GayVN Awards: A Closer Look Part 2
Here in our next installment of our look at the GayVN Awards nominations we take a look the artistic and technical awards. These may not seem glamorous and exciting to you and it's likely you don't pay much attention to these kind of details. However, it's unlikely that your favorite flicks would even be nominated, nor would they look or sound as good without the work of those nominated here:
Best Cinematography. As it is with mainstream films, the way a film is shot is one of the most important facets of a production. In adult films the task is a little harder because cinematography can't overpower the hardcore action--it turns into a boner-killer. Lighting,color, making sure the guys look good from every angle can make a cinematographer's job very difficult...and under appreciated by the viewer.
Here's a recap of the nominations:
Dennis Bell – Rio - AMG Brasil
Kristen Bjorn - Skin Deep - Kristen Bjorn
Jett Blakk – Endgame - Dirty Bird Pictures
Richard Board - Verboten 1 & 2 - Hot House Entertainment
Ross Cannon - Hung Country for Young Men - Jet Set Men
Ross Cannon - The Porne Ultimatum - Dirty Bird Pictureship - Daniels and Ron Hammil - Young Guns - Centaur
George Duroy – Lemonade - Bel Ami
Leif Gobo - Blue Movie - Falcon
Doug Knight - A Boy's Dream - Hyde Park Productions
Todd Montgomery - Paradise Found - COLT Studio Group
Mr. Pam - Return to Fire Island - Lucas Entertainment
Mr. Pam - Sex Hiker - Black Scorpion
Leonardo Rossi - Italians and Other Strangers - Lucas Kazan Productions
Chris Ward, Ben Leon and Tony Dimarco - To the Last Man - Raging Stallion
Paul Wilde and Jeff Slurry – Breakers - Titan Media
All of these are pretty stunning but we have our favorites. Jett Blakk wrote, edited, and directed the moody and elegant Endgame so he was able to realize his vision by doing his own photography. Mr. Pam can make the average look exotic and the exotic seem approachable. Leif Gobo managed to recapture the feel of early porn but kept it subtle. Chris Ward, Ben Leon and Tony Dimarco may have all done different scenes but surprisingly their finished film was very cohesive. Not only that but there are visual moments that may leave you breathless. If To The Last Man is the runaway train it's expected to be this year, the photography will be a prime reason.
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Best Art Direction
Beyond Malibu - Ridgeline Films
Blue Movie - Falcon
A Boy's Dream - Hyde Park Productions
Carnaval - AMG Brasil
Funhouse - Titan Media
Italians and Other Strangers - Lucas Kazan
Jock Itch - Screaming Eagle XXX
Million Dollar Boy - Spritzz
Paging Dr. Finger - Hot House
The Porne Ultimatum - Dirty Bird Pictures
Return to Fire Island - Lucas Entertainment
Skin Deep - Kristen Bjorn
Stark Naked - Hot House
To the Last Man - Raging Stallion
The Twink Whisperer - PZP Productions
Again, without the work here a film would look cheap. Good set design and dressing can transport the viewer into the fantasy and forget it IS a set. Good set design also helps the actors and performers greatly by providing a impetus for fantasization. The ones we think succeeded the most here were Blue Movie, Funhouse, Paging Dr Finger, and To The Last Man. Stark Naked gets special mention for a set that worked beautifully with its sheer simplicity. All our faves here deserve to win, but Funhouse may pull out the prize.
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Best Editing
Afterparty - Falcon
Betrayed - FPG Entertainment
Blue Movie - Falcon
Breakers - Titan Media
Excess - Rascal
House of Leather - Backroom Films
Hung Country for Young Men - Jet Set Men
Italians and Other Strangers - Lucas Kazan
Paging Dr. Finger - Hot House Entertainment
Paradise Found - COLT Studio Group
The Porne Ultimatum - Dirty Bird Pictures
Return to Fire Island - Lucas Entertainment
Skin Deep - Kristen Bjorn
To the Last Man - Raging Stallion
Young Guns - Centaur
Another difficult category to decide. Editing an involved story and sex scenes together, while keeping the drama going smoothly is an achievement worth noting. The Porne Ultimatum, Hung Country For Young Men, Paging Dr Finger and To The Last Man were our picks here. TTLM was probably the most difficult to edit so we predict this one will win.
