Pillow Talk: Interview with Erica Scott (Shadow Lane and Spanking Epics)

Photos, Scenology, Spanking Interviews — By Adele on 21 December, 2006 3:34 pm

Sitting on the pillows with me for this final pre-Christmas post is Erica Scott, a spanking model famous for her work with Shadow Lane and Spanking Epics. She plays characters who are self-confident, often sassy and bratty, but not immune from good old-fashioned discipline. Erica is a genuine spanko, and can be found in various online forums, where she openly discusses her preferences and brats her way through appropriate discussions.

Thank you for talking to me, Erica! You are one of the best known American models, with a long-standing relationship with Shadow Lane. When you started modeling, what helped you decide what company to work for?

Thanks, Adele. You know, when I first got into doing videos, my thoughts weren’t so much “I want to be a spanking model,” but “I want to do a Shadow Lane video.” I had been their customer for over three years, gone to several of their parties, and I liked their videos, particularly because of the focus on the romantic, erotic and playful sides of spanking and discipline. I honestly didn’t consider any other companies.

But then you got lured into the fold of Spanking Epics – how did that happen?

Bethany Burke, of Bethany’s Woodshed, had a dream of making spanking videos on an “epic” scale, with period pieces, elaborate sets, costumes, larger casts, etc., just like mainstream movies. In 2004, she was ready to make it happen with her first production, The Schoolmaster’s Revenge. At the time, I was co-managing a spanking forum on MSN, and she posted on it, telling of her project and the roles she needed to cast. I contacted her to suggest a couple of people for the young female student roles, and that’s when she said she had ME in mind for the mother. WOW! She did warn me about having to do the mother-daughter topping scene, but said I’d also get to do a mother of a bottoming scene with Keith. I said yes, I’m in! That first experience with SE was wonderful. They flew me out to VA, put me up in a hotel, treated me to all meals, and were very kind and welcoming to all of us. I figured that shoot was a one-time deal, but then a year later, Bethany approached me once again with the concept of the Keith Jones Trilogy. Of course, I was very happy to work with them again.

How many movies have you made, and which one has been the most memorable?

I have been in nine videos — four for Shadow Lane and five for Spanking Epics — plus three of SE’s “spanklets” (mini-videos for direct download). It’s hard to say which shoot is the most memorable, as they all were for different reasons. Certainly flying back east and spending five days shooting the Keith Jones Trilogy for Spanking Epics was an amazing experience—I had a great time, and met a lot of wonderful, unforgettable people. But I guess my very first video shoot, for Shadow Lane’s Naughty Secretaries Week Part II, has to be the standout, for many reasons. I had no idea what to expect, I was nervous as hell, and everyone there made it incredible for me. I’d had a crush on Keith from afar since I’d joined Shadow Lane, so you can imagine how I felt when I found out I was shooting with him! He was so kind, so supportive and complimentary to both Alexandria and me, as were [Shadow Lane owners] Tony and Eve. And that gold halter-top dress Eve bought for me made me feel like a kinky Cinderella. The shoot was fairly long, about 9 ½ hours, but we had a lot of laughs and silliness, and were all treated to dinner afterward. I was on a high for days after that.

What are the most likely factors that influence whether you have a good experience on the set?

Definitely good chemistry with my co-stars, for one. I have been lucky with that, as I’ve enjoyed and clicked with everyone on the various sets. A sense of humor, the ability to be silly and playful, goes a long way in shoots, because some of them are quite time-consuming and rigorous. Being prepared; knowing my lines, having run them with the others, feeling confident in the knowledge that I know what I’m doing and that I’ll deliver a good performance.

You are into spanking in your private life, is that right? Would you say you’re first a kinky woman, and then a spanking model, or vice versa—meaning, would you rather star in a movie that makes you hot, or in one where you look good?

Yes, I am very much into spanking in my private life, and I’m a kinky woman first. I don’t want to do a video unless it resonates with me, makes me feel hot, sexy, spankable, funny, bratty, whatever. Sure, I want to look good too, but if I’m feeling happy, enjoying myself and really connecting with my partner, the looks will follow.

You are one of the few mature models in an industry that favours nubile teens. How do you think your age has influenced your career?

Well, unfortunately, my age has made my video career shorter than I would have liked, because I started so late. I so admire the young women in the current generation of spankees; they knew who they were and what they wanted, and went for it early. I didn’t even get my first adult spanking until I was 38! But better late than never. And I am very grateful to Shadow Lane and Spanking Epics, for realizing that a woman’s sexiness and spankability don’t end at age 35.

