A tragic accident on the set of Transformers 3 caused severe injury to a film extra resulting in brain damage when a cable snapped on-set and crashed through a car windshield. 

Gabriella Cedillo was one of 80 film extras who had participated in an outdoor scene in Chicago on September 1st 2010 when a cable pulling a stunt vehicle snapped and smashed through her windshield, hitting her in the head.

According to NBC Chicago, the medical bills in 2010 alone for her treatment came to $350,000. The lawsuit filed against the movie studios behind Transformers 3: Dark Of The Moon also stipulated that they had done everything to avoid paying her medical bills. In addition, on the day of the shoot they had inadequate permissions to do the stunt, which had been abandoned the day before because it had failed.

The settlement comes after 18 months of legal proceedings. Paramount issued a statement in response to the deal:

“We are pleased that the Cedillo family has agreed to move forward with the settlement. This was a tragic accident and our thoughts and prayers remain with Gabriela.”

So we already know that Canadian journalists will have to pay 125 euros a minute for Brad Pitt’s very own words so why is a Nicole Kidman interview being ‘offered’ at close to half price?

It’s awful to talk about people as products with a price tag, but that’s how low we’ve got with this piece of news, so I have decided to go deeper and make an opinionated analysis.

For starters, we have to look at the value of Brad Pitt’s name as a whole in context to Nicole Kidman in terms of global search volume for the sake of reader volume interest. Just before I put these numbers below, Alliance Films were charging Canadian journalists access to top stars for print magazines for varying prices. But where did they get their valuation criteria from? Moving on. The stats:

Global search volume for Brad Pitt: 1 million per month

Global search volume for Nicole Kidman: 368,000 per month

(Stats provided by Google Keyword tool as of today)

So we can clearly see a stark difference in traffic ratio for these two stars putting Brad Pitt far in the lead with nearly 3x the ‘internet value’.

For a Brad Pitt interview in an online magazine you could argue that you are going to get more traffic but we’re not talking about the web for these particular interviews. After all, it’s print magazines/newspapers that will be supposedly publishing these interviews that are being sold.

Now comes the tricky question: Is Nicole Kidman being undervalued because she is a woman? I hate to bring this up, but we’ve seen some pretty poor female representation at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, with 0 female directors in the selection. Are female actors being undervalued too and put to one side? Adding to this argument, Kristen Stewart, star of the Twilight movies was also being ‘offered’ at less than half of Brad Pitt’s asking price. However, if we go back to the global search volume argument you will see who’s more valuable:

Global search volume for Brad Pitt: 1 million per month

Global search volume for Kristen Stewart: 1.5 million per month

I would also like to point out the fact that Kristen Stewart was one of Hollywood’s top earners last year, outpacing Brad Pitt (who’s nowhere to be seen in the top 40), and is one of the biggest names in the industry right now. Again, I think I have to raise the dark sexism argument because it makes no sense to me why Pitt should be worth more. I just feel it’s ethically wrong to put a price tag on people working at the top of the industry when there are clear differences in their appeal for a broad range of reasons, not just purely based on reader interest.

According to several reports, Alliance Films issued the charges of up to 2500 euros to print journalists in Canada to access stars for interviews due to organizational costs. It is understandable that the distributor will incur costs, particularly when the company travels oversees to a festival like Cannes, however..(and here comes the rant) that draws a fine line which I deem ethically unnaceptable.

For one thing, right now I can tell you that paying 2500 euros for an interview has no value to the journalist or the magazine / paper in question. A simple phone call to a publicist who is being paid to promote a movie would be more than happy to get a star on the phone for 15 minutes if it means he/she gets their client 100,000 people to learn about their movie. It is in the interest of the film that stars are available to talk freely about their participation in films in order to generate buzz about it, and get more people interested to check it out. When you start charging people just to access stars, you are effectively creating your own blacklist and firewall. No journalist or paper (that I know of) would willingly pay to do this and its a slap in the face to the free press.

