'What's up everybody, it's your boy Brandon Harkin. I'm 19 years old, and halfway through my freshman year at University in beautiful upstate New York.'
Earlier this month, during my annual holiday gift posts, I introduced FH readers to model and actor Shawn Hayes and his work with photographer and filmmaker Shax Carter. In the post, (HERE:) I featured Shawn's work with Shax during a working vacation to San Juan. I was first introduced to Shawn's work with Shax through another medium, the film Argyle. The film, produced and directed by Shax, and written by Shax and Blake Barnes features Shawn in the role of college student Brandon Harken.
Brandon Harken (Shawn) likes argyle socks - a lot. A vivacious college student with money, time, and loads to blow, his roommate Aiken films a weekend of debauchery for his film class. What results is a beautiful Cinéma-vérité style documentary of raw and unfiltered masculine sexuality, curiosity, and exploration. Shot in UHD 4k with anamorphic lenses by the award nominated filmmaker.
I've always described Shax Carter's work reminiscent of an A & E Intimate portrait, a visual deep dive into the subject he's capturing and exploring. In the case of Argyle, Shax explores various aspects of Brandon's erotic wants and desires filmed through the lens of his roommate. The film follows Brandon's sexual interactions with his girlfriend, (played by Shawn's real-life girlfriend) as well as sensual scenes of self pleasure. One of my favorites was near the end of the film and features Brandon emotional and physical reactions while watching a gay porn movie.
'The majority of the movie was tightly scripted. The only scene that Shawn ad-libbed was this scene with Shawn wearing his plaid checkered pajamas on the bed. That scene was all done in one very long single take, and Shawn just completely winged it, in what I think is a fantastic performance from him.'
Shax shares that although Brandon is straight, he is narcissistic and likes to watch his own porn with him and his girlfriend. However when he is in the mood and finds it necessary, anything goes, as long as it is about him. Argyle definitely has a butt fetish, and the movie is somewhat about those goals. In the movie, bits of the porn are shown as Brandon watches. The porn was actually also made by Shax quite awhile back and starred porn star Dillon Anderson.
Argyle premiered in Rome at the Hacker Porn film festival and was nominated for multiple awards (in both pornographic and non-porn categories) With the film's success, Shax also created a photobook beautifully chronicling each scene and section of the film. The book contains images of artistic and erotic male nudity, graphic sex and relationships. The book was created and put together by Shax and a few friends, partly to keep themselves creatively occupied during the pandemic. You can preview, and order the book on Blurb HERE:
I've had the pleasure of seeing and enjoying both the book and the film. When I was thinking of a scene to spotlight for this post, this one was certainly one of my favorites. Not only is it incredibly hot, but Brandon's plaid pajamas and argyle socks certainly fit in perfectly with my comfy and cozy Twixmas theme. I was also fortunate to ask Shawn, (Brandon) about his memories of working with Shax.
How did you first connect with Shax
It was 2015 and I was brand new to the adult scene. I was planning to attend my very first adult convention with my girlfriend (now fiancé) who encouraged me to look on SexyJobs for opportunities in our area. I uploaded a few photos to my profile, and it wasn’t long before I found a post seeking solo male models. I was immediately interested and sent a message.
Shax booked me for the convention weekend and when I showed up, nervous and awkward because it was my first time on an adult set alone, he instantly made me feel relaxed. His confidence behind the camera put me at ease. The shoot went extremely well and we even had some fun getting underwater shots in a huge bathtub!
We reconnected at the height of COVID, rekindling an easy going working relationship and creating a friendship that only continues to grow. Since then I’ve worked on a number of projects with Shax. In addition to Argyle, in October of last year, Shax called me with a new opportunity: this time to travel to San Juan, Puerto Rico for a mini photo book exploring the city. I was stunned by the offer, and immediately said yes. We met at the Hilton Caribe in Puerto Rico and over several days, shot the book Shawn Goes to San Juan.
Your favorite part about your work with Shax?
I would have to say my favorite part is just how well we work together. We easily bounce ideas around, and allow the creativity to flow freely when we’re in the same room. Shax has an incredible way of capturing emotion on camera that brings our work together to life. After spending hours shooting to get the perfect shots, seeing how he transforms everything in the final cut is something I always look forward to with excitement. There is just something special about the way he composes and combines imagery in his photo books that tells a story with every flip of the page, and I’m honored to get to be a part of it.
When I first started working on this piece, the book was ready for purchase, but Shax hadn't found a way make the film readily available for viewers to enjoy. Thanks to Shawn and his girlfriend Samantha, that issue was solved. If you head their couple OnlyFans page, (HERE:) which is free to join, you can purchase, watch and enjoy Argyle for yourself.
'Stay tuned for more....'
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