Indeed, good for them. I wonder if you’ve ever had any discouraging comments from others in the industry?

Well… not so much discouraging, but hardly encouraging, either. I’ve had other producers regretfully tell me that if I topped, they’d have lots of work for me. I have written to a couple of other companies, sent them pictures and a list of my videos and expressed an interest in working for them… and never received a reply. The worst comment I ever got wasn’t from the industry, but from an anonymous person in the scene. I had posted on a forum, and someone replied, sneering something along the lines of “Who cares what an ugly, old, washed-up spanking model has to say?” I sometimes wonder how people like that sleep at night, with all that malice thrumming in their veins.

Has it been easy to stick to your limits in all the movies you’ve done?

Yes, because I worked for companies who respected them, and cast me around them. One of the first things Eve Howard asked me was, “What are your limits; what are you willing to do and what are your absolute no’s?” Granted, I probably could have worked a lot more if I had fewer limits, but I never wanted to do videos just for the sake of appearing in them; I wanted to fully enjoy the experience and be proud of the results. Only once have I broken a personal limit for video; when Bethany contacted me for the Spanking Epics shoot of “The Schoolmaster’s Revenge”, she let me know up front that I would have to do a brief topping scene, of my “daughter.” Now, I can’t top; I hate the very idea of it. It’s ironic, because I can easily cop a very bossy and toppy attitude, but I simply cannot bring myself to inflict pain on anyone (even if I know they like it!). However, I so wanted to be in this production; it was their debut video, and it was an honor to be asked. Plus, I’d get to work with Keith again. So I agreed to do it… but I still can’t watch that scene without cringing!

That’s a shame, because it’s such a hot scene! Do you find your limits have changed at all since you’ve started?

Hmmmm… I’d like to say yes, because that would make me sound wonderfully open-minded and flexible, but screw it—I’m set in my ways!  So, I’d have to say no, not really.

Fair enough. If you were Queen for a day, with a power to change things about the spanking industry that annoy you, what would you do?

Oh my… what a thought-provoking question, but challenging to answer without stepping on any toes! So, I’ll start with this caveat: These are just my preferences, folks, so please don’t take them as a criticism or judgment on anyone else’s tastes. Remember, for this one answer, I’m Queen, so I have Monarchial Immunity. (And if that didn’t exist before, it does now.)

I would love to see LOTS more M/F (big surprise there, huh?). Also, I would like more of the industry to realize that their audiences are not all male—lots of women buy and watch spanking videos too. So, while the casting of beautiful, spankable women is important, we female viewers like our eye candy too! Give us more Keith Joneses, Steve Fullers, Danny Chrightons and Razor Ryans. (Yes, I know I’m biased because I know and love all four of these men, but hey, remember that Immunity thing.) And there is something to be said for videos with some romance and plot; there is so much more to a spanking than the physicality of it.

I’d also like more of the industry to acknowledge that there is a market for the older female bottom. So many women haven’t been able to work past a certain age unless they become tops, which is fine if that’s what they choose—but what about those of us who don’t want to top? I get a lot of correspondence from men, asking me when I’m shooting again, and they all say the same thing: They love watching the beautiful younger women, but there is also something very hot about a mature woman getting her comeuppance like a naughty girl. Also, there is the MILF phenomenon. I get email from men as young as their early 20s. When I tell them I’m old enough to be their mother, they reply, “Who cares? Older women are hot.” So, there you have it.

Finally, I have been very blessed in that I’ve worked for companies who treated me with the utmost kindness and respect, and amazing generosity. But I’ve heard some horror stories. Producers, you want a good product? Treat your people well. Communicate with them. Respect their limits. Provide them with a comfortable and pleasant set. If you go the extra mile to make your performers happy, they will do everything they can to make wonderful videos for you, and they will sing your praises. And for heaven’s sake, what’s this business about paying the women top dollar, but paying the men less, or, even worse, paying them nothing? Equal pay for the men—they work hard too!

You tend to play rather bratty characters, who challenge their tops at every turn. Is that the image you embrace in real-life, or has this been a gift from the script writers?

What you see on screen is pretty much who I am, as far as the bratting is concerned. People are surprised to hear that I do have a submissive side, but a top has to work damn hard to get through to it!  However, in real life, I’m not malicious or irresponsible. I would never slap a man in the face or break a bottle over his head! In my professional life, I wouldn’t get drunk and crash an employer’s car, or deliberately ruin a client’s book with my opinionated editing. Oh, and believe it or not, I don’t blast loud music and disturb my neighbors. Sassy, sarcastic, challenging? You betcha. But I do have my softer, kinder side.