Lastly, it really upsets me that there are organizations that think they can charge people just to access other people. It’s like having a bouncer at a club asking you to pay a bribe before they will let you in. It’s disgusting. What do you think?

Rudolf Martin stars in ‘Three Holes, Two Brads, and a Smoking Gun’, which tells the story of an ex-Hollywood screenwriter who moves to New York to teach, and must do a battle of ‘minds’ with one of his very own screenwriter students.

Starring in movies such as 2001 Blockbuster ‘Swordfish’ with John Travolta and hit TV series ’24′, ‘NCIS’ and ‘Dexter’, Rudolf has had a successful career that many upcoming actors would admire. Originally from Germany, Rudolf moved to the US after living in France and Italy, and his first professional acting gig in ‘The Dutch Master’, was nominated at the 1994 Academy Awards.

Find out how Martin got involved in ‘Three Holes, Two Brads, and a Smoking Gun’ and get an insight into his acting techniques:

Iain: How did you get involved with the film and what did you like about the script?

Rudolf: I was contacted when the film was already shooting by my friend Scott Fivelson, the writer of the film. I am familiar with Scott’s writing and liked the script right away. The story is simple but has an element of the absurd and abstract which allows you to see the action and dialogue on a more allegorical level if you choose to do that. But he doesn’t lay it on too thick but rather subversively so you can still enjoy the simple story at face value without getting into any possible symbolism.

Iain: Are there any interesting anecdotes from the shoot you can reveal, such as your experience working with the cast and director Hilarion Banks?

Rudolf: It was really all about the glamour and luxury of low budget independent filmmaking. We spent an entire cold and windy winter night shooting on a pedestrian overpass above the Long Island Railroad and underneath the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. Hilarion Banks had his hands full trying to make it work. one of the lights broke and some equipment dropped onto the railroad tracks. We had a 3am lunch in a 24 hour diner. For the actors it was important to stay warm enough to still be able to speak.

Iain: What was your approach to your character, and do you have any particular method when it comes to acting as a whole?

Check out Rudolf Martin on IMDB

Rudolf: In general my approach is very cerebral in the preparation and by the time i’m on set it’s quite the opposite. I throw my preparation out the window and trust that some of it sticks and just rely on my instincts. In this case it started with a long phone conversation with Scott Fivelson, going through a long 8 page scene moment by moment. I think Scott ended up tweaking the action and dialogue a little based on our conversation. After that I just tried to put it in perspective with the main arc. The film takes the lead character, played by Zuher Khan, through a long journey and it was important to make choices that work for his character. In this case I decided that ridicule and humiliation would work best for Zuher’s character.

Iain: What would be your advice to upcoming actors who want to break into Hollywood movies?

Rudolf: Haha, pray a lot. and stay busy working on little films that are creatively exciting.

Iain: Do you have any projects in the pipeline you can reveal?

Rudolf: I’m very excited about a film called “Pig” (www.thepigpicture.com) in which I play the lead role. It started playing festivals last year, has gotten great reviews and won a few awards already. “Pig” is ending its festival run this summer and I have high hopes that more people will see it and love it once it gets distribution.

The 2012 Cannes Film Festival opens today with Moonrise Kingdom directed by Wes Anderson. Europe’s largest film festival is welcoming a host of films from around the world that include special out of competition screenings.

Earlier in the day the festival was criticized by some media agencies for failing to nominate any female directors in its Official Selection category. The lack of female filmmakers in this year’s selection is a sticking point for the festival, as it has been 19 years since Jane Campion won the Palme d’Or for ‘The Piano’ in 1993.

Stars set to attend this year include the likes of Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Nicole Kidman, Edward Norton and Tilda Swinton. ‘Tess’, directed by Roman Polanski will also be one of many films to play at this year’s Cannes Classics.

The 2012 Cannes Film Festival is in it’s 65^th year and will honor Marilyn Monroe

Are you at the Cannes Film Festival? Which films are you heading out to see?

