Since we’ve got no photo sets out this Tuesday, and because we did this reasonably successfully about 6 months ago, it might be fun to do it again, provided you haven’t run out of questions. I’ve called it ‘Ask Me Anything’ because I don’t remember what I called it before. You can ask, but I might not answer, depends on the question. Just add comments to this thread and we’ll see what happens.
Irvin says:
Love that you’re gradually incorporating more bondage elements into the videos! On that note, do you think gags could be something we can see in the future?
Also, will Claire ever return as Bluebird?
Keep up the great work!
ngcrisis says:
Hello Irvin. We’ve already done gags, so yes we might do more of them. An example: https://nextglobalcrisis.com/releases/villains-accomplice-part-2/
No I think it’s very unlikely. She lives about as far away from us as it is possible to be, and though she has come over a couple of times I was surprised each time and would be even more surprised from now on. If she emailed and said she wanted to then great, but if I’m initiating it, I’d need a very big offer I would think.
SJ says:
Ask you anything? ok … What are your top ten superheroine films by other producers?
If ever you are visiting Brighton meet for a pint!
ngcrisis says:
I honestly can’t say because I haven’t bought anything since I started producing. Obviously I’ve seen trailers for this and that. When I started there was practically nothing going on. A few people existed who are still around today, but they were going through quiet spells in 2009. The genre had almost stopped, which is a key reason why I started. So, sorry. I don’t have an answer because if I’ve not watched something I can’t comment. All I can say is occasionally I will see a model/actress and think they are great. I’m very out of the loop, but one who springs to mind fairly recently is Kayla at TBFE. I’ve never seen a whole video of hers, but I can tell from the line delivery and the action in the trailers that she’s really good. Not what you asked, but yeah, I’ll bet anything she’s in is good.
My brother used to live in Hove so I’d go down there a fair bit then, but no longer sadly.
Rubster says:
1) Do you have plans to reinstate the girl fights pain league?
2) Is there also possibility for more outdoor location shooting? Of course locations are expensive and more difficult with lighting but the location is a bit the same for the NGC world.
I think in the first seasons you had more outside or at least character stepping into a building.
3) Please keep up the villain network video’s. The “old” skool peril situations like in the old batman/batgirl series is fun and something different. I like more of that and variation in it. Are you going to bring more of that
ngcrisis says:
1) No. It was a huge amount of extra work, then the pandemic screwed up the opportunity to work with most of the cast I’d built, I could only use the ring on Sunday’s, and I don’t want to spend my Sunday’s in the nicest months of the year in a basement.
2) I wouldn’t hold your breath. I am someone who doesn’t like surprises, and outdoor shooting is full of them. You are at the mercy of the weather. I like to book shoots a month ahead of time. Perhaps if we arranged something for tomorrow where I’m confident about the forecast, but that isn’t my style. I’d probably have to get out of London because there’s tons of people being noisy or rubber-necking. We did shoots in the countryside for Bluebird 2020, and that was okay, but those shoots did not rely on audio, and were secluded with only one character. It’s just a lot of hassle.
3) Yeah we’re going to keep doing it, we had a bit of a gap, but there will be more. ‘Toxic Fans’ though Action Cosplay, is pretty close to a VTV setup.
mid218 says:
What’s it like to find new talents? Do they know they’re entering a very peculiar subgenera?
ngcrisis says:
Well it involves quite tedious work going through applications, which is why I get other people to do that now and send me shortlists. Then sitting in a room, meeting everyone, seeing how they read lines and what their fighting is like. Everyone is given a link to the website before application, so they can decide if it is something they want to do from that. If someone gets as far as the casting room and they’ve not bothered to look at the website, then that points to someone who isn’t organised and won’t learn their lines etc.. So unless they are amazing in the audition I’d probably not consider them.
Dr Mabuse says:
Another recruitment question if you don’t mind: Do you start with a character/identity ahead of time then cast for that character, or do you find a performer you want to cast and create a character fit to that performer (or is it somewhere in between)?
ngcrisis says:
It has changed over the years. For the first probably 8 years I wrote the character and had a clear idea of what she looked or sounded like. This made the process of casting quite annoying, because even if you get someone who is brilliant, there will always be some form of compromise. I decided to change tack a few years ago, and now I just meet capable actors and once I’m sure I want to work with them I will devise a character that I think will suit them. It still isn’t perfect because you only spend about 20 minutes with them in casting, but it’s way more enjoyable.
Maf says:
Can you offer some insight in the style of the costumes for the upcoming superheroines?
We have seen skirts back with Lady Atom and now a more standard leotard suit in the newest heroine. Maybe some masked heroine style coming back like Sonica or Catherine Marks? I have even seen some other producers doing some fully masked and fully concealed actress identity as a marketing ploy.
Although I don´t have a particular taste for unmasking I do like how those look on heroines, specially since some of the latest wearers of them Like Deja Vu and Sonica wore full bodysuits 🙂
Anyway thanks for the chance for a dedicated QnA post!
ngcrisis says:
We’ve got another skirted heroine, we’ve got a couple more leotard one’s coming, you’ve seen the Shining Spirit costume. One has a small-ish mask.