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Best Music
DameGoodz - Return to Fire Island - Lucas Entertainment
JD Slater/Nekked - To the Last Man - Raging Stallion
Rock Hard - Verboten 1 & 2 - Hot House Entertainment
Byron Hightower - Grind Vol. 1 - Forbidden Funk
Joe Wilson – Slide - Jet Set Men
Honestly we are often annoyed with many musical selections in movies because they can often be obtrusive. We prefer it to be a mood-setting device. JD Slater & Nekked did just that in TTLM with music that evoked the classic western. Sure, it borrows a bit more than it should but it succeeds.
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Decision making for these two awards should be best left up to the insiders. However we can make a call based on what was memorable to us. The packaging of Sex Hiker stands out because it's simple and memorable and makes the movie look like an indie mainstream film. As for marketing, we have to give it to Titan for the way it ties ALL it's "Folsom" flicks into related festivals and events.
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Best DVD Extras
Breakers - Titan Media
Cuma Sutra - Black Scorpion
Jock Itch - Screaming Eagle XXX
Longhorn Roundup - Diamond Pictures
Return to Fire Island - Lucas Entertainment
Ringleader - Active Duty
Sex Hiker - Black Scorpion
To the Last Man - Raging Stallion
Film buffs love this stuff but it's rarely sexy. It can be fascinating as long as it's not too self-congratulatory and it can be enjoyable if it people involved don't take the whole filmmaking procedure too seriously. Jock Itch and Ringleader both did this very well.
Next up we get into the creative side of the awards and hardest ones to be objective about.
Best Cinematography. As it is with mainstream films, the way a film is shot is one of the most important facets of a production. In adult films the task is a little harder because cinematography can't overpower the hardcore action--it turns into a boner-killer. Lighting,color, making sure the guys look good from every angle can make a cinematographer's job very difficult...and under appreciated by the viewer.
Here's a recap of the nominations:
Dennis Bell – Rio - AMG Brasil
Kristen Bjorn - Skin Deep - Kristen Bjorn
Jett Blakk – Endgame - Dirty Bird Pictures
Richard Board - Verboten 1 & 2 - Hot House Entertainment
Ross Cannon - Hung Country for Young Men - Jet Set Men
Ross Cannon - The Porne Ultimatum - Dirty Bird Pictureship - Daniels and Ron Hammil - Young Guns - Centaur
George Duroy – Lemonade - Bel Ami
Leif Gobo - Blue Movie - Falcon
Doug Knight - A Boy's Dream - Hyde Park Productions
Todd Montgomery - Paradise Found - COLT Studio Group
Mr. Pam - Return to Fire Island - Lucas Entertainment
Mr. Pam - Sex Hiker - Black Scorpion
Leonardo Rossi - Italians and Other Strangers - Lucas Kazan Productions
Chris Ward, Ben Leon and Tony Dimarco - To the Last Man - Raging Stallion
Paul Wilde and Jeff Slurry – Breakers - Titan Media
All of these are pretty stunning but we have our favorites. Jett Blakk wrote, edited, and directed the moody and elegant Endgame so he was able to realize his vision by doing his own photography. Mr. Pam can make the average look exotic and the exotic seem approachable. Leif Gobo managed to recapture the feel of early porn but kept it subtle. Chris Ward, Ben Leon and Tony Dimarco may have all done different scenes but surprisingly their finished film was very cohesive. Not only that but there are visual moments that may leave you breathless. If To The Last Man is the runaway train it's expected to be this year, the photography will be a prime reason.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Best Art Direction
Beyond Malibu - Ridgeline Films
Blue Movie - Falcon
A Boy's Dream - Hyde Park Productions
Carnaval - AMG Brasil
Funhouse - Titan Media
Italians and Other Strangers - Lucas Kazan
Jock Itch - Screaming Eagle XXX
Million Dollar Boy - Spritzz
Paging Dr. Finger - Hot House
The Porne Ultimatum - Dirty Bird Pictures
Return to Fire Island - Lucas Entertainment
Skin Deep - Kristen Bjorn
Stark Naked - Hot House
To the Last Man - Raging Stallion
The Twink Whisperer - PZP Productions
Again, without the work here a film would look cheap. Good set design and dressing can transport the viewer into the fantasy and forget it IS a set. Good set design also helps the actors and performers greatly by providing a impetus for fantasization. The ones we think succeeded the most here were Blue Movie, Funhouse, Paging Dr Finger, and To The Last Man. Stark Naked gets special mention for a set that worked beautifully with its sheer simplicity. All our faves here deserve to win, but Funhouse may pull out the prize.