Have you made many friends in the spanking movie scene?

There are several levels of friendship; I have met many people in the industry whom I like and admire a great deal, and look forward to seeing at parties. But I think, as far as close personal friendships are concerned, I’ve made more of those in the scene overall. So many women in videos are much younger than I am, so it’s hard to find common ground, aside from being into spanking. One exception is Sierra Salem: she and I bonded when we traveled and spent time together during our two trips back east to work for Spanking Epics. I became very fond and protective of her, like a big sister.

The four men I mentioned above (in the Queen question) are definitely friends of mine. Danny is not only my favorite play partner, but he has become one of my best pals ever and I adore him.

I hang out with Dolores Cortez on occasion; she hasn’t been in the scene lately, but she still has her following, and she’s funny, feisty and smart. And I like Chelsea Pfeiffer; I’d like to know her better.

Are there any pet projects in the works right now?

Earlier this year, Danny and I wrote a story together; a fictionalized account of our first meeting. It was well received, so we decided to write a script based on it. My big dream is to have this script shot and distributed. It’s hot as hell, it has three separate spanking scenes and a great transition in personalities, we have wonderful chemistry together, and if I get to do this, I’ll have an even 10 videos—not bad for a woman who started shooting at age 42! If it turns out to be my last, I won’t complain; how many people get to shoot their fantasy video, one they conceived and wrote, with a real-life play partner and friend? Anyway, Sierra and Dallas [of Dallas Spanks Hard] have expressed an interest in shooting us; stay tuned and keep your fingers crossed!

And the traditional question: is there anything you feel I ought to ask you, and haven’t?

Can’t think of anything offhand, really. I like how you choose questions that are beyond the typical ones, and you tailor your interviews to each individual. These questions made me think and were a lot of fun to answer.

That’s very kind!

As usual, I’ve asked readers to submit some questions, and the best of them got answered. Although the list of questions had been shuffled and made anonymous, both favourites ended up being from the same person. Well done, Amber!

How did you become a model, how did you decide to be one? Did you have any reservations?

In August 1999, I was at a Shadow Lane party in Palm Springs; I had been to three or four parties before that one, and discovered I liked public play—apparently I had a long-closeted exhibitionistic streak. I think it was on Friday night when Ralph Marvell and I did a scene in the middle of the ballroom, and it turned out to be very intense. Others gathered to watch, but I wasn’t aware of them until after it was over, and I looked up—people were crowded around, giving us an ovation! I thought to myself, ‘You know what—I could get used to this!” I noticed that Tony and Butch [Simms] were among the watchers, and after spending the rest of the weekend working up my courage, I approached them at Sunday brunch and asked them if they’d be interested in having me shoot for them. They were very nice, didn’t mind having their brunch interrupted. Tony took my name and email, and the next week, Eve contacted me. And I was cast in my first video in January 2000. Reservations? Not at all. I have no children, and very little family. I work freelance, so I don’t have bosses to worry about. My boyfriend was all for it. Some young women worry that if they shoot fetish videos, it will come back to bite them somehow when they’re older and established in a different lifestyle. At MY age, that wasn’t a concern… I mean, when would it bite me, when I’m 60?

Do you think being a model makes it difficult to have a relationship or is it irrelevant?

In a perfect world, it should be irrelevant. But sometimes, human foibles like jealousy do cause difficulty. My boyfriend was never the jealous type; he didn’t mind my playing with other men, so he didn’t mind that I wanted to be in videos. In fact, he got a huge kick out of my enthusiasm and joy for doing them.

He didn’t even object to Spank Thy Neighbor, with that infamous digital penetration scene. I remember showing him the script for that one; you know what he objected to? No, he couldn’t care less about the wandering fingers; he moved right past that, and blurted, “Hey, you didn’t tell me you were gonna KISS him!” (Men!)

Anyway, I would say a spanking model must choose a partner who won’t get jealous or possessive, who understands that his/her play/shoots with others are compartmentalized, and take nothing away from their primary partner.

There are many successful relationships in this industry—look at Tony and Eve. Also Chelsea [Pfeiffer] and Larry, and Sierra and Dallas. With trust and communication, it can be done.

Thank you for your thoughtful, detailed answers, Erica.