Maf says:
Guess leotards are just too convenient regarding movility and fit between actresses than something with pants or full bodysuits to be ignored! There´s a reason gimnasts wear them
Looking forward to meeting the new heroines!! (specially after reading that you now first cast an actor and then design a heroine identity that suits them!)
Jim says:
Do you have any future releases in the works containing AOH? It would be even better if they incorporated a bit of a beatdown/torture element
ngcrisis says:
I’m sure we do have more AOH at some point.
guido84 says:
1) When doing a fight scene, do the cast learn the whole choreography in one go, or do they learn it in several smaller chunks as you go along? How much input to the actors have in the choreography?
2) It was a while ago, and has probably already been discussed, but how come you stopped including the full credits on videos between season 3 and 4?
3) Any chance of any more Q&A videos with the cast, like that one with Bluebird that can still be found on the sight? I doubt it, but still hopeful. They’d make perfect members gifts
ngcrisis says:
1) They learn it in bitesize chunks. They don’t really have an input unless obviously they can’t do what they’re being asked to, and then we’ll change it.
2) A well covered topic. To be brief, a couple of morons decided to start pestering people on their actual social media, that their families could read.
3) There’s always a chance, we just haven’t thought to do it. We can’t generally fit anything like that into shoot days, so it requires extra from the actress, which was fine with Bluebird but won’t be for everyone.
Damon says:
Would u consider having ubiquity use her upl outfit at all I think that would be a really cool constike change idea for a championship video? Plus Jennifer is amazing in that outfit
ngcrisis says:
No I wouldn’t because that would be something only you want!
OldBear says:
Hey! I also wouldn’t mind seeing something like that, lol.
If she ever has to don a civilian guise for whatever reason she could always wear that as a cool little call back.
Regardless, very happy to see her making the transition to NGC.
clutchking says:
Similar question to what guido84 asked above but in regards to dialogue. I imagine these scripts are pretty carefully crafted and there’s also the matter of custom order requirements, but do you allow the performers to ad-lib?
Asking specifically after watching the Marvelette/Chaotica video because I thought Chaotica’s dialogue was simply amazing and was wondering if the actress came up with any of that on her own 🙂
ngcrisis says:
They tend not to do it rather than me demanding they don’t. Sometimes they say the lines in a way that changes the words, but if what they’ve said doesn’t change the meaning then we usually keep it. The only ad lib we sometimes get is during a fight phrase they might add “Get up!” Or something like that. Malicia does that a fair bit and I like that.
clutchking says:
Makes sense! I may have to rewatch some Malicia vids to catch that. Thank you for the response!
Alan Jones says:
A different approach: Do you have a superheroine fetish? And if so, how have you found navigating that in relationships?
A more general question: How do you get your costumes made?
ngcrisis says:
I think actually the umbrella of the word ‘superheroine’ is worthwhile, but too broad. It’s a bit like “are you religious?” When in reality, if you are a Catholic, then you’re not that bothered about Hinduism. Our fanbase gets into sections where they are interested in a specific fight move, or maybe its the costume, or the expressions, so many other things, that they’re only interested in 20% of what you’ve made, and they just want the other 80% to be watchable. This is why I limit custom orders primarily, and those I take on are collaborative because I want to/need to make something that is interesting to a lot of people.
Personally, my interest was the fight aspect, and how in mainstream movies a) you rarely saw women fight, and b) if they did, it was extremely brief, win or lose. An example where I remember feeling cheated was Judge Dredd, the Sylvester Stallone one in the 90s. Towards the end Diane Lane’s character, who wasn’t powered, but uniformed and a heroine of sorts, gets into a fight with the bad girl. The whole fight is maybe 20 seconds and gets cut into 3 parts with Stallone just walking around in-between. But you could tell from the hair, make up, and costume damage, that they’d shot way more of this fight, and someone in an editing suite 6 months later decided that no one wanted to see that and cut it to ribbons. And I was like “fuck you!”. Those kinds of things, like Batgirl in the appalling Batman & Robin film, I’m hoping for this major showdown with Poison Ivy, we get 5 seconds of camp stupidity. This all made me desirous to do better. Even modern day, although a bit better, it’s not what it could be. Did we get a good showdown and challenge for Gal Gadot at any point in her Wonder Woman appearances? Barely, and she’s the main character! I could go on. This explains why I’m making the fighting side of the genre.
No, I can function pretty normally in the outside world. A few people have been intrigued by what my job is, but I’ve never been conventional.
I’ve had various costume makers over the years. I design them all, and ask them to make what I’ve drawn. It doesn’t always turn out perfectly but by and large we’ve done okay.
