INTERVIEW WITH NATALI DEMORE

1)  How did it "all" -- and by that I mean, bondage, fetish, porn -- start for you?  What motivated you to go into this business/industry?

I went to college and got a degree in fine art photography and was interested in the female form. When I got out of school, I got a job at a portrait studio and after hours I posed for some nude and lingerie photos that I started posting in newsgroups for fun. Then I found a studio I could use regularly and in exchange for rental, I posed for the studio owner’s websites. He was just starting a bondage website and I decided to give it a try. It was really fun and different and from there I met so many more people in the bondage industry and started my first pay website EroticLens.com (which was a mix of glamour, nude, fetish and bondage).  I used to scan in 3x5 photos and post 3 sets of 30-50 photos a week. That site I decided to close down and shot custom videos for a while.  A couple years later I opened BondageOrgasms.com and then SmotheredSlave.com. I had learned how to build websites in college writing html and loved it, so it was a perfect match!

2)  You must be a workaholic based on the product you turn out each week on www.BondageOrgasms.com and www.SmotheredSlave.com, both of which contain dozens of images and often a 30-45 minute video feature.  Can you explain the process from start to finish of how your photo and video shoots evolve and over what period of time the entire process takes place?

Well, when I had the one website, I was doing all my own editing and updating the site and coming up with all the stories and booking the models, etc. Then when I opened the 2nd website I decided to get an editor, a studio, and an assistant as well as someone to help around the office. Now I just take care of updating both websites and the modeling. More specifically, I basically usually have a story concept in mind.  Then I book the model that will fit it or vice versa, write the story, and shoot it. After it’s shot, I send it off to my editor and he gets it back to me in about a week and I put it on the site within 2-4 weeks. My sites also get a good amount of custom videos so that helps with the variety of stories and scenarios. I shoot about once or twice a week.

3)  Most producers I know have more than enough work running one successful website, but you run two of them with BondageOrgasms opening back in 2004 and SmotheredSlave debuting in early 2007.  What led you to want to open and run a second site and what made you decide that it would be a site that features face-sitting and breathplay (as well as bondage)?

I decided if I no longer had to do my own laundry, I would have the time to do two websites so I got a couple of maids! I somehow found the time to make it work because I was determined to open another site. It was a difficult decision, but I went with the facesitting and breathplay because I personally had always been interested in breathplay and the original idea behind it was for me to be behind the camera and shoot a male submissive and female Domme. However, I quickly realized that my fans were not happy with my absence from the site and preferred an all girl cast. I had not seen any other facesitting sites with bondage and fetish and I felt the need for those two to be combined.

4)  In the Rope_Dreams Group, you took first place in our Fan Favorite Awards in 2007, 2008 and 2009 as "Favorite Domme."  On your sites you often play the role of the Domme, but you also play the sub.  In fact, there are many video features where you play both roles in the same film.  What is the mindset like for you when you are playing the Domme as opposed to the sub?  And, when you switch roles in the same video feature, is that easy or difficult for you mentally to accomplish?  Do you do anything different mentally to prepare yourself for each or either of those roles?

When I am playing Domme, I like to feel the power exchange and it’s kind of what I could call shock value of what I'm about to do next. I enjoy some light humor in my stories and love to dress up. The role I play is pure fantasy, doing things you can't normally get away with in real life or real situations and to take it as far as I dare. For me to Domme is about confidence that’s been hidden away inside of me wanting to come out in a safe environment. To mentally prepare myself for a sub role, I can relax and enjoy what will be done to me. It’s kind of the anticipation that drives me sexually when I sub. I always need to start as a Domme then go to the sub role. It’s hard to go the other way for me.

5)  You're clearly a businesswoman so here's a business-related question for you.  A few years ago, we did the "What's in a name" discussion in Rope_Dreams and you explained then how you came up with your modeling name.  How important is the branding of one's name for a model in the bondage, fetish or porn industries?

It’s very important to have a name and the reputation you build around it.

6)    I read a few years ago in Nugget Magazine when they did a feature article on you that you have one of the largest collections of dildos and vibrators.  How did that hobby come about?  How many items are in your collection? And over what period of time have you amassed that collection?

Oh the minute I turned 18 I bought many toys, as I couldn't wait to try them out. To me there's something very romantic about using toys with a play partner and exploring all the possibilities. I would say I have about 200 to 250 different vibrators and dildos. Not to mention anything about the S/M toys I own!

7)  You work with many recognizable people from the bondage, fetish and porn industries on both of your web sites. Do the models/performers seek you out to work with you, or do you approach them to work with you?  And when you decide who you'll be working with, how do you decide what role/type of character in the shoot/video the other model or performer will play?

I approach 95% of the models from the agencies and the rest seek me independently. But most the time I do all the contacting of who I want to work with. I pick them based on their interests, abilities, figure, and what I have in mind to do with them. I might see a show on TV that inspires me that week, so I think of who would play that role. I also get some ideas for scripts from my assistant.

8)   Who do you admire?  And what do you enjoy doing as a hobby or when you have downtime?

I admire Ken Marcus when I first noticed his artistic BDSM imagery before I started modeling and his was the first bondage website I ever joined.  He trained under Ansel Adams, and when I went to photography school I had studied Ansel Adams photographs and used his zone system.

I admire Ogre of DungeonCorp.com who inspired me to start BondageOrgasms.com after my first shoot with him. He taught me how to market my site and today we share an affiliate program and work together occasionally (when I have time!).  As a hobby I like movies, books, video games, card games and going to parties.