“I call it a movement cause things really are changing.” – Drew DeVeaux

Shine Louise Houston’s new special feature from Pink & White Productions is a soft-core CrashPad spin-off episode bringing together power players Drew DeVeaux (Dale), Andre Shakti (Sharron), Ex Libris (Terry), and Nikki Darling (Lolo). Remember that one person from high school… so hot EVERYONE wanted to fuck them, but no one dare try? For these four friends that person was Samantha (a cameo by Dylan Ryan), and as they get high and spin vinyl, one of them claims to remember her just a bit better than the others. Terry lifts the narrative needle, but are they just looking to repeat a past track, or get into a new groove?

We interviewed PUT the NEEDLE on the RECORD star Drew DeVeaux for a look behind the scenes at this unique special feature.

Drew DeVeaux! It’s been FOREVER since you’ve shot with Pink & White Productions. What have you been up to? What was it like to shoot with us again after so much time away?

I guess it has been awhile! I feel like I see Shine and Pink & White peeps every time I come to the Bay Area but it’s been way too long since I got to shoot for CrashPad. I actually scaled back quite a bit the amount of shoots that I was doing. I shot a couple of summers ago for a mainstream company (SweetHeart Video) and Shine was on set behind the scenes doing a documentary piece contrasting feminist porn and mainstream porn. I would love to see that footage one day. I also did a shoot for a project that I was super excited to be a part of: Doing it Again, a follow-up to Doing it Ourselves which, as some folks may know, was my very first scene I ever did.

What have I been up to, outside of nooky for the camera? Well, I did a nursing degree and am working as a nurse now. I also caused a minor global shitstorm when I coined the term the ‘cotton ceiling’ which I used to illuminate the limitations of inclusion for particular groups, including trans people, disabled folks, fat folks. It really considers how our individual spheres of desire are circumscribed, that we’re trained to think that particular people are icky or ‘undateable/unfuckable’ in some way.

What was it like being back? Well, I was really, like really elated to be offered a position in this special edition of CrashPadSeries. I’ve had the opportunity to shoot a couple of non-sexy movies over the past couple of years (including one that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, “Candy” by Cassandra Cronenberg) and I love any and all opportunities to push my own boundaries in relation to performance, including acting!

I always say I’m so much more comfortable naked than having to talk with clothes on, but I’m trying to become more comfortable keeping my clothes on. It’s a work in progress. 🙂
 

 
How did this special shoot compare to your past experiences with us? How was the process of filming sex different?

Wow. Well, first off, I was really stoked to have this chance to work with Shine. It was great to have a script, to have some direction around what was gonna happen and when, and to hear about all the exciting set construction and lighting design that went into the production of this piece! Seriously, you guys did a lot of work behind the scenes, really I just spent a lot of time on my back. Which brings me to my other point. Contrasting with the other two (I can’t believe it’s only been two) scenes I did for CrashPad that were wholly unscripted from what we did, when, and where (I think I remember getting fucked by Dylan Ryan on a dresser once), this was a whole different beast of a scene.

I’m really curious how the sexin’ actually looks?! While I was being gorgeously fucked by my gorgeous scene partner Andre Shakti, I don’t know how much of that others are gonna see. I know that the cameras were focused mostly on my face and my facial expressions and so I was trying to communicate how great I felt through what little part of me I was able to show on camera. The other thing that, in retrospect, I probably should have done better is be a little quieter. Cause knowing the plot line of the movie, I’m suppose to be being fucked all clandestinely. I don’t know how clandestine I really was — I both got a carried away with how great it was but also felt like it was gonna be so understated if I didn’t at least vocalize my orgasms (yes, plural) to a certain point. [Editor’s note: Movie magic!]

Anyhow, while it was relatively simple and not physically demanding, it was a challenge in a different way in having not a lot of raw material to work with given the narrative of the scene. But I think it’s really exciting to be involved in telling (and living out) these stories. Cause when you think about it this is a type of sex that happens (clandestine, public sex at a party, y’know?) and, well, the exhibitionist at me did feel at home.
 

 
Pink & White’s award-winning film OCCUPIED was based upon a story that you created (and unfortunately couldn’t shoot with us), so we’re glad you were able to work with us on PUT the NEEDLE on the RECORD. What did you think of the script?

Oooh. The script. Well, I thought it was really original and simple. I think it nicely blends erotica and porn in a fun way cause it really reads like a short sweet erotic narrative. Also, there’s a funny story there with the script. Andre and I decided that this may represent an ‘origin story’ of sorts for CrashPad. Cause when you watch this scene you realize that, well, it would be really nice if there was a place that we could go fuck at times like this.

Really, the CrashPad should fucking exist somewhere. Anyone up for doing a “Real CrashPadSeries” someday?! 😉

I was really bummed I couldn’t get out and be a part of the OCCUPIED shoot. I’m humbled and ecstatic all at once at the fact that Shine and Pink & White ran with my idea and that it received the accolades that it did. I’m really happy for everyone involved.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Well, if I haven’t made it plainly obvious, I think that we need to give Shine Louise Houston their due when it comes to pushing the envelope of feminist and queer porn.

CrashPad has been running for awhile and has featured really diverse casts (I know I know Shine was one of the first directors to cast trans women pretty regularly in their work, for example). But beyond that, Shine’s other work has really singularly re-defined what notions of ‘queer sex’ look like — and that’s really exciting. Shine is such a great director to work with and I really appreciate and encourage them pursuing their creative vision and putting together different projects like this cause I think that the world will eat it up.

Beyond that little love-in for SLH though, I’m just really excited by how the little world of feminist porn isn’t so little anymore. There’s more people in more cities making more work all the time. I love how the work that I’ve done has inspired countless trans women to shoot porn that they want to be a part of and, beyond that, it’s had a really positive impact on trans visibility and sexuality. I’m proud of the work that I’ve accomplished and to be a part of this movement — I call it a movement cause things really are changing — at this exciting time.

Watch PUT the NEEDLE on the RECORD on PinkLabel.tv.