them. The mere mention of this place had horrified Haggerty as a child. The trip here two years ago with his father had devastated them both; returning alone the following year had drained what little spirit Haggerty had left. Now the place felt welcoming, oddly comforting. They halted before the structure with his surname engraved above the entrance.

“Please see if you can open the lock without breaking it, Elsa,” Haggerty said.

She placed a palm against the ancient key-style lock and in moments the door opened. The vault self-illuminated as they entered, triggering climate control. Haggerty had planned on arriving here today but not on his feet. The irony didn’t escape him; he felt strange anyway.

“Elsa, give me a moment to pay my respects to my family.”

He ran his hand along his mother’s engraved stone. “It’s me, Mom,” he said quietly. “I miss you.” He touched another shelf. “I’m sorry I haven’t come by as often as I should, Dad. I know exactly how you felt now and I forgive you.”

“They were both very nice people,” Elsa said.

Haggerty knew it was a programmed response but he appreciated the gesture. He guessed that he mattered to Elsa in some mysterious way, although surely his biological parents did not.

“They had me when my father was sixty,” he told her. “That was late for those times. I was one of the last children born in NewVada before people needed to register to have kids. They were approved later but they felt one was enough. They were doing their part to keep the population in check.”

“Conscientious Citizens,” Elsa said.

“Model citizens,” Haggerty corrected. “But yes, when CC status was formally instituted they were among the first in our cityblock to seek it.”

He moved to the simple silver plaque adorning the next tomb. “Oh Lorraine,” he said softly. “If only you didn’t act so quickly. I understood and forgave you. If only I knew that you’d forgiven me.”

Elsa said nothing this time. Did she understand that respectful silence was what Haggerty would appreciate most? He took two more steps, the most difficult of all. The final stone bore the name of his son. Haggerty had no words left.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Elsa said quietly. It seemed she might say more but Haggerty forestalled her by moving to an empty shelf.

He ran his palms across the shelf with morbid fascination. “This is where they’ll put me when I’m done.”

Elsa came and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I hope that won’t be for a long time to come, Jason.”

He turned to look at her. Elsa was so childlike, her motives pure, her mind unable to grasp the emotional aspect of the facts he’d just given her about the weight of his loss, the erosion of his will to continue.

“Hopefully,” he said, not wishing to alarm her. He wondered if she knew he was lying. “Now let’s review those recordings and find out what everyone’s so eager to erase.”

* * *

Haggerty took a seat on the stone floor, draping an arm across his upturned knee.

“Play Teardrop’s first. Full room projection.”

Elsa’s irises whirled into motion.

They were backstage at the concert. Haggerty could see the audience straining against barricades beyond the wings. He reviewed the girl’s death and found nothing new.

“Play Sunset’s recording,” he told Elsa.

The small mausoleum grew notably smaller. Sunset stood bare-chested before the hotel bathroom mirror. “Dawn, it’s me,” he began, confirming Corbin’s revelation that Dawn was part of Regina’s given name; the boy’s final message had been directed to her. “Someday you’ll probably see this,” Sunset continued, “and you’re gonna think I’m a grokless idiot . . .” The transmission ended with the boy pressing onstage.

Haggerty rubbed his eyes. If anything, the recording proved Sunset was a willing participant, leaving a last testament to his sister. But something about the message didn’t feel right. Haggerty told Elsa to run it again.

The scene played out once more. “But I love my life . . .” the boy was saying.

“That’s it, Elsa,” Haggerty said. “Pause the recording.”

“What did you see, Jason?”

“Sunset said love, not loved.”

“I do not understand the significance.”

“The significance is that Sunset used the present tense. He didn’t say his life was over and he loved it for what it had been. He hadn’t stopped loving it — and he hadn’t decided to end it. People who still love their lives don’t press, Elsa. I don’t think Sunset knew he was going to die.”

“I understand how that interpretation can be placed on his words, Jason. But it makes no sense. He was holding an armed black box that was recording. What else could he have expected to happen when he pressed?”

“That’s what we need to find out, Elsa.” Haggerty dug at his thumb pad. “Let’s see if Tyler Stelwyn’s recording has anything useful.”

They were in another hotel room. Haggerty recognized Cherub on the couch behind Tyler.

“Hey, it says it’s recording!” the boy said as he played with the box.

“Turn that thing off,” an unidentified male voice ordered from across the room. “Ya wanna kill yourself?”

“Maybe,” Tyler answered, laughing, then told the recording device about partying with “the enlightened, the infamous Clone Jesus.”

The transmission ended abruptly when the voice demanded that Tyler “turn the bloody thing off!”

The next installment began with the armed unit adjusting for light inside the closet, presumably in the same hotel. As Tyler moaned in prolonged sexual ecstasy, his envious fellator inquired where she could get whatever he was dosing.

“Do you think he was using the same drug as Sharyn?” Elsa said.

“I’m sure of it,” Haggerty said.

He briefed Elsa on what had happened at the Last Supper Club, omitting the fact that he’d been forced to dose himself and was currently under the drug’s influence. She might decide to protect him from himself and remove the drug from his possession. He couldn’t allow that and he wasn’t sure he’d be able to stop her.

“And you believe the boxes used in the triple press were also loaded with the drug?” Elsa asked.

“Yes, but I need to prove it. Skip back to when Tyler climaxes. Slow the action to half time and magnify. Bring up the contrast and brighten the room.”

Haggerty walked slowly around the image, moving closer for a better angle and kneeling beside the brunette, studying her as she serviced Tyler Stelwyn. The boy’s hand was on the unit as he thrust his hips. “There it is,” he said under his breath. “Elsa, review and enhance visual on the button hand and isolate for the sound.”

As it replayed, it was revealed in all certainty; the visual of the boy’s thumb pressing, the audible pop of the delivery mechanism.

“There’s our evidence, Elsa. Tyler pressed and lived. That box had been reloaded with Happy Styx and Tyler knew it. But he didn’t know the drug could be lethal.”

“You said Traci understood it would kill her, Jason.”

“What if Tyler and Teardrop and Sunset believed Happy Styx was harmless?”

“How could someone control the number of doses to make sure the lethal dose was taken onstage?”

“Perhaps the units were only made available at specific times, so they couldn’t press too often. Sharyn said Teardrop and Sunset had only been gone two weeks, and according to Traci you can detox as long as you don’t overuse. Whoever is behind things could have managed it so the kids thought it was part of the show, that they were making a statement. Remember Tyler’s calling Clone Jesus ‘the enlightened.’ ”

Onstage, Zephyr strutted before the frenzied audience. The kids ran to his side and dosed. Tyler fell along with the others, his face ecstatic. The crowd screamed. This was the point where Corbin had halted their first review. Haggerty watched now as Tyler spasmed, moving in close and trying to read the boy’s mind through his eyes. The crowd kept screaming. Haggerty silently counted out the predictable physiological shutdown he’d witnessed in thousands of recorded deaths. Something was wrong. Did Tyler’s eyes register shock? The unit continued recording, going on and on for what seemed like eternity. At length the projection showed Elsa’s hand reaching for the unit on the stage. The transmission finally went black as the box entered the minthizine case.

“It appears that Tyler Stelwyn was still alive when I retrieved his unit,” Elsa said.

* * *

Excerpt from The Killswitch Review, published by Yard Dog Press. Copyright 2011 Steven-Elliot Altman.

Steven-Elliot Altman is a bestselling author, screenwriter, and videogame developer. He won multiple awards for his online role playing game, 9Dragons. His novels include Captain America is Dead, Zen in the Art of Slaying Vampires, Batman: Fear Itself, Batman: Infinite Mirror, The Killswitch Review, The Irregulars, and Deprivers. His writing has been compared to that of Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Michael Crichton and Philip K. Dick, and he has collaborated with world class writers such as Neil Gaiman, Michael Reaves, Harry Turtledove and Dr. Janet Asimov. He’s also the editor of the critically acclaimed anthology The Touch, and a contributor to Shadows Over Baker Street, a Hugo Award winning anthology of Sherlock Holmes meets H.P. Lovecraft stories.

Steven also bares ink on his body, and is bi, as in bi-coastal, between NYC and LA. He’s currently hard at work writing and directing his latest videogame Cursed Love, an online free to play gothic horror RPG from Dark Hermit Studios, set in Victorian London. Think Sherlock Holmes, Jack The Ripper and Dorian Gray mercilessly exploit the cast of Twilight. Friend Cursed Love (Official Closed Beta) on facebook and you can have fun playing out this tawdry, tragic romance with Steven while the game is being beta tested!

Diane DeKelb-Rittehouse spent several years in Manhattan as an actress before marrying her college sweetheart and returning to the Philadelphia area where she had been born. Diane first worked with Steven-Elliot Altman when they created the acclaimed, Publisher’s Weekly Starred-Review anthology The Touch: Epidemic of the Millennium, in which her story “Gifted” appeared. Diane has published a number of critically acclaimed short stories, most notably in the science fiction, murder, and horror genres. Her young adult fantasy novel, Fareie Rings: The Book of Forests, is now available in stores or online.

Interested in buying a printed copy of The Killswitch Review? Well, Steve’s publisher Yard Dog Press was kind enough to put up a special page where SuicideGirls can get a special discount and watch a sexy trailer. Just follow this link to KillswitchReview.com and click on the SG logo.

