Jessica Jasmin Talks Directing Great Gay Porn & Her Journey in the Industry

Just as the gay porn industry is made up of many different men on screen, it is also made up of even more different men and women behind the camera. A ringing star in the world of directing over the last few years is Jessica Jasmin. Jessica's edgy work for such major studios as Disruptive Films and Next Door Studios has really helped the industry continue to thrive through these changing times. She joined us for an interview.

What is the latest with director Jessica Jasmin?

Currently working on an animated series for ASGmax, while also prepping for next year’s big feature, and thinking of a couple more scenes. I plan to direct more scenes in 2024!

What first brought you to the world of filmmaking?

My passion for filmmaking has been a driving key throughout my professional journey. At university, I studied film with a focus on art direction. I was involved in the production of numerous independent films and ventured into the mainstream industry. Due to a lack of work, I shifted into the adult landscape, and I’ve loved every second.

How did you make the transition into gay pornography? 

I started my journey at Gamma ten years ago. Initially, I was a media buy video editor. While I appreciate various genres, I felt a distinct pull to our gay products. I shifted into my current position as Creative Manager on the Partner team and was offered the opportunity to collaborate with Michael Vegas and Siouxsie Q in some directing pursuits. This just intensified my passion for gay movies.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Jasmin.

Could you share with us your previous experience with pornography and gay pornography and gay culture? Who are some of your influences or inspirations? Favorite stars or scenes? 

In my personal life, I’m fortunate to be surrounded by incredible gay men, notably one of my closest friends, who introduced me to the vibrant tapestry of gay culture. From frequenting gay bars to exploring the gay village and drag scene, I was drawn to the energy of the community, and they welcomed me with open arms. It helped me find self-confidence at a time when I was struggling with it. It was uplifting and life-changing for me.

Originally, I got into the industry thinking I’d leave after a few years, but I fell in love with the people and couldn't imagine doing anything else. Now, I manage several straight brands as well as Disruptive Films. I’m thankful to be where I am. 

Bree Mills has always been someone I look up to. I had the opportunity to work with her in the Gamma office and it’s been awesome to watch her rise to where she is now. Fortunately, she saw talent in me and trusted me enough to hand over Disruptive Films on a golden platter. 

Tim Valenti is another person that’s a big inspiration to me. He’s an amazing businessman and has a deep love and understanding of his content. Just talking to him casually makes you want to go film a movie. There is something very sleek and classic about Falcon movies and that’s a credit to him and his aesthetic. 

My mainstream inspiration is Ryan Murphy. I love his work and how he can vacillate between dark and eerie like American Horror Story or preppy and fun, like Glee! John Waters is also another icon whose movies I binged in my 20s with my bestie.

Your scenes and scenarios for Disruptive Films and other studios are known for being quite edgy and some might even say controversial. Could you touch on how and why you try to push the envelope?

We love pushing the envelope on Disruptive but we can only do it under the proper parameters of compliance. There are a lot of rules we have to follow, so we do what we need to do to adhere to them while still giving our viewers edgy content. That being said, not every lid fits every pot. We’ve told some stories that have been polarizing, and that’s okay! Our goal is to disrupt. We want to hit on as many dark fantasies and kinks as we can while remaining true to our goal of making brave storyline porn.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Jasmin.

You are one of the few cis female filmmakers in gay porn. What special perspectives, advantages, and/or challenges (if any) do you think this brings to your work?

I want to start off by saying I don't think my gender or my sexual orientation has or should give me any advantage or disadvantage. My work is indicative of who I am and what my influences are at the moment. Often, I’m inspired by images. I’ll come up with an idea based on a visual story or those embedded in reality. I’m influenced by television shows, movies, and books.

While I don’t think my gender affects my work, it can be challenging to be told I lack understanding because I’m not a gay man. While I agree that I will never understand what it is to be a gay man, I am an ally. Women have their own challenges and while our challenges are different from gay men, we meet in the middle. I feel there’s always been a special bond between women and gay men. We understand each other somehow. 

What are some of your favorite movies, scenes, and performers you've ever shot?

It’s very hard to only choose one performer! I never met anyone that was ever rude or unprofessional. All the guys have been the sweetest and very professional. But if I have to make a choice, I enjoyed working with Reese Rideout and Tony Genius. Both models have charisma. Reese is a legend and it was great to see him work. He brought another level to his character in ‘’IRL’’. And Tony was someone that I hadn’t yet heard about at the time until I got to work with him. Not only is he super charming but he’s a talented actor who can deliver a range of emotions.

My favorite project to date is our latest Disruptive Films movie, For You, I Will. It felt like a mainstream movie. Taylor Saracen, my writer, wrote an incredible story and on the production side Michael, Siouxsie and I worked together to make something impressive. I’m very proud of this one. It belongs next to some of Netflix’s top series.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Jasmin.

Who are some performers you've yet to work with who you would most like to? Scenes you'd like to try? 

ASGMax exclusive, Jayden Marcos. We have written tons of scripts for him and we’ve seen what he can do with a character. He’s a great performer and I would love to have the opportunity to direct him one day. I want him to have a creepy role just to see what he can do with it!

Derek Kage is another one. He has such a great voice and is an incredible performer. We worked on collab with Next Door Films where he was a podcast host, a perfect role for him! I feel like there are more possibilities in this area.

And Andre Donovan. He was great in one of our scenes, Back in Town. I’d love to see him in another cute love story.

In terms of what I’d like to try: raw sex scenes with guys who have insane chemistry, no story, just two hot guys having sex. I’m personally a horror fan and I’ve dabbled in short films years ago. I’d like to create a great horror storyline one day like The Last of Us. Aside from horror, fantasy is another style that I’m a fan of. I’ve thought more than once about making a Lord of the Rings.

Could you share with us some of your life and personality outside of the industry? Who is Jessica? Hobbies? Interests? Beliefs?

I have a passion for traveling! I try to make it a point of going abroad every year, even for a short period of time. This summer I went to Iceland and was able to hike and view a live volcano.

I’m a huge fan of movies and series. When I’m not working, I’m watching movies, going to the theater, or watching series. 

I love photography, landscape, self-portrait, I bring my camera with me everywhere I go. 

I’m really into makeup and Halloween. I create one big costume per year. I go all out with prosthetics and liquid latex. But I probably have 3 to 5 costumes per year. I’m a huge fan of makeup, SFX makeup and also glam makeup. I love creating new looks and trying new techniques.

What are some of your thoughts on the ongoing competition between the studio/film world and the OnlyFans/content creators platform world? Can both coexist? Do you think performers should have a presence in both? 

OnlyFans gives performers independence and empowerment. They can do what they want and can curate their content.  I love that they have an opportunity for creative control and autonomy. Fans benefit because there's an opportunity for personalization and requests. On the studio side, we offer a higher-end product for performers. They get the chance to show off their acting skills as well as their sexual performance. This is especially true at Disruptive, where performers really get to flex their chops. Performers can also build a fan base using studio porn which is a long-term benefit. Of course, everything is a case by case, because some performers are amazing at creating scenarios or own the equipment that could very well rival studios. But OF and Studio porn can definitely coexist. It’s different types of content and performers have the choice of how they want to offer their content.

What does it take to create the best gay sex on film? 

I think it’s a pretty simple question. It starts with a lot of passion for the industry and a lot of respect for those that work in that industry.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Jasmin.

Follow Jessica Jasmin's work at ASGmax.

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