Liam Neeson has been in the ‘blockbuster’ spotlight ever since he challenged Christian Bale in 2005 hit ‘Batman Begins’, directed by Christopher Nolan. After a string of successful movies including the critically adored ‘Taken’ and the popcorn fun of ‘The A-Team’, Neeson once again becomes part of the action in this spring’s biggest budget thrill. Also, Neeson fans will be anticipating the 3rd and final outing of Batman: The Dark Knight Rises, in which he also stars. It’s going to be a big, explosive year.

Check out our web exclusive of Liam Neeson’s interview for this month’s Ink Magazine which is out in stores today. Get a little sneak peak of Admiral Shane before he takes control of the fleet on May 18th. We salute you sir!

Liam Neeson interview: The Admiral takes control

Ink: How did you get involved in Battleship?

Liam: Pete Berg (Director) called me up and said, “Do you want to be the Admiral of the Fleet?”  I said, “What is that?”  He said, “You get to call the shots, you get to come to Hawaii for a few days, and everybody salutes you.”

Ink: Do you have any seafaring experience to draw upon?

Liam: Paul McCartney took me sailing and tried to give me a sailing lesson about ten years ago. It was one of those little skiffs, you know, those little plastic boats.

Ink: You have been in fourteen movies in the past two years. You’ve been working a lot in film lately.

Liam: It’s either feast or famine in our business. I believe in making hay while the sun shines. Work is work. To be honest, it’s great to have the opportunity.

Ink: How did you enjoy working with Brooklyn Decker?

Liam: Brooklyn was lovely. She plays my daughter, Sam. She’s a good actress.

For the full interview check out Ink

When it comes to editing short films, there is only one combination of tools in my view that can adequately match the need of indie filmmakers.

Whether you are editing your first short film, documentary or a music video, having the right combination of tools to make your workflow easy to manage is important. Below I am going to put a list of items that I feel can provide you with a proper editing solution and go through each one, and why I think it’s good:

Ultimate tools

Apple Macbook Pro 17″ + 27″ Apple display monitor

Combining the power of the Apple MacBook Pro and an external Apple Cinema Display will give you a home editing suite with all the hardware functionality you need to properly cut HD footage.

Portability is important because you will want to have the flexibility to take your macbook pro to the set, and check your HD rushes instantly. Since the Macbook Pro comes with a big hard disk you can get hours of HD footage before you will need to carry around with you external hard drives.

For those of you looking for hard drive power, the standard 17″ Macbook pro may not be enough with a 5400 RPM configuration. You can opt in to have an SSD drive built in.

Apple displays are the best configured screens to work with a mac and after using them extensively, I have to say, they are the best for colour, depth, clarity and all round reliability.

Lacie 1TB

For all your external storage use, hook yourself up with a LaCie 1TB drive to get a reliable, sturdy, and fast hard drive including firewire 800 ports.

Adobe Photoshop CS5

Adobe Photoshop CS5 is hands down the most genius of all photo editing softwares, CS5 can bring so much added value to your work. It’s an indispensable tool for editing images, titles and credits. It gives you all the functionality you will need for years to come. (I haven’t used CS6 yet, so I won’t recommend it for you here until I get a good look at it).

Final Cut Studio 2

I am not a fan of Final Cut Pro X, and after consulting with editors, it’s clear to me that the new software is a clear change in direction for the editing profession. That is why I recommend you get a copy of Final Cut Studio 2 instead, since this has been well established as a go-to tool in the industry for years. Most editors using Apple FCP will have this version of final cut so you are more likely to find a huge archive of helpful information online to help you use it.

Mpeg Streamclip (free)

Mpeg streamclip is a useful free-to-sue file format converter. For people shooting on HD cameras using H264, converting that footage onto FCP can be a pain. Mpeg stream clip allows you to drag and drop your files, re-export them in the proper format.

