Miss Elsa Svenson

A conversation – the film-maker’s viewpoint

Welcome again.  This is the second part of a conversation with Miss Svenson where it’s been my pleasure to hear first hand about aspects of making spanking films, and lots of other things besides.  I hope you enjoy it.  And as always do feel free to leave any comments.  It’s always interesting to hear blog readers’ perspectives on spanking and all that surrounds this fun adult activity.

Miss Svenson, perhaps I could begin by taking a little diversion now.  You actually feature in quite a number of the films yourself.  Can I ask you what is it that excites you personally about spanking?  Both physically but also emotionally/psychologically as a disciplinarian?

In terms of the films, I am really concentrating on the visual effect.  I really love to see a deep reddening of a bottom and stripes from the strap and the cane.  I like to inflict the right level of pain – not excessively or brutally but sufficient to impart a good sting with my hand or an implement.  In the end though, emotionally and psychologically I want the girl or boy I am punishing to feel chastened but grateful for their correction in the knowledge that it will do them some good.

I think that comes across very well in your films. The punishments are strict but I certainly sense they are measured and controlled.

Clearly, spanking is intended to impart a degree of temporary pain.  I think all of us recipients have a sort of love/hate relationship with this while it’s happening!  Especially when it is a film, how do you judge how the young lady being disciplined is doing?  Clearly, the idea is not to push someone so far that the experience transcends pleasure, albeit a physically challenging one.

With my level of experience, I can read body language very well I think.  There are signs when someone receiving a spanking or more challenging punishment that you can pick up.  I think if you watch my films closely you can see how a punishment is delivered in a firm but controlled fashion.  That is not to say that I do not proceed to complete the full correction but it is not all about beating someone as hard as possible as quickly as possible.  That really is not the essence of a good sound chastisement.  When I work with new actresses I still look out for all these signals but I do also tend to check with them at intervals verbally.

With young ladies like Charlotte and Susie, with whom I have now worked to produce many films, I know their reactions and limits at any one time very well.  We also subtly challenge those limits gently from time to time of course.  They are truly excellent actresses to work with.

The films you make have in my view increased in quality over time.  Particularly over the last 18 months perhaps.  Tell me a bit about the technical things you have to do when you are filming spanking scenes?

I use two cameras.  One takes a wider angle shot of a scene whilst the other I move about to obtain sequences from different angles and for close-up shooting.  Doing this provides lot of options during editing and I feel can lead to a good dynamic record of a spanking scene.

Yes, that’s interesting. I think it works well because once I am immersed in watching the action in some of the films I can actually imagine myself in the room itself at times. 

So when you are behind the camera what is your approach to directing the players and the action?

I take on the director role in all the films, even when I am participating in the action.  I usually have a quick chat with the actresses at the beginning.  When I am working with actresses I know well this is usually a quite brief talk through.  I explain what the roles are for the scene we are going to shoot and the various positions for punishments.  I don’t provide full script lines just hints about the sort of dialogue.  The script is in my head, and in fact I think this makes the action more spontaneous. I have ideas as we go along, which allows some flexibility in the story lines.

So we discuss these ideas as we are proceeding with the action, sometimes even when one of the girls is over the knee or desk partway through receiving a sound spanking or caning.

I think the vigorous activity stimulates the creative thought process quite well on the whole!

I can see that.  It’s strange actually how one’s mind can drift to all sorts of thoughts during a sound smacked bottom.  I certainly find that, despite the sting behind. So can I ask, what do you think makes a good spanking film from the technical point of view, or from any other perspective for that matter?

I like to try to include something unique if possible, although in a genre that has seen so many films produced perhaps there are fewer and fewer things that are truly unique.  But another aspect that matters a lot is the atmosphere you create.  There has to be a clear connection between spanker and spankee, and a certain build-up of tension as the time for a spanking to begin approaches ever closer. It’s important for the disciplinarian to be authentically stern and strict, whilst also showing humanity.  They are doing this for the spankee’s own good. It is not about sadism.

The spankee needs to show some apprehension at their impending punishment and then some struggling and resistance but also some contrition and acceptance of their chastisement.  Essentially, these emotions from the actresses in their different are a very important part in creating the right atmosphere.

In the majority of your films I always detect an element of humour somewhere.  I think that gives the scenes a great distinctive character. Is that element in your films something you are conscious of when you do the storylines?

Yes that is true to say.  I have humour in my head when doing the films.  There are often tongue-in-cheek moments and the actresses are often good at adding in the odd subtly funny or cheeky line themselves.  I think if you like this legitimises the films.  It says to the viewer clearly I hope that the films are not abusive.  Ultimately they are about fun, despite involving temporary stinging pain for the receiving participants.

Tell us about some funny off camera moments.  Some of the players I have met are such good fun and full of fun themselves. I imagine it must be great working with them.

I can’t think of any particular moments like that.  But we do have a lot of fun in between.  Take a film like the Secret Book.  I really encouraged Susie and Charlotte to make fun of me while I was filming them. It was quite sweet when initially they said they couldn’t but they did in the end and I think came out with some great dialogue, which was amusing and cheeky but avoiding being outright rude about the character of their stern headmistress. It was similar with the Cheeky Girls with Bonnie and Susie.  Their dialogue was most endearing I thought. In fact, the film brought out more cheekiness in Susie than she had shown before, which was excellent for the storyline.

We are going to take another little break at this point.  Miss Svenson, once again thank you for sharing your thoughts.  I think blog readers will find them most interesting.  I am certainly finding our discussion and conversation very rewarding.  It is a pleasure to be able to talk with you about adult spanking; it is a subject that is dear to my heart as you well know!

The third and final part will be coming soon.

Ian London  – in conversation with Miss Elsa Svenson.