* * *

Related Posts:
Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter One
Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter One, Part Two
Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter One, Part Three
Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter One, Part Four
Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Two, Part One
Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Two, Part Two
Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Two, Part Three
Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Three, Part One
Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Three, Part Two
Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Three, Part Three
Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Four, Part One
Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Four, Part Two
Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Four, Part Three
Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Five, Part One
Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Five, Part Two
Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Five, Part Three
Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Six, Part One
Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Six, Part Two
Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Six, Part Three
Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Seven, Part One
Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Seven, Part Two
Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Seven, Part Three
Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Seven, Part Four
Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Seven, Part Five

Some SuicideGirls have been modeling for the site for 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or even 10 years. We thought it would be fun to show you a look back and some of the SuicideGirls throughout the years. This week we bring you Mary. Mary has been a SuicideGirl since 2001. She was one of the original SuicideGirls. more

Some SuicideGirls have been modeling for the site for 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or even 10 years. We thought it would be fun to show you a look back and some of the SuicideGirls throughout the years.

This week we bring you Mary.


Mary has been a SuicideGirl since 2001. She was one of the original SuicideGirls. Her picture was on the cover of our first book. She is still shooting sets and has almost 30 pinup sets. ENjoy a look at back at the last 10 years with Mary...

From her first set in 2001, Just Mary shot by Missy:





From her 2001 set Sleeping shot by Missy:











From her 2002 set Nine by Missy:





From her 2003 set Sweetness shot by Missy:





From her 2004 set String of Pearls shot by Missy






From her 2005 set Postcard Pinup:






From her 2006 set Hollywood Nights:






From her 2006 set Tide shot in Hawaii by Missy:








From her 2007 set Rollerskates shot by Cymagen:





From her 2008 set Velvet Sex shot by Missy:








From her first and only multi girl set with Roza 2008's Gossip Girls shot by Missy:





From 2009's Waiting All Night shot by Cherry:







From 2010's Sunflares shot by Missy:








Hope you enjoyed the beautiful look back at classic SuicideGirl Mary!

Become a member TODAY for only $4 a month (if you sign up for a year) to see all 29 nude pin-up photo sets of Mary - http://suicidegirls.com/join/

I first learned about Dito Montiel when his first film, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints came out. It was notable for a cast including Robert Downey Jr., Shia Labeouf and Channing Tatum before they broke out, and Rosario Dawson who was already a star. Based on Montiel’s own book about growing up in... more

I first learned about Dito Montiel when his first film, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints came out. It was notable for a cast including Robert Downey Jr., Shia Labeouf and Channing Tatum before they broke out, and Rosario Dawson who was already a star. Based on Montiel’s own book about growing up in and leaving New York, it introduced Montiel’s voice to Hollywood, particularly in dialogue that’s more like real people who have trouble articulating, rather than polished Hollywood screenplay.

His next movie was the studio action movie Fighting, also starring Tatum as an underground street fighter. Now that I knew who Montiel was, I stopped when I saw a Dito Montiel CD in a bin at the massive used record store Amoeba. The album had sophisticated music, layering different instruments with harmony and telling stories about, again, growing up. Montiel is also a painter. Tatum again stars in Montiel’s third film, The Son of No One. He plays a cop who gets assigned to the precinct of the housing project where he grew up. Tracy Morgan plays a stark, dramatic role as his childhood friend, now in rough shape from a traumatic childhood of abuse. Al Pacino plays police chief with ties to the old case.

Montiel is now a west coaster like me. This is the third film I’ve had the opportunity to interview him for. Despite the serious subjects of his films and the raw style in which he portrays them, he always seems like lovable friendly guy. He even got a bit shy when I started asking about his music this time.

Suicide Girls: What is the idea behind your “A movie by Dito Montiel” credit?

Dito Montiel: It always says that on my movies. I like movies. “Film” feels a little corny for me.

SG: If I watched all three back to back I’d notice that. I didn’t remember.

DM: It’s okay. I like movies. I’m so uptight, it’s like “film” I feel like ughhh. Like a "novel." It’s a book!

SG: What is your unique vision for stories?

DM: I don’t feel like any of my movies are particularly unique. Maybe the characters are a little more real than we’re used to seeing, in my opinion. One of my favorite movies is 25th Hour. I love it so much. When I saw that movie, and I’ve yet to sit in a room with three people that agree with me, but I love it and I thought that’s a movie where Ed Norton in it is going away to jail for five years or something. He’s totally slowly having a terrible time. I see movies all the time where people say, “I’m going to do 10 years. I can do that standing on my head.” I don’t know who does one day standing on their head. If I were going to prison for a day, I’d be devastated. Jake, my editor, said we should have made this movie about garbagemen because then people wouldn’t throw the cop thriller into it, but that is very cliché in a way. This is really just the story of a bunch of people that really wish they could push everything right back into the closet and life could be good again. That was the realness that I was trying to make.

SG: Was it really that good for them before?

DM: It was better than this, which is the way I see life sometimes. As long as something terrible isn’t happening, something terrible isn’t happening.

SG: If this is based on people you knew growing up, was there also a murder in your community?

DM: Yeah, there were a few but in particular, the thing that sparked this story, of course it’s fiction, but in my real life, I used to hang out at the Ravenswood Projects which is right next to Queensbridge Projects. We filmed in Queensbridge. Ravenswood is not as picaresque. We used to hang out in a guy’s apartment there, a kid, we were all 14, him and his grandmother. It was a weird situation. This one guy used to come in and terrorize us a lot. He was 18, a crackhead named Hanky in real life, like in the movie this guy Hanky. He used to come in and one day he got killed. Not by us, someone killed him and he was just dead in the hallway and I remember the police were out there eating sandwiches, smoking, joking and taking him away. My friend Vinny at the time looked at me and said, “Nobody cares. Nobody cares about anybody here.” That strange notion stuck with me. It just stayed with me and I thought this is a little world where we really believed no one cared inside these walls what happened. So in the movie there’s a kid Vinny who says, “Nobody cares, just throw him in the garbage.” There’s a cop who says, “Nobody cares, not a single fucking person.” In the end, “No one cares about an old cop.” That notion was the seed for the movie.

SG: And you feel it’s gotten worse, if things were better then?

DM: In real life? Well, that’s interesting because when I first came to Los Angeles, a friend of mine that I grew up with was on skid row out here, funny enough, living there. I went down there and I thought well, skid row in L.A. sounds better than the hard times in New York because there’s no winter. But when I saw skid row out here, I thought, “Oh my God, there’s about 20 blocks in downtown Los Angeles no one cares about.” I’m thinking people are probably getting raped, murdered, robbed and we don’t hear about it. Meanwhile someone gets robbed somewhere else, it’s headline news. I’m not trying to make a big political statement but there are pockets of the world. Maybe now it’s a little more broadcast, or less, or people are a little bit aware of what’s going on, with this Occupy thing. But there are a lot of people that believe that no one cares about them and they might be right.

SG: How was this Sundance different for you than 2006?

DM: I don’t know, less free stuff. [Laughs] Look, I wouldn’t be doing this stuff if it wasn’t for Sundance. They took me into the labs back then for my first movie. It sounds corny and I’m not trying to be an advocate for it, but I can’t not be. To this day, I contact Michelle Satter who runs it about anything, from “do you know a good DP” to “I need a cool actor that does this” to “hey, will you get someone to read my script?” Within four hours, Frank Pierson who wrote Dog Day Afternoon or someone of that caliber will write me back because Michelle contacted them. He’s like, “I’ll read your script, I’ll give you some notes this week.” It’s like wow, what a beautiful family. It is Wonkaville so I’m a big fan. It was just as fun.

SG: What about being a closing night film as opposed to your debut five years ago?

DM: It’s all nuts. I get more time to screw around I guess.

SG: But are there higher expectations the second time you’re there?

DM: You know, I think the only thing that is a little scary is I think independent films are really hard, getting harder and harder. From what little I know, I don’t know much about movies, but it’s tough to make a movie. Even five years ago, I think if you had the cast that I have, everyone would think you made at least a $25 million movie. They don’t believe we made a $5 million movie with this cast but we did. And it took this cast to make a $5 million movie because it doesn’t have explosions and it doesn’t have chase scenes or supernatural. It’s very honest and real. It’s the kind of movie I love. So I think sometimes maybe people aren’t ready for that yet. They think, “Oh, what’s this independent movie doing here with this cast?” Maybe that’s a little different when you’re the closing night film with this. The expectations are “what kind of movie is this?”

SG: You do music also.

DM: Well, I used to.

SG: Not anymore?

DM: I mean, I’ll pick up a guitar here and there.

SG: I have one of your albums. Was your music also autobiographical?

DM: Yeah, of course. That’s funny.

SG: How did you learn the layers of sounds and harmonies and different instruments?

DM: I learned from friends, feelings, the same way. It’s all art. Writing movies is not that different.

SG: You’ve said that before, “It’s all art.”

DM: It is. More musicians should make movies and more movie guys should make music.

SG: Whenever a big musician comes into movies, they get a lot of shit for it. Madonna still can’t get taken seriously.

DM: Right, well, because you’re lucky enough to be a superstar, that’s a good problem. Don’t worry, when you keep failing at things like I have, nobody knows you’re reinventing yourself.

SG: Is it all movies and books for you now?

DM: That keeps me occupied and I like it. I love to write and it all stems from that. Music was always writing to me. I was not a good singer. I was a writer.

SG: Maybe I enjoy hearing singers who aren’t perfect. Like on The Sing-Off, the ones who get kicked off are the ones I like.

DM: Oh, me too.

SG: Because they don’t sound like everyone else!

DM: I’m with you all the way. I’ll always be like, “I love that guy.” And everyone’s like, “He was bad.” I’m like, “But everyone else is perfect.” In movies too. Acting, I love the imperfections.

SG: Is the internet a good thing for art? What would you have done if you’d been exposed to something this massive growing up?