Today, Rihanna is one of the world’s most recognised names and her role in ‘Battleship’ could kickstart a big career in Hollywood putting her into the spotlight once again. Check out our web exclusive of Rihanna’s interview for this month’s edition of Ink Magazine released in stores May 15th. Get a behind-the-scenes perspective from her point of view and discover her acting inspirations. Best of luck to her!

Rihanna interview : First role in Battleship

INK: Who do you play in Battleship?

Rihanna: My character is named Raikes and she’s a bad ass. She’s really tough and she’s one of the boys. She can play just as hard as them, if not harder, although “Hopper” [Taylor Kitsch] is even more bad ass than she is.

INK: Did you have acting aspirations before Peter Berg asked you on board Battleship?

Rihanna: Doing movies and getting into acting is something that I always wanted to try and I never knew whether I would like it, hate it, or love it…

INK: Is it hard to go back and forth between music and film?

Rihanna:…on a film set you are just in one place for a long period of time, you start work every day at the same time, and you end every day at the same time. You get the weekends off, but it’s very routine, which was very different for me.

To get the full in-depth interview check out Ink Magazine for more details.

Battleship Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsieadPPvJE

‘Battleship’ starring Liam Neeson, Alexander Skarsgard and Rihanna will hit theaters on May 18th nationwide.

Beverly Hills, CA – Three student films, selected from 51 entries representing 29 countries, have been selected as winners in the Foreign Film category in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 39th Annual Student Academy Awards competition. The student filmmakers will be brought to Los Angeles to join U.S.-based Student Academy Award® recipients for a week of industry activities. The festivities will culminate in the awards ceremony on Saturday, June 9, at 6 p.m. at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.

The 2012 Foreign Film winners are (listed alphabetically by film title):
“For Elsie,” David Winstone, University of Westminster, United Kingdom
“Of Dogs and Horses,” Thomas Stuber, Film Academy Baden-Wüerttemberg, Germany
“The Swing of the Coffin Maker,” Elmar Imanov, The International Film School Cologne, Germany

Academy members have viewed these films at special screenings to determine the winners’ placements – Gold, Silver or Bronze – which will be revealed at the June 9 ceremony. Gold Medal award winners receive cash grants of $5,000, Silver Medal award winners receive $3,000 and Bronze Medal award winners receive $2,000.

Several past winners in the Foreign Film competition have gone on to earn further recognition from the Academy. At the 84th Academy Awards earlier this year, 2011 Student Academy Award winners Hallvar Witzø and Max Zähle were nominated in the Live Action Short Film category for “Tuba Atlantic” and “Raju,” respectively. The 2010 Foreign Film award winner, Tanel Toom, was a nominee at the 83rd Academy Awards in the Live Action Short Film category for “The Confession.” Reto Caffi, a winner in 2008, received a nomination in the Live Action Short Film category for “Auf der Strecke (On the Line)” at the 81st Academy Awards. In 2005, at the 78th Academy Awards, student winner Ulrike Grote’s “Ausreisser (The Runaway)” was nominated in the Live Action Short Film category.

At the 75th Academy Awards, student winner Martin Strange-Hansen of Denmark won the Oscar® in the Live Action Short Film category for “This Charming Man (Der Er En Yndig Mand).” He had won the Foreign Film award that same year (2002) with “Feeding Desire.” In 2000 Florian Gallenberger of Germany won the Foreign Film award and then the Oscar in the Live Action Short Film category with “Quiero Ser (I want to be…).” Two other previous student winners, Jan Sverak of the former Czechoslovakia, and Mike van Diem of The Netherlands, went on to direct films that won Oscars® in the Foreign Language Film category.

The 39th Annual Student Academy Awards ceremony on June 9 is free and open to the public, but advance tickets are required. Tickets are available online at www.oscars.org, in person at the Academy box office, or by mail. The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. For more information, call (310) 247-3600.

With in-depth articles and features including some of the world’s most recognizable names, Rashed has built a phenomenal print magazine that’s become a sensation in Asia for it’s unique appeal, and keeping people up to date with the latest trends.

