A Short Career in Films

Stacey said, "That's all for you for today. We're going to take about half an hour to have a break and change the sheets and set up for Jason and Louise. If you want to get dressed and then come back to watch them, that's fine - just bear in mind you need to be here before the red light goes on - otherwise we need you here Monday morning at nine to start filming proper."

"Thanks," we said in unison, and went back to the dressing room.

As soon as the door closed, Sam slipped off the robe and came over for a kiss. Naturally I ditched mine quick as well, and enjoyed a slow kiss with a full naked body hug.

"I guess we'd better have a shower and get dressed," I said, "Do you want to watch Jason and Louise?"

She smiled and walked towards the shower, tugging me by the hand.

"Yes - if we finish the shower in time!"

That was without doubt the best shower I'd had to date. Slowly soaping each other all over, with special attention to each other's intimate parts, and lots more kissing. Then Sam said,

"I look forward to having you again, but I'd like to watch Jason and Louise. I've never seen a porn video, let alone a live sex show!"

So reluctantly we dried ourselves off and got dressed, and headed back to the studio, just in time before the door was locked and the red light lit.

I had no idea what our show might have looked like to an observer - it was pretty amazing to a participant! - so I didn't know what to expect or how to judge Jason and Louise. It seemed to me that they got into it rather quicker than we had, more or less straight into taking their own clothes off and less - how should I put it, intimacy I suppose. There wasn't much kissing or tenderness. They looked like two strangers having sex rather than a couple. But there's no doubting it was arousing; seeing a woman taking off her clothes got me hard again, and Sam seemed to be squirming in her chair somewhat.

It seemed to me that Jason was trying a bit too hard to be in charge, getting Louise to suck his dick, and then after a while pushing her onto her back and plunging in without much attention to her arousal. But she seemed to be aroused enough of her own accord, if the cries and moans were anything to go by.

Jason finished soon enough, I don't know if Louise climaxed, and then - "Cut!" and their towels and dressing gowns were brought to them. Stuart and Tracey gave them suitable praise, but it seemed to me not as spontaneous as for us. Maybe it was because it was the second couple.

Anyway, we dutifully applauded and said, "Well done!" As soon as we could reasonably do so, we made our excuses and left, promising to be on time on Monday.

We went back to the George and Dragon, both of us feeling in need of another drink, and both I think on a high from the adrenaline of the situation. We sat and talked about the events of the afternoon.

"I can't believe I found sex in front of strangers like that so exciting!" Sam said. "The thought that they were staring at my pussy whilst you were pumping it made me so horny! But I'd like to say that I'm so glad it was with you. I just imagine being like Louise and having sex with a near complete stranger would have been perhaps arousing but not as erotic as having it with someone I love." She suddenly realised what she'd said and stopped and held her breath, hand to her mouth. It was an early stage in our relationship to mention love.

I leaned forward and kissed her gently. "I wholeheartedly agree. It seems crazy given the short time we've known each other and the circumstances, but I love you too."

She touched my cheek, eyes glistening.

After a moment, she straightened up, and said,

"Listen, I hope you don't just view sex with me in a professional capacity! Fiona's away again Saturday night, she's visiting her boyfriend's parents - I think it might be serious! - so if you have nothing better to do, you could come and stay over..."

"What could possibly be better! You bet!"

The next few weeks were just unreal. We'd meet at the studio in the morning and firstly go through the previous day's output, occasionally there'd be something that merited re-shooting the same thing, otherwise we discussed and planned what today's shooting would be in quite a lot of detail. The video series started with a view of the human body - in this case each of the three couples in turn, standing naked and unaroused, holding hands whilst the camera tracked round us, and then made a detailed tour of our bodies, whilst apparently the commentary would discuss erogenous zones. Then we each had close-ups of our genitals, first unaroused and then aroused, which took a bit of, shall we say, manual intervention. It was amazing how quickly it became natural to spend all day naked around clothed crew, and to engage in sexual activity with people watching, and indeed directing - "Jon, can you move your hip back a bit so we have a clearer view of the penetration - that's it - thanks!" Sometimes we'd perform a particular act and Stuart would call a halt, we'd discuss how it could work better for the camera, and we'd have to start again. That was fine of course provided I hadn't come, in which case we'd have to pause for Sam to get cleaned up, and me to be ready to go again. But in any case, after stopping to discuss the situation, sometimes I'd need encouragement to get erect again; and sometimes Sam needed to be revved up again too. That was fun in itself.