DM: Boy, it’s gotta be scary. It’s scary now. I don’t know. It’s a weird thing. It’s so odd, I’m glued to it like everyone else. It’s a strange thing because it’s really great that you can do anything and put it out there, and people will see it. I started playing in a band when I was 14 years old. We had no dreams of anything. Nothing. We used to play at a club called the A7, Avenue A and 7th Street downtown in New York. That was it. I’d never even think we’d play anything bigger than that and we didn’t aspire to do anything bigger than that. There was something really beautiful and pure about that. Maybe the internet changes that because I don’t even go to Yahoo or CNN.com anymore. You go to Facebook and you find out how everything pertains to you. “Hey Dito, there was a hurricane today in Miami.” Oh wow, there was a hurricane today. So it’s odd but in a way I guess it’s the way it is. Look, it’s the most powerful thing in the world.

SG: You talk about the A7 club, theoretically now someone in California could see your performance at the A7. But maybe because of all that access, someone in New York wouldn’t have wandered into the A7 and seen you live.

DM: Yeah. I’m really happy I grew up the way I grew up, as crazy and wacky as some of it was. I like it. But it’s impossible. People 30 years older than me when I was a kid would say the same things about the ‘50s or the ‘60s. That’s just the way of the world.

SG: What is your creative life like now?

DM: I write all the time, same as always. No one’s ever handed me anything so I never think anyone’s going to hand me anything so I just write because boy, would I love somebody to give me Indiana Jones 4, but they’re not gonna. So I better write my thing and somehow my stuff always brings me right back to the place I grew up in.

SG: Well, they brought you Fighting. Do studios still come to you?

DM: Yeah, of course. I’m talking with a couple now about some things. I know that making a movie is at least a year of my life. I obsess to a point of craziness. Every musical note, every edit, me and my editor literally sit and I don’t leave. I go to extras casting, I’m just kind of nuts about it and I love it. You’ve got to find something that you really feel like I can do a really good job at this, or I’m going to love it. This movie, The Son of No One, I don’t imagine it’ll make $100 million at the box office but I love it and I will always be able to feel good about making this movie. That’s what I hope to keep being able to do.

SG: How much time do you have to see movies, music and exhibits and experience art?

DM: Oh, I see a lot of movies and I watch a lot of reality TV if that’s art. I don’t know if that’s art but I love it. It’s so real. Even if it’s not real, it’s real. You always find time. Remember, when you get to make a movie, you’re surrounded by artists all day long. It’s nuts. You have a DP and camera guys and you have electricians. I’m learning from everybody all day long. I’m more interested in what movie craft service was on last and what the actors were like than going to an exhibit. That’s my exhibit, living life. It’s a really nice world to be in because the art comes to you while you’re working. Pretty cool.

SG: What would you do if you had a movie and Channing Tatum wasn’t available?

DM: [Laughs] I don’t know. We’re friends. I started writing this halfway through our last movie. I looked at him, he did a scene and he was really good and I said, “Man, you can really act.” He kind of laughed. I said, “I’ve got a movie. It’s a little movie. It’s very subtle. No big things blowing up, nothing crazy and I think it’ll be really fun.” So he said, “Let’s do it.”

SG: Would Tracy Morgan go back to joking around in between takes?

DM: No, anything but. He was very remarkably serious. I forget what projects he grew up in, but he was almost going too far into the role. I think it was touching on strange spots in him but he still is Tracy. I was very happy about him. It was strange casting but I’m very happy we did it.

SG: Do you give someone like Al Pacino directions?

DM: Well, direction is the script. You write it and you write it as good as you possibly can and you pray somebody likes it. In this case I got really lucky because the top of the heap liked it. He shows up and we do a rehearsal and I’m a fan first. I don’t pretend to be anything but that. I’m a fan and of course I’ll give some thoughts. That’s all a director really does, give thoughts. That’s the way I work. I pretty much look in awe. He’s that good. He was doing us, he was doing Shakespeare in the Park at night, he’s Al Pacino. That’s Michael Jordan. Yeah, Phil Jackson did do something with him, but he’s Michael Jordan.

SG: Did you shoot on film?

DM: Yeah, 35mm.

SG: Is that getting lost these days, especially in indie film?

DM: It’s getting harder, understandably. You can’t stop the future. It will be gone, I know. I’m holding on because I love it. There’s something strange about it that is magical. I don’t know how much longer. That may be the last one. It’s getting hard. It’s like shooting stills on film. I don’t know anyone that does that anymore.

SG: What does it give your film that is has a grainy look?

DM: I don’t know. I try really hard to write complete and utter honesty even at the cost of the movie being more exciting. I try to push the acting to be as honest as humanly possible. My editor does the same with editing. Film somehow brings a touch of something, even though video sometimes looks more real. It looks too real. Film still feels like a movie. I want it to still have that thing.

SG: It’s also different watching film in a movie theater. It’s meant to be projected. Digital looks the same on a big screen or a TV set.

DM: Right, and film sometimes looks weird on your TV which is getting really odd.

SG: Do the folks from home still keep in touch?

DM: Of course. Oh yeah, Nerf was literally just here. He left two days ago. He was staying with me out here. He’s in

The Son of No One for one second. He’s an ambulance driver because he drives an ambulance. He’s in the background with Pacino. When I go to New York, I go to where I grew up and I stay there all the time. I’m actually going next week. Of course, home is always home. That’s kind of the way it is.

SG: What are you doing next?

DM: Just writing now so we’ll see. Hopefully something cool.

SG: The two films based on your experiences growing up were difficult experiences. Do you have some joyous experiences you can make a film about?

DM: Oh, it was all joyous. This movie is particularly hard. Saints I thought was kind of joyous. There are some parts but it was kind of fun. The kids are so goofy and crazy but this was a hard movie, I know. Of course. I wrote this book called The Clapper and that’s a movie I want to do really bad. That actually all takes place here in L.A. Hopefully I’ll get to make that. It’ll be another very difficult movie to make but it’s purely fun.

SG: Is that like the guy on the film set who claps the board for sound?

DM: No, no, no. It’s about a guy who’s a paid audience member. When I first came out here, I did it for a little with my friend over at Gower. They pay you 50 bucks to sit in the audience of horrible shows and pretend they’re funny when it says “applause.” So hopefully we’ll make that.

SG: I knew about seat fillers, but actually paying for clapping?

DM: Oh no, it says “applause” and you applaud, laugh, laugh, clap, clap. Then you do the next show. Judge Judy…

SG: I’ve been to tapings. I just thought they were tourists who are all happy to get a free ticket.

DM: Well, you do get the tourists on some but the really bad shows, the REALLY bad ones.

SG: Did any of those shows make it several years to become hits?

DM: A lot of infomercials. We did some infomercials and we did Judge Judy a few times.

The Son of No One opens November 4.

(image) by Blogbot (image) ["Honey" - Manko] (image) ["Blue So Blue" - Blue] Artist / SG Member Name: Vivid Vivka a.k.a. Vivid Suicide Mission Statement: I sling paint, and if someone likes it...that's a bonus. (image) ["Brim"] Medium: Acrylic, pen, marker, wood, canvas,... more

by Blogbot


["Honey" - Manko]


["Blue So Blue" - Blue]

Artist / SG Member Name: Vivid Vivka a.k.a. Vivid Suicide

Mission Statement: I sling paint, and if someone likes it...that's a bonus.


["Brim"]

Medium: Acrylic, pen, marker, wood, canvas, spray paint, coffee grounds, blood, sweat, spit, tears.

Aesthetic: Naked and distorted. Usually with big hair, empty eyes, a lot of pink.


["Yellow" - Yellow]

Notable Achievements: I believe three people have my work tattooed on their persons. To me, that’s a helluva achievement and intensely flattering. Ink aside, I have a BFA from the College for Creative Studies, in Detroit, MI. I majored in Illustration with a graphic background. I’ve made pieces for childrens’ hospitals in Detroit, had a few gallery shows, and had my work stolen for a ton of shitty band/party flyers. (Stop. Doing. That.)

Why We Should Care: 9 out of 10 viewers agree: it's art.


["The Queen of Crows (and Three Little Insects)"]

I Want Me Some: Much of my past art projects can be found on my DeviantArt (as well as many of my modeling photos). For prints and originals, I sell my work at vivka.etsy.com (more originals up soon...kinda sold out right now). Proper website and webstore to be unveiled with glitter and sparkles around mid 2012.


["This Time..." - Adria]


["Not This Times..." - Rambo]


["Booty" - Pirate]


["Dead Fish // Live Fish"]
***

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In his latest book, Vultures’ Picnic, investigative reporter Greg Palast jumps ass deep into the one percent’s favorite combustible lubricant. Armed with a miniature recording device, condoms, mosquito repellant, K-Y Jelly, a 3.4-ounce flask of Felipe II, and his trademark fedora hat, Palast travels... more

In his latest book, Vultures’ Picnic, investigative reporter Greg Palast jumps ass deep into the one percent’s favorite combustible lubricant. Armed with a miniature recording device, condoms, mosquito repellant, K-Y Jelly, a 3.4-ounce flask of Felipe II, and his trademark fedora hat, Palast travels from Alaska to the Amazon, and from Louisiana to Liberia to expose the dirty business of crude oil, and those who make indecent fortunes from it. During the course of his investigations, Palast uncovers the incestuous relationships between the petroleum corporations and the governments they control, and how human and environmental carnage, corruption, coup d'états, and cover-ups are ultimately considered a cost of doing business by these toxic bedfellows. [Caution: You may feel violated after reading this interview -- but at least you'll know a few of the names of the motherfuckers that are screwing you.]

Nicole Powers: Just to set the scene, can you give our readers an idea of your very unique credentials?

Greg Palast: I'm an old fashioned gumshoe investigative reporter…I used to be an investigative detective that worked on the big racketeering cases. It's not like divorce cases, instead I have a degree in Economics from the University of Chicago and I lectured at Cambridge, and used that tool to figure out how to get into the underpants of corporations. That's my background, digging and getting insiders who were scared shitless to talk to me, and hopefully not get them destroyed, ruined, beat up, and bumped off.

NP: What motivates you?