----------------------------------------
Best Editing
Afterparty - Falcon
Betrayed - FPG Entertainment
Blue Movie - Falcon
Breakers - Titan Media
Excess - Rascal
House of Leather - Backroom Films
Hung Country for Young Men - Jet Set Men
Italians and Other Strangers - Lucas Kazan
Paging Dr. Finger - Hot House Entertainment
Paradise Found - COLT Studio Group
The Porne Ultimatum - Dirty Bird Pictures
Return to Fire Island - Lucas Entertainment
Skin Deep - Kristen Bjorn
To the Last Man - Raging Stallion
Young Guns - Centaur
Another difficult category to decide. Editing an involved story and sex scenes together, while keeping the drama going smoothly is an achievement worth noting. The Porne Ultimatum, Hung Country For Young Men, Paging Dr Finger and To The Last Man were our picks here. TTLM was probably the most difficult to edit so we predict this one will win.
----------------------------------------
Best Music
DameGoodz - Return to Fire Island - Lucas Entertainment
JD Slater/Nekked - To the Last Man - Raging Stallion
Rock Hard - Verboten 1 & 2 - Hot House Entertainment
Byron Hightower - Grind Vol. 1 - Forbidden Funk
Joe Wilson – Slide - Jet Set Men
Honestly we are often annoyed with many musical selections in movies because they can often be obtrusive. We prefer it to be a mood-setting device. JD Slater & Nekked did just that in TTLM with music that evoked the classic western. Sure, it borrows a bit more than it should but it succeeds.
----------------------------------------------------------
| Best Packaging Breakers - Titan Media Cuma Sutra - Black Scorpion Fan Base - Pacific Sun Fleet Week - Falcon House of Leather - Backroom Films Jack Radcliffe Box Sex - Butch Bear Jock Itch 1 & 2 - Screaming Eagle XXX Return to Fire Island - Lucas Entertainment Sex Hiker - Black Scorpion Suruba: Azul - AMG Brasil Tap Out - Butch Bear To the Last Man - Raging Stallion Verboten 1 & 2 - Hot House Entertainment |
Best Marketing Breakers - Titan Media Carnaval - AMG Brasil Excess - Rascal Folsom Undercover - Titan Media Jock Tease - Jet Set Men Return to Fire Island - Lucas Entertainment South Beach Diaries - ASG Entertainment To the Last Man - Raging Stallion |
Decision making for these two awards should be best left up to the insiders. However we can make a call based on what was memorable to us. The packaging of Sex Hiker stands out because it's simple and memorable and makes the movie look like an indie mainstream film. As for marketing, we have to give it to Titan for the way it ties ALL it's "Folsom" flicks into related festivals and events.
--------------------------------------------------
Best DVD Extras
Breakers - Titan Media
Cuma Sutra - Black Scorpion
Jock Itch - Screaming Eagle XXX
Longhorn Roundup - Diamond Pictures
Return to Fire Island - Lucas Entertainment
Ringleader - Active Duty
Sex Hiker - Black Scorpion
To the Last Man - Raging Stallion
Film buffs love this stuff but it's rarely sexy. It can be fascinating as long as it's not too self-congratulatory and it can be enjoyable if it people involved don't take the whole filmmaking procedure too seriously. Jock Itch and Ringleader both did this very well.
Next up we get into the creative side of the awards and hardest ones to be objective about.
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