With well over two decades in the adult industry under his belt and multiple studios that he shoots for, director Maestro Claudio is a gonzo-creating tour de force in the porn business. He’s worked with top-tier talent for years and knows the ins and outs of creating the type of porn that viewers want to see. Luckily for us, Claudio had the time to sit down and share with us his creative perspective behind such popular titles as Anal Soccer Moms 3. Learn more about him in our exclusive interview below!
Besides a prolific 20+ year long career in adult filmmaking, you are also an engineer, airplane pilot, stock trader, and alpine skier. Were any of these what you did professionally before porn?
I worked as a freelance engineer when I was in Italy, I do everything else you mentioned only for fun. Actually when I came to the US, I wanted to do something professionally with airplanes, but I was always dreaming about porn and obviously my dream became true.
Why do you use Maestro as part of your name? Are you also an accomplished musician?
Absolutely not, I’m actually tone deaf. If I remember correctly, that name was given to me by my friend Michael Stefano when I used to shoot all the scenes in which he was in. The reason was my noteworthy ability with the video and still camera, so it’s a kind of Maestro like Leonardo or Michelangelo; I use my cameras like they used their painting brush. Also Federico Fellini for his ability in directing movies was called Maestro.
You began performing with your wife, Gina Rome. Is that correct?
It is correct, her stage name was Gina Rome. Now she is the chief editor for all the Perv City footage.
Were you both part of the swinging lifestyle before getting into the adult industry?
Unfortunately not, but I’ve always dreamed about that and that’s the main reason I started working in the adult business.
What is your secret to having a successful marriage for so many years while performing in the adult industry?
I wouldn’t say there is a special secret, we just love each other and have faith in each other, sex is a different thing. Most of the performers treat the sex they have on camera as work, I believe we’ve always treated it as a recreational activity that also brings money… and this is wonderful! [laughs]
On that same note, how did you remain successful as an actor/director in the adult industry for as many years as you have?
As you know I’m an engineer, therefore I have a brain that functions pretty well. I believe that success in life is mainly due to having a decent amount of intelligence, using it properly, and being very determined; I possess all these requirements.
Did you first direct for Rob Black at Extreme Associates? What was it like working for him?
I never directed for him; I performed a lot for his company and my wife and I did a lot of editing for him. I personally like him, I was always paid and I’ve never had any problem with him.
Can you tell us one major difference in how you direct now as compared to when you first started?
As I said in in a previous interview I did for a different magazine, the use of the word “director” in gonzo movies most of the times makes me laugh. I mainly consider myself a visual artist who, as I said before, uses his camera as a painter uses his painting brush. I don’t believe there are substantial differences between how I used to shoot then and how I shoot now. I can only say that now I concentrate my attention more on the specific details of the action, completely excluding the male talent’s body from the picture and keeping only his sexual organ in it. With the adoption of a wide-angle lens and through the careful use of particular camera angles, I implement a technique that allows me to enhance the female body’s curves and keep in sight her face at the same time. I favor the medium shots and closeups and I rarely use wide shots.
In regards to the #MeToo movement, ss a director in the adult industry, have you needed to institute protocols that ensure that performers on your set feel comfortable at all times?
On set, besides the male performer, the only other males are my PA and me. My PA is super professional, which means that I should enforce protocols only on myself, but I prefer to maintain them kind of loose… [laughs] Just kidding, I’m very professional too.
You recently released Anal Soccer Moms 3. One of the performers, Alana Cruise, didn’t start in the industry until she was 33, and there have been others like her. Is this a new trend you have noticed with women in particular choosing porn as a second career?
I wouldn’t say so, I’ve seen this happening all the time throughout my whole career. In the case of my wife and me, when we started she was 30 and I was 40.
What makes Perv City stand out from all the rest of the sites?
Certainly the main factor is my peculiar way of shooting, which delights the viewer with the most vivid and impressive images, offering a totally immersive viewing experience. Also to be considered is the fact that during the years we’ve been using top porn stars: Angela White, Bridgette B., and Eva Lovia, to name some. Not to mention that we alternate the use of experienced talents with fresh new faces in order to introduce the viewers to new potential stars.
What else is in the works for Perv City in the upcoming year?
We’ll keep entertaining our fans with top-notch anal scenes, fresh new faces, sloppy BJs, and more DPs of course. I hope you’ll like it, thank you.
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