GP: I'm driven by resentment. I just hate these motherfuckers –– the one percenters. I'm not an objective journalist. I want to rip their fucking hearts out. I grew up in the ass-end of Los Angeles where you were supposed to go to Vietnam. If we didn’t get a bullet in our head, we’d go get a girlfriend pregnant, work at the Chevy plant until it closed, then get thrown out on the garbage heap of the rust belt. So I decided I was going to get even. If I got out alive, I was going to hunt these guys down one by one, and I don't like to use guns so I have to use journalism.

NP: Much of this book is spent on the trail of BP. I guess your first brush with BP was up in Alaska with the Valdez incident. A lot of people associate that with Exxon because their name was on the tanker. Can you explain BP's connection?

GP: Yeah, it wasn't an accident. The Exxon Valdez was a crime scene. That's very important to understand. I was brought in by the people that owned that property, the Chugach, to investigate fraud and racketeering claims…Exxon was the name on the ship, and they fucked up big time. They actually turned off the radar. The radar wasn't working. Even a seven-year old could take that ship through without cracking it up, so I'm not letting Exxon off the hook…

But who is the real culprit? Who is the real dark force that destroyed Alaska, a thousand miles of coastline? British Petroleum. It was British Petroleum, working under the mask of the name Alyeska [BP is by far the largest shareholder in the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, which runs the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System and is owned by a consortium of oil companies]. They signed papers swearing up and down to the government that they’d left all this emergency equipment. There's no rocket science in stopping an oil tanker or the Deepwater Horizon from destroying everything in sight. You just stick a big rubber around it, think of it as a giant oil well condom or funky ship condom that you throw in the water, a big hunk of rubber, and you suck it out. You suck out the oil. So it's rubber and suck, there's no trick to that.

In the case of the Exxon Valdez, British Petroleum said they had equipment right where the ship cracked up. It should have been nothing -- you should never have heard of this thing. They said they had all this equipment. They lied. They said they had an emergency crew. They hired a bunch of natives, they trained them, and then as soon as the government wasn't looking they fired them.

The big tragedy is that the natives, in return for these crap ass jobs and a promise by the oil companies that they would use all the latest equipment to keep their fishing grounds clean, in return for that, the natives sold Exxon and mainly British Petroleum the Port of Valdez, worth about a couple of billion dollars, for one dollar. BP defrauded the natives, destroyed their fishing grounds, robbed them blind, and then, because their name wasn't on the ship, they walked away free. When the Deepwater Horizon hit they used the same trick.

NP: So after 20-plus years of successful cover-ups post Valdez, this takes us to what happened in the Gulf.

GP: …So we get a cable from a ship floating in the Caspian Sea. Somebody who says, “I know how they operate. I know what happened.” …We find out that the BP Transocean rig had blown out just like in the Gulf. In addition, for the same reason, use of cheap crap cement. This quick set stuff that had nitrogen in it, it doesn't hold under difficult conditions like offshore drilling, so it blew out in the Caspian. These guys covered it up…

If they hadn't covered it up, the 11 guys who were incinerated in the Gulf would not have died, because there's no way that they would have gotten away with using that system. In fact, I don't think they would have even got the permits. The Department of the Interior had already said no, but they went before Congress, BP and its oil company buddies, who by the way also knew about the blowout in the Caspian Sea, and they kept schtum about it. It's called concealment. In the old days, when I did racketeering cases, you'd read these guys their rights, march them off, and they’d go to prison. Now they get bonuses. They lied to Congress, they perjured themselves, they concealed the fact they had a major blowout from offshore drilling using this crap cement and cheap method.

NP: You talk about how they lied to Congress, but our government also already knew. One of the things that you bring up in your book is the cable which relayed this information from the Embassy out in Baku that went right back to Condoleezza Rice, which was leaked by Bradley Manning.

GP: That's what makes you want to vomit, because BP covered it up. The American oil companies are bitching because of course they couldn't make any money because the well had blown out, so that's how the American companies knew. They literally stopped getting money. Then they find out that there's a blowout. So they complained to US State Department. So the State Department knew all about it but joined in the cover-up –– our own government joined in the cover-up of what happened in the Caspian.

NP: And the cable in question went into detail about the issue with the cement.

GP: Yeah…So they knew and they never told anyone. They went along with the little oil company con….No one said anything. And don't forget the way that they covered it up…BP owned Azerbaijan. BP had this country by the balls, and the way that they did it was bribery, babes, beatings -- the Bs in BP. First, Lord Browne himself, we find he pays a 30 million dollar bribe to the President of the Azerbaijan nation [Abulfaz Elchibey] to try to grab the contract. He didn't get it. The president still doesn't give BP the contract. So MI6 agents' arm the old KGB chief [Ilham Aliyev], who is in what used to be part of the Soviet Union, he’s elected as president, and three months later he gives BP the exclusive contract to drill the oil there.

[According to a report obtained from Turkish intelligence, the British -- BP and the government combined -- supplied the guns for this regime change. A desk inside BP’s HQ in Baku served as the British Embassy -- and was an added convenience when coordinating such things.]

Hundreds of millions of dollars are missing from the treasury that BP supposedly paid to the country. BP knows exactly where it is. Take a look at the First Lady [Mehriban Aliyeva] that I call Lady Baba. Her husband earns $100 a month as president, and her daughter had one dinner in London -- it cost about a half a million dollars. That's not bad if your daddy’s making a hundred bucks a month. How's that happening?

This is how they own these countries, which are then dirt poor because they've been ripped off. Massive bribery. So, yeah, that's part of the cover-up. When we talk about oil, you need more than drilling bits. You need bribery, you need assassination, you need coup d'états -- that's part of filling up your SUV.

NP: And BP colluding with the British government to overthrow a foreign government, that's just the beginning of a whole litany of state sponsored crimes.

GP: And the U.S. government too. Let's not forget that. There is a chapter in there called “The Wizard of Ooze.” If you get the interactive book you have all these little films that go at the top of each chapter [non-ebook readers can view them at VulturesPicnic.com]. One begins with a clip given to me by Time Warner from the film Syriana. There's a little creep who says, “Corruption is how we win.” The little creep in the film is based on a big creep that I was investigating named [Jim] Giffen, who is caught bribing the president of another Caspian dictatorship, Kazakhstan [to the tune of] 84 million dollars. He gets arrested by the FBI, and in his defense he says, “Yes, but I was working for the CIA.” And the judge on the record says, “Yes, Mr. Giffen, we're so sorry, we apologize,” lets him go. To keep his cover originally with the CIA, he was forced to confess to bribery. That's like a 20-year jail term plus you have to pay millions in fines. The judge said, “Well you did plead guilty, so I have to fine you.” So he fined him $25…The CIA used this guy to move, at least by my account, over 100 million dollars in bribes. And, by the way, as part of the process he's allowed to skim by my calculations about 15 or 20 million dollars. Not bad for doing a little bag job for the CIA and the oil companies.

NP: And that's an operation involving the CIA, Kazakhstan, and multiple oil companies.

GP: I discovered BP comes in when I talked to an ex-CIA agent who’s become a billionaire oil man, a guy named Jack Grynberg. I knew he was pissed off…He's worth about half a billion and BP just sent him a check for about 90 million dollars for some property that he owned with BP –– they basically fucked him out of about 180 million bucks. So I knew he was in a bad mood about BP when he talked to me…He says Lord Browne [BP’s Chief Executive until May 2007] was bribing the President of Kazakhstan personally. He says Lord Browne did it on BP’s [behalf]. I said that’s a pretty serious accusation, because that's a jail time crime in the US. There's a Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, serious accusations. I can't run that accusation, Jack, you’ve got to have some proof. Well, yeah, he had proof. He had the invoice -- BP invoiced him for his share of the bribe. He gives it to me. You see it in the book…

And, by the way, they're British…and under British law I have to give all my material to BP for their comment. They had a chance to say, ‘No, we didn't commit the bribe. No, we didn't cover up the prior blowout and kill all these guys. No, we didn't lie about the Exxon Valdez.’ Instead, they gave us a long answer, but it said, ‘We followed all the rules, blah, blah, blah…’ No denial. No denial. That, in a way, was creepy, because you at least hope that they'll deny it…No matter how many creepy things I've seen in my life, this is one of the creepiest periods of investigation I've ever been through.

NP: The book reads like a James Bond thriller. It's hard to believe that it's actually true.

GP: I think of it more as Austin Powers. [laughter] I goof up more often than I don’t. When you read the book you realize that I'm just not 007. I mean, the screw ups are just ridiculous and embarrassing, and sometimes I suppose a little bit dangerous. I hope I don't endanger the people I work with. But if you're going to do real investigative work there is a Sam Spade element.

NP: Even in America the level of intimidation you expose is very shocking.

GP: …Yeah, in the US for example, there's this whole controversy right now about a pipeline running from Canada to Houston that they say is going to be safe. It's only safe because of the pig in the pipeline. Every pipeline has to have pigs, which are not oil company executives fattened by bonuses. I'm talking about this robot which has little wires and whiskers and lasers on it. It goes through the pipe and it beeps when there's a break or a crack or a leak and something nasty is going to happen…It warns you. It's a very simple, obvious mechanism to just run a robot through the oil down the pipe. The thing is that the pigs had been silenced -- silenced so that they don't squeal. The software had been fixed so that they are kind of dialed down, kind of like taking the battery out of your smoke detector, which is really dumb…The same with the pig. If you dial it down, it doesn’t go off when it should and people could die.

So why would they do this? Why would they do something that dumb? Because the law is stone cold clear on how sensitive these pigs must be inside a pipeline. The answer is because when it beeps and boops because there's a problem, you’ve got to dig up the pipe and you’ve got to replace it. That's a million, two million, three million bucks a mile. It's real serious. And there's probably 100,000 miles of bad pipe in the US. You're talking tens of billions of dollars. So rather than spend tens of billions fixing an old pipe system that we have here, we just tell the pig to shut-up with the software.

