Marta is a girl deep in debt and unsure how to pull herself out of this mess. She decides to make her own sex tape. She tries to sell it to a local pornographer, but unfortunately he thinks the tape is far too artful. Directed by Anthony Rivero Stabley, the award-winning Marta’s Sex Tape is whimsical and erotic. It’s also very much about the fears that can appear when artists expose their work to the public. I talked to Stabley about his film, the challenge of finding a good actress to play Marta and the humour in amateur pornography.

View a gallery of stills from the film

Q: How did you develop the character of Marta and how she comes up with the idea to make a special kind of sex film?
¨A: Marta was based loosely on a couple of Silver Lake artist girlfriends that were always desperately broke. The writing of this film also started during the initial phase of webcam usage in the States – so it all seemed apropos. In the film, Marta watches a ridiculously bad skin flick and like many a wishful auteur, she gets inspired to improve on the genre.¨

Q: Marta, who´s a young artist, wants to sell her tape to a local pornographer to get out of debt. How do you think this sex tape explores sexuality, her self-exposure?¨
¨A: I think whenever someone makes something personal it´s going to be reflective of them on some level. Marta, conceptually, was a sexually free person, but it isn´t until later that she allows herself to become vulnerable. I´ve said this before – if you´re going to be an artist, you have to let go ... put yourself out there naked in front of the world. That´s the symbolism of the film.¨

Q: What do you think of the use of six colour principles, in relation to her porn processes?¨
A: Colour usage in Marta´s Sex Tape was mostly about tying in her sensibility as an artist. In essence this is a homemade movie and like a well-made collage, colours were chosen that mirrored her state of emotions through the process. The film´s early crisis period has bluish tones that eventually arc to a more golden palette.Interspersed we see B/W footage that grounds the viewers into her personal world while pink, purple tones carry the transitions.¨

Q: What was it like casting the film? Like Marta has a best friend, Inez, who´s disturbed that she´s making this, while also helpful. Do the performers know each other?¨
A: Casting Marta´s Sex Tape was insane. Finding a quality actress to take on this role was not easy, especially in L.A. So I decided to shoot in Mexico City where I felt more comfortable. When I got down there, Rayo Rojas, who was with Claudia Becker Casting, helped me out. He also ended up playing Mr. Del Toro. He was the connection with Pilar Padilla [Marta]. Sol Gallardo [Inez] came through some mutual friends and was also part of the mass audition process. Finding actors that spoke good English was another daunting task. I think, in the end, Inez and Pilar really do match up well. I was quite proud of their friendship on screen. It gave the film some tenderness amid all the satire.¨

Q: They go through a process of auditioning men to be in the film. There´s a humour with this. Have you referenced certain porn films, like amateur or pro, as to how the male performers can be seen as funny?¨
A: The male auditions in the film had more to do with my love for self-indulgent, Godard-like cinema than anything else. As for amateur porn ... I think it can be quite humorous and should probably be referenced as often as possible.¨

Q: There´s the figure of Blue Charro, who proclaims he can only make love while wearing his giant sombrero. What about the male dressed as a banana? How do you see the things associated with male prowess in the film?¨
A: Every man wants to have the biggest sombrero. I mean, what guy doesn´t? And what´s better than a giant banana dancing with two beautiful girls in bikinis. These images are just comical versions of our everyday subconscious mind at work. It´s also part of that pop art iconography that sticks. You remember it – it´s simple and colourful.¨

Q: What do you think of Movidas in the film –as men are deemed the main consumers of porn -was it interesting to consider what male types would want to be in porn? Did any question arise with the actors, if they´d considered being in porn?¨
A: I love Movidas because he´s the real deal. He´s like the average joe but 10-times funnier. I think, when it comes to demographics, the exploration of sexuality touches everyone. The subject of porn obviously came up, but I think Marta´s initial concept of making a quick buck shifted into creating something that was more profound. Exploring sexuality through artful imagery became the main focus; everyone was on board with that.¨

Q: Marta, as played by Pilar Padilla, doesn´t find it easy to make the film. I find her struggle with it is interesting, particularly as there´s an assumption that porn – being so common – is simple, mechanical to produce. What was it like, considering how this character would experience the making of the tape?¨
A: I think the idea of making a sex film and making money from it can seem like an easy proposition, but it´s not. There´s a lot of emotional baggage attached. Marta feels that her parents will be ashamed of her and that´s a real conflict to consider. Since Marta is an artist, she took a creative approach that was both humorous and personal. In the end, Marta could only make an artful piece, it could never be exploitative because that isn´t her. Like so many artists ... she creates, questions, amuses and produces wondrous work.¨