Find out how Fariha set up her magazine in Pakistan, and what she envisages for the future.

Iain: How did you start Ink Magazine?

Farhia: Well, I was already writing as a freelance journalist for various Pakistani and international publications, and wanted to start something which would cover content not just from South Asia, but from abroad as well. I particularly wanted to cover South Asians living abroad, who are doing great work in the field of entertainment. I also felt that in Pakistan, there are a lot of Fashion oriented magazines, but none that cover other aspects of entertainment in a major way, such as Theater, Dance, Music, Sports etc. We have immense talent in Pakistan which spans across all these fields.

Iain: What does your publication cover?

Fariha: It covers all aspects of entertainment with a specific emphasis on authentic and exclusive interviews with local & international celebrities and stars.

Iain: Is there a big demand for American movies in Pakistan?

Fariha: Yes, there is. All the latest releases are screened at the top cinema houses here.

Iain: Can you tell us about the publishing industry in South Asia and the impact of digital content?

Fariha: The publishing industry in South Asia has a lot of room for improvement in terms of the content being published. However, print publications are extremely popular here and we have seen a sudden rise in the number of publications which have been launched in Pakistan specifically. We have also seen a few very good local authors launching books here in the past three to four years. There are about 10,000 publishers throughout Pakistan and over 50,000 book shops. Digital content has had a huge impact on the industry, especially with the advent of the Facebook and the Blogging phenomena – Pakistan is ranked 26 in the world with 4,332,360 Facebook users. Social Media overshadows traditional marketing in Pakistan, and therefore everyone wants to jump on the bandwagon. If you want to be seen & talked about, you have to go digital!

Iain: What would you like to achieve with Ink Magazine?

Fariha: I would like the magazine to be a means to bridge the gap, in whatever small way, in terms of the misconceptions held by the West about South Asia and vice versa. The magazine can help to show both sides how similar they really are – we’re all just people at the end of the day. I would also like Ink to be the best source of entertaining news, reviews, features, and exclusive content that Pakistanis can find. I want the magazine to prmote and support the immense talent in the country.

Iain: Is there anyone you look up to in the entertainment industry?

Fariha: I look up to all the Publicists around the world, who are responsible for creating, building, & maintaining the image and aura around their ‘brands’. It is hard work!

Iain: Do you have any future projects we should know about?

Fariha: Ink will be expanding and becoming a full fledged brand – we will be launching a hip, young clothing brand very soon this year!

Find out more: Ink Magazine

The film director applied for the Massachusetts film tax credit program and purposely inflated his expenses which resulted in a tax credit overpayment. He was subsequently sentenced Thursday to up to 3 years in a prison and faces an additional 10 years of probabation.

This particular case involved two films produced by Adams including ‘The Golden Boys’ and ‘the Lightkeepers’. Both films were over budgeted while providing Adams with a lucrative 25% tax break when his expenses were far lower.

It is reported that Daniel Adams is currently unable to foot the bill that the state requires and this particular ruling will be watched closely by other film institutions across America. Tax credits are currently seen as an incentive to bring inward investment at a state level, boosting employment. However, critics will argue that tax programs do not benefit the local economy long-term as film productions only shoot for a period of a few weeks.

After 18 years and 801 films in the Adult Film Industry, Benjamin Banks reveals himself as a classical filmmaker and a contemporary

“I think the idea that you have to do or be one thing in life is not realistic”.

Throughout his career, Benjamin Banks has not limited himself to one medium. As he has matured, he has chosen different paths which have enabled him to reach out and emotionally affect his public.

For Benjamin Banks, Independent cinema has always been of a particular interest granting full creative power both as a story teller and as a technical film maker.

“There are less people with thoughts and opinions that will try to water down your story with the aim of reaching a broader audience”.

Within this context, he is currently working on a co-production with Alexander Berberich and on a docu-drama about certain characters in the adult film industry.