A software engineer, who is in charge of designing this stuff, comes to us and he admits to it. He confesses to us that he was unhappy about it, but he went along with the scheme to allow the pigs to be silent with the software. He tried to fix it and his company stopped him. This is a pig that's used by everyone -- BP, Exxon, Chevron…At first he was scared, he was afraid his career would be ruined, as it would be if his name came out. Who'd hire an engineer who then squeals on the company, right? We had a couple of other engineers that were willing to corroborate what he said. No one would come forward until nine people get burnt alive in California last year in San Bruno, because the pipe exploded…They obviously had run a pig through it. Why didn't the pig find the leak? When they investigated they found those leaks and cracks were years old. The answer was that there wasn't a fault or a mistake, the pig had been fixed to not beep and therefore these people died. And he's scared to death. They destroy people's careers. They hunt them down and find out who they are, and then they're finished, they're done.

NP: And this level of intimidation with regards to whistleblowers has occurred in Alaska all the way through to the Gulf and New Orleans.

GP: There's one of the most ridiculous cases in the book. The top hurricane expert in the US [Professor Ivor van Heerden] at Louisiana State University, at the Hurricane Center there, exactly 30 days before the Katrina hurricane, he's telling British news on some documentary that in one month this city could be underwater…And one month later, exactly, it was under water. Now you'd think that an expert like that, they'd make him a statue or give him a medal. Instead they fired him.

But the thing was that they closed the entire Hurricane Center in Louisiana. Can you imagine? This is a hurricane state and they closed the Hurricane Center just to get rid of this guy. Why? Because the Governor and the oil companies and the banks weren't happy because he said the real problem at the core is not that the levees were crap in New Orleans, the main problem is the oil drilling.

The oil canals and the oil causeways, the pipes, have completely destroyed the protective wetlands, the mangroves and swamps that used to be a 50-mile wide buffer between the Gulf hurricanes and New Orleans. That buffer is gone. Katrina never even hit the city. It was just a tidal surge…As this professor says, it would have been a storm, no one would have even known about it. The people in the city would have barely noticed it. It would have been a rainy day. The problem is that the oil companies destroyed all the protection, and he said that's got to stop -- and not only that, but we have to fill in those canals. They fired him. They closed it down.

NP: I understand he also spoke up about how the Army Corps of Engineers conveniently built a hurricane highway which was a straight shoot for tankers -- and hurricanes -- into New Orleans.

GP: Well yeah. [The river] was taking a very winding path….And so to make the oil companies happy, they built this like straight as a shot canal [the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet Canal a.k.a. MR-GO] from New Orleans to the Gulf, and of course that became the hurricane highway, and the water surge just rolled right up that canal. It just went straight up the path…That's what happened. And they knew it. Why didn't they fill this stuff in? Because, again, oil has Louisiana by the balls.

I wanted to find out exactly how this happened. What is the mechanism? Part of the point of Vultures' Picnic is I want you to look at the one percent in the eyeballs. There's too much generalized discussion of the rich, the one percent, the oil companies. I want you to get these guys names, know who they are, know what they've done, so I go after the power.

Who got this professor and the Hurricane Center closed? It turns out it's the head of the big environmental group in Louisiana. You go what? The head of the environmental group? A guy named R. King Milling, he's also it turns out the Rex, very important. When you think of New Orleans and Mardi Gras -- Mardi Gras is just something where you throw beads and tourists throw up on each other. In fact these Mardi Gras crews are crucial key secret societies which control the commercial and social life of the Deep South. And King Milling is the Rex. He's the king of Mardi Gras, and he is the power there. Mardi Gras is literally his crowning moment. He's the head of the big bank that has a big oil company fund…

So he's a big oilman and he represents the oil companies, but brilliantly he formed the most powerful environmental group, a green group called America's Wetland. It in fact is a big oil industry front funded by BP, Chevron, Exxon, etc. And in this green guise the Rex is able to basically rip apart all environmental protections and uses his authority to get the Hurricane Center closed and replaced with a captive academic center that will bless the destruction of more wetlands -- under the guise of being a green group. You love that?

NP: This is the same environmental group that launched a campaign to have the taxpayer share of oil royalties go towards the cleanup that the oil companies should have been paying for.

GP: …What he did is said let's take all the hurricane money that's coming in, all the money from BP or whatever, and we'll restore the wetlands. But what people don't realize, what he's saying is we'll pay the oil company damage. We should take the money that's supposed to go to the victims of the Gulf -- the victims of Katrina too –– dip into those funds and give it to the oil companies to replace their own restoration money, to try to restore some things that they absolutely destroyed...

NP: Obviously Deepwater Horizon was something the oil companies couldn't cover up because it's domestic, it's off our coast, people died, there were flames, but one of the things that you mention in the book is how in terms of the amount of wetland destroyed, there's a Deepwater Horizon happening every week in the Louisiana Delta due to leaking wells, pipes and the like.

GP: When Anderson Cooper picked up one of the birds out of the reeds in Grand Isle, yeah, that was really disgusting, but that wasn't BP’s oil. That's where Chevron was…Some may be BP’s, but not from the BP Deepwater Horizon. That's what people don't understand, that this has been going on forever. You have a rolling Deepwater Horizon on a continuous basis from these oil companies digging into the Gulf…Chevron has probably destroyed far more wetlands than BP, just on a continuing basis.

NP: And they cover all of this up with phony science and cleanup theater.

GP: Oh yeah. They get this scientist on National Petroleum Radio… This guy [Terry] Hazen gets up and NPR quotes him as saying, ‘All the oil is gone. Bacteria has eaten it. Nature is a happy girl.’ [The NPR/Hazen piece can be found here.] You just shit into her and she eats it up and it goes away. First of all, why don't the fucking American journalists get in a fucking boat?…Actually Greenpeace arranged for me to have a submarine to see the measure of oil under the surface, but it didn't arrive in time. I didn't need a submarine. I just took a rubber dingy out with a high-powered engine and jumped off on some barrier islands up to my ass in oil. I'm a 150 miles from the well head and six months later this oil’s not supposed to be there. There’s oil mass as big as sofas floating around…Dead fish all over the goddamned place -- it's a total fish holocaust. And of course what you don't see is that shit in the water means that kids get cancer. It's not victimless…Obama takes his kids to go swimming. What an asshole. You know, that's a pretty poor stunt. Who needs that? It's a lie, it's a lie.

NP: It's not just that they're taking a shit in our water, you also talk about how they routinely take a shit in our air and dump gases in the dead of night.

GP: That’s their other favorite one. It's called sky dumping…I was doing a lot of investigation into that. At these refineries at nightfall they burn the worst carcinogens into the air in Baku. I saw that in Texas too. I saw that in Alaska where there is one very brave government inspector, Inspector [Dan] Lawn, who comes up through the book. You can sit out in the weeds outside the BP Exxon terminal in Valdez, Alaska at 3 AM with a little video camera filming the burn off of the toxins that they're throwing into the air…They tried to get him fired and tried to smear him. They tried to set up people with chicks -- only the dumb are susceptible to that – like me…

But today they just harass…like with Professor Steiner, who actually went out with me riding those little power ponies in the water here in the Gulf, a tenured professor, head of the Biology Department in Alaska; they fired him too. The same thing. He testified against the oil companies so Alaska eliminated his entire Biology Department. They eliminated his department so that they could fire him. That's light stuff compared to being thrown in prison, but of course a great truth teller, Private Bradley Manning is in a dungeon right now. If this happened in China we'd talk about a dissident trying to tell the truth, but since it happened in America he's just a criminal.

NP: In the book you make direct connections all the way up the White House, to Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. You expect this kind of thing with the Republicans, but not so much with the Democrats.

GP: Well [the oil companies] bought the Republican Party, but they can rent the Democrats. My great luxury as a journalist is that I don't have to choose sides. I'm going after these motherfuckers in both parties. And you know it actually was Hillary Clinton who assured the President of Kazakhstan that they would never out him as receiving all these millions of dollars in bribes from the US oil companies. Now remember, an American paying a bribe to a foreign official is a felony. Our Secretary of State is assuring one of the criminals, “Don't worry, everything is fine” -- right.

NP: And how do we know this?

GP: This is from inside the Justice Department, a very, very high up prosecutor who obviously wanted to bring the charges and was smoking mad that he was blocked….

NP: And this goes back to the Giffen case?

GP: That one goes back to the Giffen case, yeah…

NP: My eyes were opened when I visited Norway and someone explained to me that a massive portion of the oil wealth there goes back to the Norwegian people, which is why they have education, health, and arts programs funded for decades to come. One of the things you talk about in this book is why the people never question why more of our oil wealth isn't going to our nation, why it's pretty much all going to private corporations.

GP: Well one of the questions I have when we talk about the BP Deepwater Horizon Macondo well is when did it become BP’s? This is national patrimony. Why is it theirs? How did it become theirs? And when they shat all over the Gulf Coast, how come they kept their lease? You shit all over your apartment, you lose your lease. How come that didn't revert to the American people? Instead, the deal Obama cut with these guys was ‘Oh, I’ve got you 20 billion dollars.’ The fine print said that it will only come from the profits of BP in the Gulf. So not only couldn't we get rid of them, if we did that then we would get no payment.

NP: In your book you talk about Trinidad & Tobago where 55 percent of the oil wealth goes to the nation. [The Azerbaijan state even requires a 10% cut, making the 0% deals the US have made with the oil companies look even poorer by comparison.]