Q: Is it a challenge to perceive a girl´s fantasy lore? What do you think of some of the erotic enactments in Marta´s tape, when she seems dominant?¨
A: Having written Marta´s Sex Tape, I was already in the flow of all the characters. Marta stands for many women, many artists who get screwed over – have to fight – then make their mark on their own terms. So I knew we had to start at the bottom with her being dominated or submissive in these enactments. She also had to feel comfortable loving herself and eventually not being afraid. A lot of people have commented on these title card sequences. It was quite helpful in binding the narrative.¨

Q: The film has many twists and turns – at times a Greek chorus appears to offer their support or insults on the goings-on around the tape. Are you interested in the experience of making porn and what exists around the process?¨
A: This film is about any artist who decides to take a risk, whether it´s sex as a subject matter or anything that is controversial. In this case the Greek chorus was like the evil Moral Majority mixed in with those that champion freedom of expression. In Marta´s case, as with many of us, it´s so important that our close friends and family support us. So having her mom and dad give her a stamp of approval was a big deal.¨

Q: What do you think of the question in the film and concepts of sex paired with art? Have you thought about the ways various artists have exposed themselves and concepts of sex art?¨
A: The mix of sex and art is tricky. If it leans too far towards pure explicit sexuality, it can be perceived as pornographic and that can, at times, be a turnoff. When something is being said in conjunction with the sexual imagery, then people are intrigued. We´ve gotten the gamut of interest on this film, because no one could really put their finger on it. It was underground, experimental, funny, Latin – quite the spicy combo platter of sex and art. I think Warhol, Godard and ´70s experimental cinema had a lot to do with this. Plus I really do like Richard Kern´s stuff, so I´m sure in some amalgamated way you can feel these artists and their influences.¨

Q: Are you inspired by any artists working with sexuality?
A: Helmut Newton, Catherine Breillat (she made Romance X), Pedro Almodóvar. I think Sarah Maple is pretty clever. Mary Anne Burton – she makes randy, Lichtenstein-like paintings with Spanish text.¨

Q: As this film project was filmed partly in Mexico, was it influenced by erotic imagery or bodily lore from Mexican history or contemporary culture?¨
A: The influence of Mexico is certainly a presence. Colonial churches, the rush of the world´s largest city, the saturated colours: they all counter Marta´s exploits in vibrant fashion. In addition, Mariana Kahlo, who helped produce the film, has this indelible legacy – her great aunt was the famed Mexican painter Frida. So from the get-go this was always going to be about art. It has certainly surpassed my expectations. We won several awards so far and will screen in Holland, Australia and NYC this year. We also just inked a distribution agreement with Veranda Entertainment.¨

Q: What was it like working with Mariana Kahlo and Marco Niro, and sharing core concepts? Were there differing takes as to what Marta´s erotic filmmaking could entail?¨
A: I think both Mariana and Marco support all the arts. They were there to help me with my early shorts and this was an extension of that. I think, like all of us in the creative team, this is about a woman and her fears in expressing herself. I think this film is about how we all can view sexuality, sensuality in a comical, dramatic and artful manner. We were all in sync.¨

Q: You´ve also worked on Electronica. That looks at a girl caught up in hedonism and false glamour. How do you see the proliferation of surface sexual imagery? Seems you´re interested in feminine emotional and erotic interiors.¨
A: Electronica is a story about how actors come to Hollywood and get lost in the party lifestyle. It can be so intoxicating – easy sex, easy drugs. For me, a female protagonist is always the way to go. I love beautiful things, images, landscapes. People seem enticed by this aspect of my films. I suppose that great drama always has that chiaroscuro sensibility as well. At the same time, there´s something to say about working with less-glossy imagery – you can get deeper reactions from audiences at times. It´s that style versus content thing that is always up for debate.¨

Q: What´s coming up from Super Grande Films?¨
A: Right now I´m developing the feature Las Super Bonitas with producers David Hillary (Spun, Mysterious Skin) and Tim Peternel (Buffalo ´66, Bully). I´m also heading to South America (Bolivia) to finalize a screenplay - Foreigners. It definitely mixes sex with politics. If you get a chance go to Supergrandefilms.com and you can check out all our projects.

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More info: www.supergrandefilms.com

Louise Bak is a poet, with books including Tulpa and Gingko Kitchen. She co-hosts Sex City, Toronto’s only radio show focused on relations between sexuality and culture (CIUT 89.5 FM). Her performance work has appeared in numerous spaces and in video collaborations such as Partial Selves and Crimes of the Heart.