Through such works Ben Banks examines human interaction through the medium of a screen. It is the reflection of people´s morals and the analysis of human behavior that create an enticing plot on screen:

“I like taking an abstract idea, bringing it to fruition and making it something that when someone else watches it they connect with it and an emotional exchange takes place”.

An industry somewhat misunderstood

While Ben Banks is proud of the successful career that the adult film industry has provided him with, he has turned a new chapter and is now focusing on his current projects. However, despite his wishes to remain discreet, he is often recognized from his sex scenes as the porn actor “Steven St.Croix”. When faced with this award winning actor, people often make the most of brief encounters in order to find an answer to their curiosities. In response to this inquisitive nature, Ben Banks has decided to satiate people’s appetite by writing a book called:

“Everything you wanted to know about the Adult Film Industry but didn´t dare to ask”.

As well as a lack of knowledge available about the industry, Benjamin Banks also explains that people do not realize how the industry has changed over the years.

“Before it was a rebel´s thing to do and not many people knew much about it. It was an environment that helped the ego and paid well”.

In reference to his choice of the Adult Film Industry over Hollywood he states

“I guess I thought it was better to be a bigger fish in a small pond rather than a small fish in a big pond”.

Arriving on French soil

A long way off from a life that he used to lead, Benjamin Banks now finds himself often in the historic part ofGrasse,Coted´Azur, where he has opened his art gallery. With the slow-paced lifestyle, beautiful country landscapes and it´s huge variety of food, Ben Banks lovesFranceand what it has to offer. He highlights the importance of a culture that does not limit itself to Twitter, Facebook or the TV.

Still with many ideas that he wants to materialize, Ben Banks´s dream is to shoot a Parisian film. Now that he is getting underway with a new chapter in his life, he is excited and eager to start his new projects.

If you wish to learn more about this intriguing character, his memoire is soon to be published along with his revealing book about the Adult Film Industry.

Check out our Exclusive full length interview with Ben Banks

Benjamin Banks talks to us about his artistic endeavors, his relationship with France and his past in the Adult Film Industry. As a man who always strives to do more to meet his high standards and communicate with the public, he is preparing for a film set in the South of France whilst also continuing to paint and write. During this interview we shall find out what is behind this versatile character, why he used the name Steven St. Croix and what he thinks about the closure of film download sites.

Michelle: With over 800 films during 18 years, you have been a very successful actor, writer, producer and director in the adult film industry. You also produced and acted in small independent films and became a contemporary painter… why so many different paths?

Ben: I think the idea that you have to do or be one thing in life is not accurate. I know of many historical figures who were many things at one time; painters, sculptors, writers, politicians, inventors. Acting, even in the adult film industry, is just another form of expression. To me, it comes down to a need to affect others emotionally.

Michelle: What inspired you to change career so dramatically after 18 years in the industry?

Ben: I just wanted more, I had matured and I wanted to be more creative. It may sound funny to think of the adult film industry as creative but regardless of what the end result is; filming is always a creative process.

Michelle: What are your current projects?

Ben: At the moment I am working on several projects. I am co-producing a film later on in the year in France with director Alexander Berberich. The film is about a wealthy woman who finds herself alone. She then meets a young man who represents everything that she wishes she could be. He gives her excitement. However, as the story unfolds, we begin to see the cultural and personality differences between the two drive them apart.

Another project is a docu-drama, which centers around different powerful characters involved in the adult film business.

Michelle: What inspired you to make independent films?

Ben: I have always enjoyed independent cinema. Shooting independently is a way of exercising more creative control both with the story and the process of filmmaking. There are fewer opportunities to convolute the story in the interests of trying to appeal to everyone.

The thing that motivates me in particular is the story and the characters that compose it; what they are going through, how they relate to the situation and the choices they make. This also explores people´s moral fabric, the human mind, how people handle situations and what the varying consequences might be of their actions. This is much more compelling to watch than mindless action films.

Michelle: Why have you chosen to produce your next film in France?