We covered the whole range of standard sex: masturbation, mutual masturbation, basic sex positions - missionary, cowgirl, doggy style - and oral sex. That last I enjoyed, having had a close-up lesson in how to find the clitoris as a result of earlier sessions.

Then we had a section on hair styling for the genitals. I'd heard about the Brazilian wax which was becoming popular, leaving a landing-strip and baring the pussy, but I hadn't realised that shaving completely bare down there was also becoming a fad. Louise got the Brazilian, and we had a session where Sam and I shaved each other, and then demonstrated how the tongue was sensitive and useful to detect how close the shave was. When that was done, and Stuart called "Cut!", there was an audible sigh from both Sam and I, and Stuart said, "Do you want to carry on? I hadn't planned to, but I reckon some shots of a bare cock in a bare pussy would help to show why you'd do it!" And so we were able to relieve the sexual tension that had built up. It was very erotic.

A few weeks in, when we were already filming for the second video in the series, there was a section on foursomes. Sam and I were picked to pair with Billy and Cathy, the third couple and both black with West Indian parents. We'd become friendly, which helped - Jason and Louise were still a bit distant - and Sam and I discussed it the night before the scene was due to be shot.

I expressed my concerns that it would affect our growing closeness, but Sam said,

"I won't deny I'm looking forward to sex with Billy, it's not as if I'm going behind your back, and you'll be fucking Cathy, she's a good looking girl too! We'll still be together, and it's you I love."

This scene took just over a week to shoot. We started off in our couples, for once fully clothed, kissing and caressing, started undressing each other, and then moved to kiss and continue undressing the other girl. We did this changeover several times as Stuart tried to find the best way to present this. Then we got naked on the same bed - good job it was a king bed, as Billy was quite a big chap! - and filmed various different combinations, where one of us would kiss one partner whilst fucking the other. Cathy was quite a big girl too, and very enthusiastic; it was surprisingly a huge turn-on to be buried in her and see Sam getting pounded by Billy alongside us.

The only downside of all this sex was that come the weekend, all we wanted to do was chill. We tended to spend it apart, each catching up with our flatmates and with domestic chores - although as we were spending a lot of the days naked, laundry was less of an issue than usual. I hoped it didn't mean that the relationship was fading just as the sex had hit top gear. We just never seemed to have the time or energy to discuss "us".

The first sign things were going wrong with JG Videos came on Monday 2nd September, six weeks into the contract. We arrived expecting to collect our cheque but it didn't come first thing, and eventually Stacey promised it would be ready the next morning. That sounded a bit odd but we went along with it as she said it was just an administrative difficulty, and sure enough, we got it next day. I checked with the bank later in the week and it had cleared.

There were other warning signs I guess, though they didn't register as such at the time. Stacey and Stuart were often in deep and sometimes heated discussion at times during the day, and Stacey went off three or four times in smart suits with a briefcase. Then on the Wednesday of the week after the delayed cheque, we arrived first thing and Stuart met us.

"Sorry guys, there's an administrative issue we need to sort out, so we've had to postpone shooting for today. I can't say more, but come here again tomorrow at around eleven and I'll tell you what I can."

Well, we all six decided to go to a local café and discuss what was going on.

"I don't like the sound of this," said Jason, who had done some business studies, "it seems to me like a contractual or financial problem. Perhaps it's to do with the lease, perhaps they have an overdraft and the bank wants them to cut back... I guess we'll find out a bit more tomorrow." There was more chewing of the fat but in the absence of any real information, it was all speculative.

The next morning, the axe fell.

We all got invited into a room with all of the crew, the receptionist, and a couple of others I hadn't remembered seeing before.

Stacey and Stuart looked very sombre. Stacey took the lead.

"OK, there's no easy way of saying this. We've got ourselves into financial difficulty over this video series. As most of you will have heard, we made our name shooting videos that clients had commissioned - mostly corporate promotions, or staff training, things that essentially we got paid to do as we went along.

"These videos, well, they are our initiative, so we have effectively mortgaged the company against a future revenue stream. We couldn't get a loan from the bank because of the subject material, so we had a couple of private investors on board. Now, the Government is delaying the likely legislation changes to enable this to be sold to the general public, and as a consequence, one of our investors has had cold feet, and has stopped the funding. We've done what we can, but can't find another to fill the gap.

"I won't go into details, but we don't have the cash flow to carry on. We owe our September lease payment on this building, and the owners are cutting up about it.