GP: Yes. You have places like Ecuador, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela obviously, these kind of countries that have just said ‘fuck you guys, give it back.’ In the case of Trinidad, [Prime Minister] Patrick Manning had been an oilman, knew his shit, and was a real militant son of a bitch…In Ecuador it's a lot tougher, because Ecuador had been seized by the oil companies, poisoned by Chevron, seized by Occidental. [There were] riots, economic collapse, depression, and the people had enough. The Quechua Indians came out of the mountains, broke down the castle, and elected a guy named Rafael Correa as president…I had a jungle meeting with him and this guy has giant balls…He takes on Chevron, which has just been shitting all over the Amazon…

NP: Right, he looked at these old contracts and essentially said, ‘I'm not honoring them. This isn't working for us. We need to change the confines of these agreements.’

GP: Yeah. They got cheated, ripped off raw. Someone cheats you, the game's up. You don't have agreements with people that cheat you. You're done. You violated the agreement…

NP: Which takes us back to what's going on today with Occupy Wall Street and people saying it's time to share a bit of the wealth. We need to get the oil companies to pay back some of the wealth that they're sucking out of this country. We need to renegotiate those contracts.

GP: They have to stop fucking us while they're sucking us…It’s a bad deal….

NP: You say it's a bad deal, but in California, which is a bankrupt state, there is no deal. We don't get paid anything. It's not like Alaska. We’re not benefitting from our oil reserves

GP: Well of course…and that's the problem. And the point of Vultures' Picnic, the whole point of the investigation of the one percent, I want you to meet Lord Browne and his weasels. I want you to meet these oil guys. I want you to meet their victims. I want you to meet their trophy wives and get inside their trophy lives and know their names, addresses, phone numbers…

NP: You definitely show us who these people are in the book, and how to find them, but how do we change things?

GP: Well that's your problem. I’m just an investigator. I'm just showing you the shit. You flush it. I'm not great for advice on how to redo things…I'm not a grand theorist. I'm not Noam Chomski. All I can tell you is I want you to know how they screw you -- exactly. And I want you to have names and dates. I mean, there's certain things I always recommend. I like the occupation, but let's not fetishize the real estate. Let's expose these guys and put an end to it.

But it requires an awful lot of courage. Guys like Manning, guys like Pig Man, guys like the one who sent the cable from the Caspian -- talk about putting your life in danger, your career in danger -- the nuclear engineer that flipped me the documents that told me what really happened in Fukushima. These are courageous people. There's so many acts of courage. We saw that in the Arab Spring. We applaud other people's courage, but where's ours? When do we stand up and say no?


Greg Palast’s reports can be seen on BBC Television’s Newsnight. He is a Puffin Foundation Writing Fellow for investigative reporting, and is the author of the New York Times bestsellers The Best Democracy Money Can Buy and Armed Madhouse. He also authored Steal Back Your Vote, a guide to retaining your democratic rights, with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.. His latest book, Vultures’ Picnic, is out now.

by Nahp Suicide (image) [Crysta in Pray Hard] Writeboy is Chicago based, and has been a member on SG since 2006. He became a staff photographer in 2010. How did you first get involved with SuicideGirls? I think I found out about SG through a friend. I can’t remember exactly. When I moved to Chicago... more

by Nahp Suicide


[Crysta in Pray Hard]

Writeboy is Chicago based, and has been a member on SG since 2006. He became a staff photographer in 2010.

How did you first get involved with SuicideGirls?

I think I found out about SG through a friend. I can’t remember exactly. When I moved to Chicago a few years ago and didn’t know many people, I met some of my first local friends on here. SG Chicago had a pretty active group at the time.




What's your background photography-wise?

SG was my motivation to get into photography. I’d posted some sketches in the SG Fan Art group and the positive reaction felt great. Then a woman I was seeing asked me to take some photos of her for fun and she liked them. So I kind of got addicted. I bought a Canon Rebel, joined Model Mayhem, and started shooting a lot. I volunteered to assist more experienced photographers and did some tutoring sessions. Some local Hopefuls and SGs offered to shoot with me and I’d go to SG Photographer Hopefuls for feedback on the sets. The great thing about photography to me is that it’s not rocket science. My work improved a lot because of some simple suggestions people offered along the way that made a big difference.





[Shyla in Blue]

What was the first photo you had published?

I don’t know if I’ve had anything published in print yet, but my first homepage set for SG was Blue with Shyla Suicide.

How would you describe your style?

Hopefully it comes across as natural and spontaneous. That there’s a connection between model and viewer.




What gear do you use?

Canon 5D Mark 2 and 24-70mm 2.8 lens mostly. Lately I’ve been experimenting with 50mm and 85mm prime lenses to get sharper images. And an assistant with a reflector 




How important is Photoshop in your final images?

It’s important. A couple months ago I finally woke up and realized I should be following Cherry’s tutorial in the SG Photographer Hopefuls group. It’s always a balance between helping the model look her best while showing her as she is in real life. 




What gives you ideas and inspires you to create such amazing sets?

Looking at other sets of course is big. It also comes from what grabs my attention in someone. Do they have amazing hair, striking eyes, unique tattoos? Are they quiet, wild, intense, playful? It can also come from an article of clothing or the setting itself.





[Crysta in Pray Hard]

What is your favorite image?

I like this one from Bounty’s Pray Hard set [see full NSFW image].

Tell us why it's your fave and how you achieved it?

Bounty just has these amazing big eyes. Also I like that the lighting is soft and her pose is kind of innocent, but there’s something suggestive in her look and the “Hard” tattooed across her knuckles that’s hot in an indirect way.



Is there anybody or anything you would love to photograph that you haven't? (And tell us why)

Tons! It would be cool to shoot with Mary because she’s the original SG to me. As far as newer models, hopeful Spliff_ kind of represents what SG is about for me in that she’s hot in a unique and kind of unconventional way and yet comes across as down to earth and approachable. That’s what I like about lots of the members/models here and what I think makes this site such a unique place.

For more from Writeboy visit his SG profile.

Related Posts:
In Focus: The Photographers of SuicideGirls feat. IvyLlamas
In Focus: The Photographers of SuicideGirls feat. Lavezzarro

Some SuicideGirls have been modeling for the site for 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or even 10 years. We thought it would be fun to show you a look back and some of the SuicideGirls throughout the years. This week we bring you Mary. Mary has been a SuicideGirl since 2001. She was one of the original SuicideGirls. more

Some SuicideGirls have been modeling for the site for 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or even 10 years. We thought it would be fun to show you a look back and some of the SuicideGirls throughout the years.

This week we bring you Mary.


Mary has been a SuicideGirl since 2001. She was one of the original SuicideGirls. Her picture was on the cover of our first book. She is still shooting sets and has almost 30 pinup sets. ENjoy a look at back at the last 10 years with Mary...

From her first set in 2001, Just Mary shot by Missy:





From her 2001 set Sleeping shot by Missy:











From her 2002 set Nine by Missy:





From her 2003 set Sweetness shot by Missy:





From her 2004 set String of Pearls shot by Missy






From her 2005 set Postcard Pinup:






From her 2006 set Hollywood Nights:






From her 2006 set Tide shot in Hawaii by Missy:








From her 2007 set Rollerskates shot by Cymagen:





From her 2008 set Velvet Sex shot by Missy:








From her first and only multi girl set with Roza 2008's Gossip Girls shot by Missy:





From 2009's Waiting All Night shot by Cherry:







From 2010's Sunflares shot by Missy:








Hope you enjoyed the beautiful look back at classic SuicideGirl Mary!

Become a member TODAY for only $4 a month (if you sign up for a year) to see all 29 nude pin-up photo sets of Mary - http://suicidegirls.com/join/

by Spliff_ (SG Hopeful) A column which highlights Suicide Girls and their fave groups. (image) [Spliff_ Suicide in City Sights] This week we chill with Spliff_ Suicide in the SG420 Group. Members: 3,419 / Comments: 83,067 WHY DO YOU LOVE IT?: ?: Besides the normal Hopefuls groups, SG420 was the first... more

by Spliff_ (SG Hopeful)

A column which highlights Suicide Girls and their fave groups.


[Spliff_ Suicide in City Sights]

This week we chill with Spliff_ Suicide in the SG420 Group.

Members: 3,419 / Comments: 83,067

WHY DO YOU LOVE IT?: ?: Besides the normal Hopefuls groups, SG420 was the first group I joined. It's no secret I am more than fond of sweet Mary Jane, but what actually drew me in was the group’s main picture at the time. It was a little pink grinder with the group name "SG420" etched in keif. I happen to have that exact same grinder and use it everyday. Once I joined though I fell in love with the members, and absolutely hilarious threads. I also really enjoyed the music that people have shared, and special recipes I've discovered.

DISCUSSION TIP: Smoke something before entering and it makes everything 10X better. Don't be afraid to be a total goofball stoner in this group.

BEST RANDOM QUOTE: My friend just broke the bong...Not sure how to handle this."

MOST HEATED DISCUSSION THREAD: The NEW "I'm Stoned" thread - just 'cause it's for those who've recently struck a match.

WHO’S WELCOME TO JOIN?: Any jokers, smokers, or midnight tokers. But really anyone who is a lover or supporter of marijuana, and anyone who is looking for a good laugh.


