SYNOPSIS

My Normal is the story of Natalie, a young lesbian from the Lower East Side, who's struggling to find a balance between her dreams of becoming a film maker and her lifestyle as a dominatrix. Her exotic looks and unconventional techniques make her one of the most desirable mistresses in the NYC underground. After befriending her weed dealer and igniting a steamy love affair with her new girl, Natalie gets an internship on a real movie set. But if everything she ever wanted is becoming a reality, why is her life falling apart? When it seems that all is lost, Natalie realizes that the only way to turn her dreams into reality is to use her unique talents as a dominatrix to get exactly what she wants.

THE INCEPTION

Renee Garzon and Adam Sales, young New York natives worked together on their first film, MY NORMAL. Both film makers had a long history of experience in multiple art forms before embarking on their first film. MY NORMAL was written as a forum thru which they could express their voices incorporating their political, social, and romantic experiences and views. The various controversial scenes and subjects touched upon in this film were ones Renee and Adam knew well from first hand experience.  They were greatly inspired by the underground NYC scenes that are often spoken about but rarely seen.

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

The primary reason I chose to make this film was because of two of the writers/producers, Renee Garzon and Adam Sales. Their insightful story led me on a trip into a fantastic world existing right under our noses.  An idea about a young woman grabbing power and control of her life in the most unorthodox of ways while still grappling with the same issues every young woman deals with in regard to romance, friends and family.  It was both a powerful story as well as a fun one, and there was no way I could say no to it or to them.

The crew was a mixed group of mostly older pros responding to the material and the inexperienced young people eager to be involved in movie making. It was a chaotic production that was underfunded, undermanned and generally just a lot of fun. Every department head rose to the occasion and there were many, many angels over our shoulders. Special thanks should go to the DP, George Lyon and the Production Designer, Timothy Whidbee, both of whom were dependable professionals of reliable excellent work.

The cast was a group of mostly unknowns who "hit it out of the park".  Nicole Laliberte was the first person we saw during casting. I stopped her reading after one page - out of three - and asked her to come back when the producers were present. We never seriously considered anyone else. Nicole is responsive and easy to work with and more practiced than her prior credits would indicate. She deserves to be a star.  Ty Jones always delivers. Dawn Pignuola was as sweet and quiet as can be... until we put her in front of a camera and she exploded with intensity. Nama Kates, Melanie and Maine Anders, Sonia were the perfect accomplices to Nicole's "Natalie" character. Both Mark Sarturno and Heath Kelts are funny and talented actors with enormous appeal as well as excellent timing. They both have bright futures in the business if they can only avoid serious jail time.