Ben: France and America have a special relationship that dates back many hundreds of years. French films definitely have a certain appeal to American audiences. On the one hand, American’s have a romanticized fantasy of life in France, but on the other hand, it is a country that offers a different perspective on living life.

On a personal level, I lived in France for two and a half years, and I opened my gallery in the historic part of Grasse. At the time, I was with a French woman and I was very focused on the relationship and pursuing my creative endeavors as an artist. The influence of that great relationship can be seen in my paintings as my style changed and I opened up creatively.

Michelle: Where is your favourite place to shoot films in?

Ben: I love to shoot anywhere in France but I would particularly like to shoot in Paris. I mean, I like shooting all over the world… Buenos Aires…. London… but Paris is my ideal destination.

Michelle: What is the difference between French and American independent cinema?

Ben: France has always had a great body of independent films. However, what really surprised me is that there isn´t a support structure or network in place for filmmakers. You have to do everything yourself; every project starts from scratch. There are no social or creative support groups for people in filmmaking here.

Michelle: What advice would you give to future film producers?

Ben: What I am learning right now is that the business has changed dramatically. Interactive and scalable content is what attracts people to a particular project. I would say that if you want to produce a feature film it is a good idea to make a proof of concept to show future investors that your project is viable. Shoot a two to three minute trailer. It then becomes real to your investors and they are more willing to fund you.

Michelle: What do you like most about the south of France?

Ben: I like the relaxed pace that people tend to move around with. Sometimes though, it can be stressful when you need to get something done right away.

Michelle: What differences do you observe between the two cultures?

Ben: There is a vast array of diverse, rich cuisine available. Sadly however, I am continually surprised to see the extent of how the fast-food culture has flourished here in France, it is amazing to me the amount of people that will eat this food. However, what I do like is the time that people take to sit down, eat and enjoy their food, taking pleasure in the gastronomy. They don´t live to work, they work to live.

Another thing I love is being able to go two hours north and being in an extremely different environment. It is fascinating to be on the coast during the week and then, on the weekend, find yourself in the middle of nature.

I also love the fact there is still an emphasis on culture; fashion, literature, philosophy. In America, culture is limited to what the media displays and it takes a different form: TV, Facebook or Twitter.

2nd dimension: painter

Michelle: Do you paint for yourself or for everyone else?

Ben: There is an element of both but I paint mainly for myself.

Michelle: How do you feel when you paint?

Ben: I feel a great satisfaction, the creative outlet is difficult to put into words but I generally feel fulfilled.

Michelle: What personal goals do you have?

Ben: I love being creative, I love writing, I love making films, I love painting… I love taking an abstract idea, materializing it and making it something that one when someone else watches it they connect with it and an emotional exchange takes place.

3rd dimension: The world of Steven St.Croix

Michelle: Is the adult film industry similar to other industries in the sense that age becomes a problem?

Ben: I think I left before my moment came. Obviously youth is always an advantage. It is no different than in Hollywood: youth sells.

Michelle: How did you feel when you won the AVN awards? (The Oscar equivalent for the adult film industry).

Ben: It is always nice to be given significance with an award. It was great for the ego, but in terms of what it means to me now, it doesn´t mean as much to me as it did then. But at the time it felt great. I have been fortunate to have the career I did in the industry. I broke many boundaries and won many awards but I don´t let it define me

Michelle: What did you like about the world of the adult film industry?

Ben: Good money, the ego stroke. It also allowed me to travel quite a bit and see the world. There was always a desire in me to be in front of the camera. In my mind, it was better to be a big fish in a small pond rather than a small fish in a big pond.

Michelle: Do you see the adult film industry differently now from the outside as to when you were an actor?

Ben: Yes definitely, I realize what a limited view on the world I had and the choices I made. However, I must say that the industry itself has changed too; it is not what it was when I entered the business. Back then, it was a rebellious act, it was misunderstood and not much was known about the industry. Now it seems chic to be in porn.

Michelle: When you meet new people do you talk about it or is it something you prefer to leave in the shadows?