***
Related Posts:

SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Jeckyl on SG Lounge
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Glitch on Robot Love
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Katherine on Aerial Dance
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Tarion on Zombie Hunters
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Rachelle on All Boobs Great And Small
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Oogie on Fan Art
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Jensen on Online Dating
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Gallows on Pen Pals
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Satya on Hip-Hop
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Tovi on Veggie


SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Aadie on Suicide Boys
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Haydin on Ballet
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy – Psyche on Slut Pride
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy – Thistle on Yuppie Scum
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy – Eden on Tattoo
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy – Damsel on Dreadlocks


SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Chrysis on Itty Bitty Titty Committee


SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Otoki on Feminists
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Zephyr on Doctor Who
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Ryker on Harry Potter
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Bradley on The Kitchen
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Apple on All Your Base Are Belong To Us
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Setsuka on Ass Appreciation
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Noir on The Kitchen
SuicideGirls’ Group Therapy - Exning on Body Mods
SuicideGirls’ Group Therapy - Ceres on Girls Only
SuicideGirls’ Group Therapy - Frolic on Celeb Worship
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Cheri on Skateboarders
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Noir on SG Military
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Exning on Weight Loss
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Aadie on Cute Overload
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Eevie, Luffy, and Praesepe on SG420
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - All on Urban Art
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Clio on Hardcore Music
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Epiic on Hirsute
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Tarion on Atheists
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Rambo on Photography
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Thistle on Vamos Gigantes

First post of 2012! First things first, Portland. Man I love that city. There's just something about it that reinvigorates every aspect of me, I'm not sure if it's the fresh air or just how the city is, but it sure beats San Jose in every way possible.. Highlights of the trip include.... more

First post of 2012!

First things first, Portland.

Man I love that city. There's just something about it that reinvigorates every aspect of me, I'm not sure if it's the fresh air or just how the city is, but it sure beats San Jose in every way possible..

Highlights of the trip include....


Powell's


Bengal Cats


Ground Kontrol


Bridges



I know you don't want to see my vacation photos.. .what you guys REALLY want to see is some new sets, I'm pleased to say that yes, of course those were done too...

First up you'll probably see Ajilee in Winter's Light


I got a new Persephone set coming as well


Selene


Roza


ANNNND
Silencia


SO yeah be on the lookout for those coming up this year!

I am please to announce that I'm SUPER excited to be shooting this year, as i have a BRAND NEW CAMERA to kick it off.. I finally ponied up and got a Canon 5dm2, which is FULL FRAME which means there's a whole lot more information in my photos which gives portraits especially a much better feel....

I had been using the Canon 7d for the last year, and while it is a great camera, it is suited for other things a lot better than portraits...
7d = Green Frame
5d = Black Frame


I recently realized that no matter how much I shot with the 7d the pictures didn't feel 'right' to me and I never felt comfortable using it and looking back at my past sets, some of my best ones were shot with my original 5d... SO yeah, Lyxzen was interested in it so whilst in Portland, I sold it to her, and received my 5dm2 in the mail when I got home!

So yeah after this last trip..... I think it is time to migrate north on a permanent status... I'm hoping to move up there in the summer before a friend's wedding up there.... there's tons of beautiful girls up there that would make excellent editions to the site, but no one to really shoot them... also I'd like to spend some more time with a certain girl who takes her name from a certain thieving bird.

SF SHOOT FEST IS COMING UP IN APRIL!!!

Damsel is going to make a trek from Ohio to attend and she's been on my shootlist forever! I think she'll be the first Dreaded girl i'm going to shoot for SG, so that's pretty exciting!

to all the girls that have written me, I'm still trying to figure out my schedule.. I know i have 2 slots confirmed already as for the other 2, I'm still trying to figure that out... Also there might be 2 pickup sets that I do which will be decided on the day of the shootfest... but for more details there is a thread in the SG NETWORK group and also the SG lounge so if you're not aware of the shootfest, then maybe you should be!

Saint is hosting it in this killer location and i'm excited to break it in for shooting in the next few weeks or so!

anyway, this year is starting off to a great start!! but then again they always do...

oh girls, just a little tip from your friendly photographer..
PLEASE DO NOT GIVE YOURSELF BANGS 10 minutes before the shoot! you' be surprised how much this has happened to me, and somehow bangs become quite the preoccupation when shooting because they're not used to it. Thanks!

by Nahp Suicide (image) [Crysta in Pray Hard] Writeboy is Chicago based, and has been a member on SG since 2006. He became a staff photographer in 2010. How did you first get involved with SuicideGirls? I think I found out about SG through a friend. I can’t remember exactly. When I moved to Chicago... more

by Nahp Suicide


[Crysta in Pray Hard]

Writeboy is Chicago based, and has been a member on SG since 2006. He became a staff photographer in 2010.

How did you first get involved with SuicideGirls?

I think I found out about SG through a friend. I can’t remember exactly. When I moved to Chicago a few years ago and didn’t know many people, I met some of my first local friends on here. SG Chicago had a pretty active group at the time.




What's your background photography-wise?

SG was my motivation to get into photography. I’d posted some sketches in the SG Fan Art group and the positive reaction felt great. Then a woman I was seeing asked me to take some photos of her for fun and she liked them. So I kind of got addicted. I bought a Canon Rebel, joined Model Mayhem, and started shooting a lot. I volunteered to assist more experienced photographers and did some tutoring sessions. Some local Hopefuls and SGs offered to shoot with me and I’d go to SG Photographer Hopefuls for feedback on the sets. The great thing about photography to me is that it’s not rocket science. My work improved a lot because of some simple suggestions people offered along the way that made a big difference.





[Shyla in Blue]

What was the first photo you had published?

I don’t know if I’ve had anything published in print yet, but my first homepage set for SG was Blue with Shyla Suicide.

How would you describe your style?

Hopefully it comes across as natural and spontaneous. That there’s a connection between model and viewer.




What gear do you use?

Canon 5D Mark 2 and 24-70mm 2.8 lens mostly. Lately I’ve been experimenting with 50mm and 85mm prime lenses to get sharper images. And an assistant with a reflector 




How important is Photoshop in your final images?

It’s important. A couple months ago I finally woke up and realized I should be following Cherry’s tutorial in the SG Photographer Hopefuls group. It’s always a balance between helping the model look her best while showing her as she is in real life. 




What gives you ideas and inspires you to create such amazing sets?

Looking at other sets of course is big. It also comes from what grabs my attention in someone. Do they have amazing hair, striking eyes, unique tattoos? Are they quiet, wild, intense, playful? It can also come from an article of clothing or the setting itself.





[Crysta in Pray Hard]

What is your favorite image?

I like this one from Bounty’s Pray Hard set [see full NSFW image].

Tell us why it's your fave and how you achieved it?

Bounty just has these amazing big eyes. Also I like that the lighting is soft and her pose is kind of innocent, but there’s something suggestive in her look and the “Hard” tattooed across her knuckles that’s hot in an indirect way.



Is there anybody or anything you would love to photograph that you haven't? (And tell us why)

Tons! It would be cool to shoot with Mary because she’s the original SG to me. As far as newer models, hopeful Spliff_ kind of represents what SG is about for me in that she’s hot in a unique and kind of unconventional way and yet comes across as down to earth and approachable. That’s what I like about lots of the members/models here and what I think makes this site such a unique place.

For more from Writeboy visit his SG profile.

Related Posts:
In Focus: The Photographers of SuicideGirls feat. IvyLlamas
In Focus: The Photographers of SuicideGirls feat. Lavezzarro

Who else needs a new set? Hasn't had one up in a while? [show us pictures to prove it] First off, I think I need to see Leola quite soon (image) (image) And, I'm sorry, but this picture of her butt is just hot! (image) [Edited on Mar 15, 2006 by Fatality] more

Who else needs a new set? Hasn't had one up in a while? [show us pictures to prove it]

First off, I think I need to see Leola quite soon





And, I'm sorry, but this picture of her butt is just hot!




[Edited on Mar 15, 2006 by Fatality]

by SG's Team Agony feat. Perdita Let us answer life's questions - because great advice is even better when it comes from SuicideGirls. (image) [Perdita in Eames] Q. I'm a 24 year old male, dating a woman who I am crazy in love with. We had dated before many years ago and I bailed on her. more

by SG's Team Agony feat. Perdita

Let us answer life's questions - because great advice is even better when it comes from SuicideGirls.


[Perdita in Eames]

Q. I'm a 24 year old male, dating a woman who I am crazy in love with. We had dated before many years ago and I bailed on her. I had this habit of running away when I started to feel for people. Shocker, I'm sure, for the male community. Anyway, I kind of popped back into her life and we are dating again. None of the feelings seemed to go anywhere, and we fell back into a good rhythm.

Since we have been back together though, I am finding it difficult to have sex with her. I don't want to say that I was a slut or anything (though it may very well be true), but I have been young before, and have not met many women, even much older women, that I consider my sexual equal. I mean that in terms of new experiences and things tried. With her, I am actually intimidated. She hasn't been with that many men, but she has this aura of maturity and a complete willingness to try anything with me. She wants to be highly sexually active, and I am still handling some things my last big ex managed to convince me of when we split.

This is technically two questions, so I will try to split it the best I can. How can I work around my intimidation issues with my current girlfriend? And how do I feel like sex isn't a weapon that women are waiting to use against me? When things were going very well with me and my ex, she still wielded it against me, and I got so used to it that now that I am in a HEALTHY relationship it almost feels wrong that it isn't. This is kind of a lot to digest. I just wanted to give you as much data as possible.

Thanks!

A: Well I can tell you right now: SEX ISN’T A WEAPON THAT WOMEN ARE WAITING TO USE AGAINST YOU. Seriously, sex is one of the more fun experiences in life, and you are depriving yourself and your lady of it. Don’t get me wrong, I completely understand your hang-ups; when trust is compromised, it’s difficult to teach yourself to trust again.

One thing you definitely need to do is keep reminding yourself that your girlfriend is nothing like your ex and that she is totally fantastic. Not that you really need to be reminded of her greatness but it can’t hurt, so I say go for it. But keep reminding yourself that it’s a different situation, but it’s also a good situation and you are much happier this time around.

I also recommend having some heart-to-heart discussions about this with your girlfriend. She might be misunderstanding your distant attitude and taking it as a lack of interest, but you need to open up to her, explain what’s going on and let her know you still care. She may be just as concerned and want to help you get through this, but nothing will happen if you don’t talk about it.

