NOEL ALEJANDRO, INDEPENDENT FILMMAKER
Queer Careers is an ongoing series featuring out-and-proud professionals. This time, we speak to Noel Alejandro, an independent adult filmmaker based in Berlin. Noel likes to make movies that feature beautiful men in favorable lighting; the result can be quite stunning. He speaks to us about his art, porn, and his plans for the future.
Hey Noel, please introduce yourself to our ROMEO audience.
“Hi. I’m Noel Alejandro. I’m from Barcelona but living in Berlin and I’m a gay adult filmmaker.”
Are you a porn director, an artist, or both?
“Sex in my films is just a whim. My films are a hybrid between, what I like about conventional cinema, and the porno genre. A redefinition of both concepts, if you will.”
How is what you do, different to traditional mainstream porn?
“The best thing is for the viewer to see it for himself. I think the pictures and the movies speak for themselves! But if I have to summarize it in a term, I would say that the difference between my films and the conventional ones is that in mine, there is a director behind the camera with something to say. I don’t want to belittle conventional porn, as it is usually done for another purpose, and can be quite effective in achieving its own goal.”
More Queer Careers: DJ Seven Ultra Omni
Who is your target audience?
“Everyone hungry for a different genre.”
Do you develop ideas with scriptwriters or is it improvised scenes?
“I just added a screenwriter to the team. Previously, I was writing it myself. We have improvised a lot in some scenes, which have been very good at times. Call Me a Ghost is completely improvised and was practically written in production. Improvisation can be a great technique to learn how to make movies.”
SEXUAL HEALTH AT WORK
Do you screen your performers’ sexual health status?
“Yes, my actors do tests, and they make their status known before recording. Based on that, they make their own decisions.”
What is your position on PrEP and working with HIV positive actors?
“My actors have sex according to their preferences. They are tested regularly, and we try to make them feel as comfortable as possible in the sex scene. I always bring condoms to the shoots, in case the actors change their mind at the last minute.”
In your work, the Adonis body type is prevalent, do you plan to work with more diverse shapes and sizes?
“I have not only worked with Adonis types, there are very different bodies to be found in my work. If you only see a particular body type, it is unintentional. I do not have as many proposals as you may think.”
Greatest achievement to date?
“I make a living from my work and distribute my own cinema, by myself. What makes me feel the most satisfied is that I’m getting over old insecurities, while growing up as a film director. I’m learning how to lead a team, and that’s something I never thought I would be able to do.”
Greatest mistake so far, if any?
“Losing myself in fear, and wasting many chances to face the problems.”
What’s your dream project and what are you working on next?
“I make porn to learn to narrate. I increasingly understand cinema as a discipline that requires a lot of practice to master. My path has started in porn, but I do not know where it will end. Now I’m working on three new short films that I will release throughout the year. ;)”
Any advice for people hoping to get started in filmmaking?
“Yes, learn some basics from somebody else first and start to fly asap. You will learn fast on the go. ;)”
EVEN MORE OF NOEL ALEJANDRO INDEPENDENT FILMAKER
For even more beautiful cinematic photography and to see upcoming Noel Alejandro films, follow him on Instagram, and make sure to visit his website.