Ben: It is not something I bring up in conversation. When people recognize me, they sometimes take the liberty to ask a few questions about it. I try to be cordial but the adult film industry is something I don´t want to be defined by. I prefer to talk about what’s going on now.

Michelle: What is the origin of your stage name Steven St.Croix?

Ben: My uncle used this name to work undercover for the US Coast Guard in the Virgin Islands. I thought it sounded cool, so I used it as well.

Michelle: Recently the closure of film down load pages such as Megaupload has resulted very controversial. What is you opinion on this?

Ben: It is hard to say … filmmakers are still trying to find out what the role the Internet plays as a platform when it comes to getting their work shown and distributed. Studios here think that if you don´t see a film when it comes out at the cinema, you should wait for the VOD to arrive but times have changed. The question is whether losing revenue to a small percentage of illegal uploads hinders the studios bottom line. They are making huge amounts of money through the other platforms of distribution. It works to their benefit in the end because it expands the brand. The larger section of the audience still pays to view content. If money is not a problem, I think the filmmaker should not focus on the traditional way of distributing films. In my opinion, a good model is the “à la carte” option that iTunes has offered where you can find and develop an audience.  YouTube has lost it´s impact for filmmakers: videos of piano playing cats are not selective. Online distribution is definitely the priority any young filmmaker should focus onto to get their films seen. There will always be a small percentage of loss as people will find a way to rip movies for illegal downloading, but we are talking about big budget films and TV shows. I don’t think it affects the small filmmaker the same way.

Michelle: Should download websites be closed down?

Ben: Studios have made a big effort to close web pages down because they are losing money. I think to some extent it is greed. If 10,000 people have viewed a film but only 9,200 have paid for it, the consequences are not always negative- maybe the non-payers will make the effort to see the sequel or at least they will talk about it and maybe their friends will go and see it.

Michelle: To finish off, any more surprises?

Ben: I am currently working on two books; my memoir of my experience in the adult film industry and another book answering questions people have about the adult industry but are too embarrassed to ask… it may come in use when it comes to inquisitive people!

Find out more about Ben Banks

With the pressures of religious views on same-sex marriage and the divisions within America about gay and lesbian couples, news of Obama’s official support has created a huge response from across the whole entertainment industry.

Celebrities tweeted this afternoon their views about Obama’s revelation, media outlets gave their views, and people have begun digesting its significance. Strong supporters and advocates of gay-marriage righs have campaigned for years about marriage equality, and today it looks like their voice has been heard.

Media Reactions to Obama’s ABC interview

The Huffingtonpost highlights the reactions of leading political figures in both Democratic and Republican camps.

The Hollywood Reporter shares top tweets from entertainment industry supporters of gay marriage with their personal messages to Obama.

Mike Bloomberg releases a statement about marriage equality in a press release

CNN tells the story behind Obama’s message, and how it will impact the 2012 election.

LAtimes covers Republican San Diego mayor Jerry Sander’s message to Obama about the decision.

John Travolta has been hit with fresh allegations of sexual battery from 2 male masseurs. The ‘Grease’ star is being sued for more than $2 million in seperate lawsuits for groping, assault and sexual harassment.

According to a report in Radar Online, this is just the first of many potential lawsuits, numbering up to 100 individual cases according to Okorie Okorocha, the attorney representing the unidentified masseurs.

Despite this, Travolta’s attorney Marty Singer has strongly denied the accusations and will likely countersue for ‘malicious prosecution’.

Due to the nature of this lawsuit it is impossible to verify the legitimacy of the claims without having firsthand information however, it would seem that Travolta was not even in the state at the time of the alleged assault, according to several online journals

Stars are frequently accused of sexual harassment, misconduct and other crimes. In 2011 singer P Diddy was sued for $1 trillion by a woman who accused him of plotting the 911 attacks. It’s unfortunate that people go to these lengths to sue others, however stars are not always proven innocent. We will wait to see how this develops.