In an industrial stretch of Bridgeton, six people are squeezed into a tiny motel room that's dominated by a king-size bed whose garish comforter features images of Mt. Rushmore, the Gateway Arch and other U.S. landmarks.
"Can't beat shooting a porno in a Motel 6," says Corey. "I mean it. Porn made in California has those big houses with pools and Italian leather couches. Here in the Midwest — we have Motel 6."
Jenny sits on the bed, about to star in her second adult film. But this time, she won't have to reject the male star. Instead, she'll be performing with her boyfriend, Pete.
Jenny and Pete say they get off on the idea of doing porn because it involves have sex with other people. Or rather, it involves Jenny having sex with other people — because Pete is only allowed to have sex with her. Pete says he's into watching his girlfriend having sex with other men. Jenny, however, stresses that she doesn't do it solely for him.
"I like that he likes it, but I want to do this for my own excitement," she says.
As Jenny poses for Corey's still shots, easily following directions like "stick your butt out" and "play with your clit," Pete is in the bathroom, trying to get ready.
"He's a little nervous," Sam explains. "First time. It's always hard for the guys."
Stage fright, in fact, is one of the biggest challenges in finding male talent.
"We get responses to our ads and they say they're interested," Sam explains. "But a lot of them just don't show up. I think they get nervous and have second thoughts."
And quite often, even when the male talent does arrive, things don't go so smoothly.
Pete, a lanky twenty-year-old, who with his skinny jeans and shaggy hair looks like he should be playing a guitar in a dive bar, emerges from the bathroom.
"You good?" Corey asks him.
"Yeah," Pete mutters, feigning a smile.
Jenny gives her boyfriend a concerned look.
"It's gonna be fine," she tells him, exuding the confidence of a more seasoned professional. "Just come over here. It's just like we always do."
"You OK? Sure you're ready?" Corey says.
"We're good!" Jenny quickly answers.
The couple begins in typical porno fashion. They strip. They kiss. Jenny goes down on Pete. The room is completely silent except for a slight slurping sound. Pete lets out a muffled sigh, and Corey kills the camera.
"You need to be more vocal," Corey instructs Pete. "Don't go overboard, but make it sound like you're enjoying it. Tell her you're gonna fuck her in the mouth or something."
"Just do like you normally do," Jenny tells Pete.
"And grab her hair — you got hands, buddy!" Corey scolds. He looks over at his business partner, Sam.
"We need to start writing scripts or something," he says. Sam nods in agreement.
Jenny and Pete are going to need more direction, Corey decides, so he draws up a game plan that goes something like this: begin with a blowjob, progress into a 69 position, have Jenny go on top, transition into doggy-style and then the climax.
All parties agree, and Corey grabs his camera. But now there's another problem.
"You're looking a little floppy there, buddy" Corey says. Pete shrugs, embarrassed.
"It's not that I'm nervous," he says. "I'm just into certain things, you know?"
"Like what?"
"He likes choking," Jenny says.
"We can't do that. Homegrown doesn't want violence in the video," Sam explains.
"Grabbing hair and light spanking is as far as we can go," Corey adds.
But that's no reason Pete can't choke Jenny off-camera to get in the mood. And in order to accommodate the couple, Sam and Corey decide to give them some time to warm up.
A few minutes later, Pete is ready. But the choke-play might have gotten him too riled up. A few moments into the blowjob, Pete pushes Jenny's head back and grabs his penis, squeezing it hard as he stares up at the ceiling.
"Fuck," Corey says.
"Sorry, man," Pete replies.
"How come you didn't tell me?" asks Jenny.
"I tried to pull your hair."
"No, you didn't!"
"Guys, it's totally fine," Corey interrupts. "Happens all the time. Don't worry, Pete. Really. It's cool."
Pete, eager to correct the situation, offers a solution: "I can go again."
"Umm...are you sure?" Jenny says.
"Yes. I just need a little time," he says.
"Great! That would be great!" Sam says. "Let's break for lunch, and get back to it."
Pete re-energizes with some McDonald's hamburgers, which aren't exactly an aphrodisiac. It takes more than eight hours for Pete to stay hard long enough to get adequate footage for the 30- to 40-minute porno.
At the end of the day, a tired and worn out Pete gives up. He can't cum. This was supposed to be a creampie video — where the man ejaculates inside the woman and the camera films the semen dripping out between her legs. After ten hours of work, it looks like the goal of the day's shoot won't be accomplished. That is, until Jenny saves the day.
"We can make fake cum," she says. "Just mix a little flour with water. There are recipes online. It looks real."
A quick trip to the supermarket for flour, and the climax is salvaged. Pete fakes an orgasm, Jenny inserts the flour and water mixture into her vagina and, voilà, creampie.
"Genius," Corey exclaims. "I had no fucking idea."
