CAM Writer Describes How Sex Worker Stigma Nearly Derailed Entire Film
Isa Mazzei and Daniel Goldhaber were ex-high school sweethearts who, as adults, began a relationship that was both platonic and sexual. She was a cam girl and Goldhaber sat behind the camera as an advisor and artistic director, bringing cinematic qualities to her performances. When the thrill began to dissipate, the two decided to take things to the next level; their plan: Write and produce a feature film about the life of a cam girl.
Related Article: Check Out Spooky Astronauts’ Video Review of CAM Now on Netflix
Even before they had a plot outline, before they knew Cam would be a horror movie, the duo had a primary objective: To destigmatize sex workers. Of course, Mazzei drew heavily on her personal experiences. She recently told Playboy (yes, I really do read the articles):
“That’s what we wanted to do. We wanted to show a sex worker and have an audience rooting for her, which is rarely, if ever, done in media.”
In the same interview, however, she revealed how sex worker stigma almost derailed the film before it even began.
“We’re in a professional setting, we’re in a boardroom, and instead of [studio executives] asking me about the script or the story or about me, they’re asking me about the weirdest sexual act that I’ve ever performed,” she tells Playboy. “They would assume that I didn’t write the script, and I said, ‘No, I studied literature in college, I’ve been writing my entire life, I’m a writer.’ But they couldn’t see me as a writer—they could only see me as a cam girl.”
Whatever your personal opinions are regarding sex workers and pornography, Cam will challenge your pre-conceived notions, and perhaps even change your perception of adult entertainment. The film is streaming now on Netflix, so I highly recommend seeing it at your earliest convenience. It made my personal Top 10 list of horror movies screened at this year’s Fantastic Fest.
Related Article: Top 10 Horror Movies from Fantastic Fest 2018
For a better idea of what Cam has to offer, give the synopsis and trailer a spin below; the film stars Madeline Brewer, Patch Darragh, and Melora Walters.
Synopsis:
Alice, an ambitious camgirl, wakes up one day to discover she’s been replaced on her show with an exact replica of herself.
Have you seen Cam? What do you think about Isa Mazzei and Daniel Goldhaber’s goal of destigmatizing sex workers? Sound off in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram!
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