"To cut a long story short, we are going to have to go into liquidation. I'm sorry, but it means your contracts are terminated with immediate effect. We can't go on. The assets, including the cameras, recording and editing equipment, are all now in the hands of the Receiver. They will decide what to do with our assets."

She paused, clearly close to tears. Then, putting on a brave smile, she continued.

"We don't own the recordings we've done, or the edited versions to date. However, knowing that this was coming, we've put together cassettes for each of you with the outline video to date - so no commentary, link clips, titles, graphics and so on - and the screen test you did. Take this away and don't tell the Receiver you've got it!

"I'm truly sorry it's come to this, I really thought we could pull this off and steal a march on everybody else. Sadly..." She passed her hand over her eyes.

I looked around. Everybody else was clearly as stunned as I was. I got up and went to Stacey, and gave her a hug.

"Stacey, and Stuart, I hope I speak for us all if I say it's been a wonderful experience - I might almost say life-changing - and I wouldn't have missed it for anything, even if we can't finish the job." Murmurs of agreement from the others. "I really hope you can come back from this. Thank you both." Thank yous echoed from the rest of the room, and a general buzz of conversation started up. I felt sorry for all the technical crew, most of whom we'd got to know quite well, who probably weren't expecting like the six of us 'actors' to be finishing any time soon.

Pretty soon there was general agreement that we'd convene in the Red Lion, alcohol was called for in the circumstances.

On the way to the pub, I asked Sam how she felt about it.

"Well, a bit stunned. I can't quite take it in. I will admit it's disappointing to lose out on, what is it, fourteen hundred quid? Mind you, we've already been paid more than I expected when I first applied! What we've had so far is going to make a big difference already. How about you?"

"I agree, it's a real shock. I've enjoyed the past few weeks far more than I expected, and it's been so good to do it with you. As for the money, I reckon I've got enough to get a studio, and perhaps a bit of equipment. I need to get a brochure designed and printed now."

Well, we spent a couple of hours in the pub, but our heart wasn't in it. The mood was somewhat subdued. We drifted away, one by one, and Samantha and I left around the middle of the exodus; I think a few of the technicians looked as though they were in for a heavy session.

We walked slowly in the general direction of our transport stops, hand in hand. Then Sam stopped. She'd been quiet, and I sensed she was thinking how to tell me something. I hoped it wasn't "Goodbye and thanks for all the sex". She took a deep breath and said,

"Jon... I wanted to ask you something." I started to speak but she held up a hand.

"I discovered last night that Fiona is going to move out, she's going to live with her boyfriend. That's a decent sized flat for a couple. My bed is a double anyway, and... I'd love it if you moved in."

I burst out laughing and grabbed her in a bear hug. It clearly wasn't the reaction she was expecting.

"Thank goodness!" I said enthusiastically, "For a moment I thought you might not want to keep on seeing me! Yes, yes, yes! After the past few weeks, I love you even more! And it will be nice to have some time to make love our way, in our space!"

"I hope Jim will forgive me for breaking up the happy home!"

"Don't worry, Jim has applied for a job which would require him to move up north. That problem may solve itself any time now!"

Then something else occurred to me.

"You know how we were both disappointed not to spend the summer on holiday in Europe - I'd just like to say I've never been so pleased not to have a holiday!"

Sam burst out laughing.

"Me too! This has been better than any holiday could be!"

"I guess it's been our 'Summer of Love'!"

Suffice it to say that I moved in with Sam, and we became closer and more in love than ever. It really did turn into the love of my life. I found my perfect premises, and got set up with equipment and promo materials. The shoot I'd done in Stevenage came out really well, the client loved it, and their brochure actually won a marketing prize. I got some good referrals, and business really picked up, so I was able to support Sam through her trainee period.

And now, some forty years on, we are both retiring and will doubtless enjoy more time with the grandkids. That VCR cassette has long been converted to an MP4, which these days we tend to watch on the anniversary of the screen test. It works every time!

It was I suppose a year or so after JG Videos went bust that the censorship rules were relaxed, and very soon afterwards, "The Joy of Sex" was released, to become pretty much the seminal video sex manual.

But I often wonder, what if JG Videos had been able to keep going, and had been the first to market. Everyone who saw it would know we were amongst its stars. How differently would people have regarded us? Would we have been applauded or condemned for doing it? Would we have been approached for other roles?

I'll never know, but I do know it whilst it never provided sex education to anyone else, it certainly taught us how to make sex great with someone you love!