It’s totally cool if you don’t want to jump headfirst into the sexy times pool, taking it slow has some great advantages: it helps build trust and intimacy, and it creates a little sexual tension too. All of those things are key to developing a great relationship; so let the cuddles/makeouts/whatever you’re comfortable with begin!

So let’s review: have some serious discussion time with your girlfriend about what you’re dealing with, take it slow physically, and ultimately don’t stress out over it. Sex is supposed to be fun, enjoy it!

Perdita

***

Got Problems? Let SuicideGirls’ team of Agony Aunts provide solutions. Email questions to: gotproblems@suicidegirls.com

by Darrah de jour (image) Lux Alptraum is the 29-year old editor of pop culture giant Gawker Media's sister site Fleshbot -- the web's North Star of sexuality and adult entertainment. It garners 1 million uniques a month. Given that Fleshbot is edited by a woman, there's a delectable juxtaposition... more

by Darrah de jour



Lux Alptraum is the 29-year old editor of pop culture giant Gawker Media's sister site Fleshbot -- the web's North Star of sexuality and adult entertainment. It garners 1 million uniques a month. Given that Fleshbot is edited by a woman, there's a delectable juxtaposition of raucous imagery meets female-approved editorial. So when Alptraum says, of porn star Sarah Vandella, "[She] is so sweet and sassy that you just want to c*** all over her face," there's a simultaneous squirm and awe that goes on as a woman. Did a chick just say that about another chick? Yup, folks, she did. So, in an era where prostitutes have publicists, and football stars do PSA’s about a woman’s right to choose, we couldn't help but wonder: is Lux just a pliable paper femme molded by the boy's club she inhabits? Or, is she our new Linda Carter? Let's get down and dirty with this Lower East Side babe and find out!

Darrah de jour: You won my heart with those doe eyes when I read 21 Questions With...in New York magazine. Plus, you like Hello Kitty. I'm in love already. What is the compliment that you receive most often from men?

Lux Alptraum: I don’t know! I’m apparently really good in bed.

Ddj: So, you're a 20-something successful single living in NYC. What's different about your experience versus Carrie Bradshaw's in Sex and the City?

LA: [Laughs.] My apartment is a lot more expensive than hers is. I write more than one column a week. I don’t have anywhere near as many shoes as she does. And I live on the Lower East Side, not Uptown. I think I dress better, too. I’ve always felt more like a Samantha, as trite as that is to compare yourself to a character on Sex and the City, but I think Carrie is driven to find something serious, whereas Samantha is just looking to find something that works.

Ddj: Back in 2007, you began your blog Boinkology -- the convergence of culture and sex from your unique P.O.V. You attained a great following from that. Did Gawker discover your blog and then reign you in to be editor of Fleshbot?

LA: Kind of. I showed off my writing on Boinkology, which is kind of how Gawker found me. But it was also through friends that worked there and they connected me. When they needed a fill-in, they called me in and then they kept me on.

Ddj: Did you have any hesitance before stepping on board, because of the graphic nature of what you’d be looking at each day?

LA: No. I’ve always been in adult content prior to this.

Ddj: You host the Fleshbot Awards. Tell me about that?

LA: The Fleshbot Awards are the only awards show for sexy pop culture. We’ve done it twice now and they’ve been a success each time. The awards break down into two categories: we have culture awards where we award things like sexiest movie, sexiest fashion, sexiest TV show, sexiest art. We’ve had everyone from Alan Cumming to Molly Crabapple in the culture awards. We also recognize crossover stars. Last year’s mainstream to porn one was Levi Johnston and porn to mainstream was Sasha Grey. This year, Chyna, who went from being a wrestler to being a Vivid movie star was our mainstream to porn crossover and Joanna Angel was our porn to mainstream. The award show is about recognizing people who are doing really awesome sexy stuff that promotes positive ideas about sexuality, celebrates the human body, celebrates sex. We also have really awesome performances. It’s about celebrating everybody - trans people, gay people, straight people, of all different backgrounds. It’s a one of a kind event.

Ddj: I read somewhere that you used to be a roller-derby girl. Tell me about that?

LA: I was. For three and a half years. I got involved with Gotham Girls in 2004 when they were just starting out. I didn’t know how to skate, I learned to skate to play roller derby. It was interesting too, because when I joined it was really rough and tumble and loose, and roller derby itself was very punk rock. It’s still punk rock but back then people were still figuring out what the sport was going to be. It’s gotten dramatically more athletic and more professionalized. People got rid of the silly costumes and...train hard and take it really seriously -- which I think is awesome. What started off as this ‘let’s get drunk and hit each other’ type thing has become a serious sport.

Ddj: Riot Grrrl turns Lilith Fair?

LA: Yeah, yeah. More like being a garage band to getting really, really serious about your music.

Ddj: What was the name of your team?

LA: Queens of Pain.

Ddj: You wrote an amusing yet very useful guide to casual sex called, Booty Call Like A Boss. I consider it the Thomas Guide of booty calls, meets Emily Post, ahem. What is the most common and fatal mistake made by men and women when trying to ascertain a F.W.B. type relationship?

LA: Not being upfront and communicating what you want. And that’s not just about casual sex, that’s with all sorts of relationships. But, I think a lot of times, people are too scared to say what they want because ‘what if I say that and it’s not what the other person wants?’ Or they are not sure what they want or they’re worried about offending the other person. So they keep going and hoping it will work out the way they want. I’m guilty of that too. On the flip side, let’s say you want to be in a relationship and you don’t communicate that because the person has explicitly said they don’t want that and you keep going hoping it will turn into something else. Having ridiculous expectations and not communicating. You can’t hold regret. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with casual sex obviously, but there’s something wrong with having casual sex when that’s not what you really want. It’s just damaging and you’re doing yourself a disservice and setting yourself up to fail by entering into a situation where you want something completely different than what you’re communicating you want. It’s entirely possible that the person will end up being your boyfriend or girlfriend, but it’s entirely possible they won’t. I want to go on the record as saying that serious relationships can come out of casual sex. You can have sex on the first date and end up marrying them. I’m not trying to slut shame.

Ddj: In 2011, Slate published an article called "Sex is cheap: Why young men have the upper hand in bed, even when they're failing in life." This bold piece, written by a man, asserts that partly because of porn, "the market 'price' of sex is currently very low....Porn gives men additional sexual options — more supply for his elevated demand — it takes some measure of price control away from women." What do you think about the so-called price of sex? Do women really have less power because men have more access to porn now?

LA: There are so many things that baffle me there. Number one, I don’t know why anybody would watch porn rather than have sex. The whole “price of sex” thing bothers me because it bothers me to see women set up as gatekeepers. I often feel like, in my relationships, the dudes are the gatekeepers. I have a way higher sex drive than any guy I’ve ever dated. It’s weird, this idea of women using sex to get security or stability or a relationship. Other than for reproduction, I don’t think people should use sex to achieve some larger goal. Even the idea of premarital sex. It’s only premarital sex if you intend on getting married.

Ddj: You wrote a story about Deep Throat star Linda Lovelace for The Atlantic recently. You make a comparison between Lovelace and porn star-turned-actress Sasha Grey. What do you see as the bind between the two ex-adult performers?

LA: Grey’s not been particularly enthusiastic about the adult industry since she started focusing more heavily on her mainstream career. She’s not involved with any adult industry stuff and I feel like she’s gone on the record as saying she wants to get away from porn. She’s not the adult industry boost that once she was.

Ddj: Is there a general distaste for Grey in the adult industry?

LA: I can’t speak to what other people feel, but she went on the record numerous times saying that she wasn’t going to be like Jenna Jameson and she wasn’t trying to get out of the industry and that she loves her work and then she pretty much turned her back on it. She comes across as a bit of a hypocrite.

Ddj: Two Lovelace biopics are underway, one with Amanda Seyfried and one with Lindsay Lohan's replacement, Malin Akerman. If you had the casting powers, who would you net to play her?

LA: I think Amanda Seyfried is pretty good. I’m curious to see what happens.

Ddj: Do you consider yourself a feminist?

LA: Yeah, of course, absolutely. I think feminism is a philosophy based on the idea that gender should not be the primary consideration when you are dealing with a person.

Ddj: What's your favorite dive bar in NYC?

LA: The Double Down Saloon on Avenue A.

Ddj: What's the best spot to meet single men in a busy city?

LA: The Internet.

Ddj: I saw some of your food posts on Facebook. Are you veggie?

LA: I’ve been vegetarian for 22 1/2 years.

Ddj: Before we go into Flash Five, I want to get your opinion on something. We have an ongoing debate on SG Radio about texting versus calling. What would you rather get from a suitor, a text or call?

LA: A text. I don’t remember the last time I talked on the phone with somebody I was casually involved with.



Flash Five:

Ddj: Favorite Comic Book?

LA: A Child’s Life by Phoebe Gloeckner

Ddj: Vice?

LA: Sex

Ddj: Favorite place?

LA: My bed

Ddj: Any Regrets?

LA: I try not to regret things. I try to learn from them.

Ddj: Best Advice you’ve ever received and from who?

LA: I was very sad because my ex was moving away and I said, “You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” And he turned to me and said “You are the best thing that’s ever happened to you.” Not sure if that’s advice, but they’re good words to live by.

Ddj: You’re your own hero.

LA: Yes.

***
Post-feminist sex and sensuality expert Darrah de jour is a freelance journalist who lives in LA with her dog Oscar Wilde. Her writing has appeared in Marie Claire, Esquire and W. In her Red, White and Femme: Strapped With A Brain - And A Vagina columns for SuicideGirls, Darrah will be taking a fresh look at females in America. Hear her being interviewed about female sexuality on the WingGirlMethod.com, visit her blog at Darrahdejour.com/srblog, and find her on Facebook.



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