33sp says:
Wow you’re so talented! A filmmaker, a fight choreographer, and a costume designer! What’s your background in?
ngcrisis says:
I got a degree I’m music production. It hasn’t proved valueless because producing anything has a fair overlap. Beyond that I did some work in private investigation which proved very useful in finding pirates. 90% of whom don’t know I know everything about them!
Dr Mabuse says:
What do you think of some of the recent efforts at making female-fronted action movies with more combat, like Fury Road and Atomic Blonde (Charlize Theron), Gunpowder Milkshake (Karen Gillan/Lena Headey), Ava (Jessica Chastain), or Jolt (Kate Beckinsale, although she has some history with the Underworld movies)? Going back a bit further, there’s been Haywire (Gina Carano), the Resident Evil series (Milla), Kill Bill (Uma), and Angelina of course (Wanted, Salt, maybe even Tomb Raider if you’re generous). Tom Cruise movies for the last several years also tend to have some action babes in them as well. I haven’t seen all of these, so I’m looking for recommendations as well as whether you think this trend has been positive or has had an influence on what you’re doing.
ngcrisis says:
I was already doing this before most of those films came out. I’ve not seen all of those, I loved Kill Bill, Tomb Raider was another missed opportunity. I’d say it’s better than it was, and I understand they can’t devote 15 minutes to a physical showdown, it’s just something I like which is why I make it!
Maf says:
Really share your feelings regarding mainstream movies and lack of F/F fights….even in Superheroine Tv shows you stop watching after a bit because there´s no long showdown just campy trash or someones falls after an attack.
I liked Angelina Jolie in that silver wetsuit in TR2 fighting agains some pirates, even i it´s from afar and with guns…and then punching a freaking shark. No wonder the original Erica Lynn costume had such an impact in me!!
alan jones says:
Thanks for your reply!
Everything you say here makes sense. There is still a tendency to differently represent women’s fight scenes but at least it’s getting better I suppose.
I was excited as a kid for Silverstone’s Batgirl appearance too but that film has no redeeming features.
And that’s cool re. the costumes!
kained says:
It’s sad that it’s unlikely Bluebird/Claire will be back. I think out of every character she’s really went through the most. Do you have a long term idea of which actresses you think you’ll have a long term working relationship with to build a character who endures just as much or are there already other characters you think have went through as much or more?
ngcrisis says:
Bluebird has definitely had the most perilous story arc of all our characters. Only Miss Freedom comes close. It isn’t easy to say who I can hang my hat on for a long run. These are young women typically aged between 20 and 35, and a lot happens to women especially in those years. We stop filming in November. Then in February or March I start emailing people to start up again and I just hope they will still be on board. If they are integral characters and they have to stop for whatever reason, I just ask them to give me a bit of notice so I can shoot a few more times with them and try to tie up loose ends, but that isn’t always possible.
Bob says:
I’ve noticed you change actresses for the same characters sometimes. I believe that’s what happened with Deja Vu; am I correct there? (if so, did you use the first actress to play this character in anything else?). Any way, what you wrote above, is that the explanation for these changes? Thanks.
ngcrisis says:
Deja Vu was always played by the same actress and no I never used her in anything else. The cast is always changing for lots of reasons.
Bob says:
Any more coming with Dej Vu or Marvelette?
ngcrisis says:
More Marvelette anyway I’m confident.
Toby Flenderson says:
Any Asian actresses in the pipeline? I was super sad to see Red Glory go. She was my favorite!
NR says:
Hello hello thanks for doing this.
1) any chance we might see Sonica again? She quickly became a favorite of mine
2) You’ve said in the past you didn’t want to recast heroines because you didn’t want people comparing performances. However when Majesty 2 debuted it seemed you changed your mind. Was this a unique thing for that character or are there plans to reintroduce older heroines with new actresses?
3) Any chance of a blooper or outake video being released
ngcrisis says:
1) I’ve not spoken to her since before the pandemic. I’m doubtful.
2) I will do it for Action Cosplay because those aren’t really my characters. I won’t do it for NGC though, I’d always create a new character for a new actress.
3) There’s sometimes bloopers in the member gifts. Honestly there aren’t many genuinely funny bloopers. Most outtakes are someone fluffing a line of missing a punch. On the rare occasion we all burst out laughing, it’s seldom clear to a viewer what we are laughing about.
Brad Baker says:
Two questions:
1: Will we see more films starring Miss Freedom? (Love that actress!:))
2: Will we see more films starring Lady Atom? (She’s cute!)
ngcrisis says:
1) Miss Freedom has had to take a break. We will see how she feels after. She’s done 12 years!
2) Very unlikely. So hard to book, is a pro dancer and just wants to do that.
Dr G says:
1 ) Will the Celestia actress play Miracle Maiden again ? If not, can Majesty II be the new Miracle Maiden ? Miracle Maiden is one of my favorite characters !
2) Weird comment, but I find that the Captain Liberty character frowns/scowls too much compared to other characters. Is this because the actress chooses to play the character this way or does NGC want her to act this way ?
Thanks and keep up the great work !
ngcrisis says:
1) Probably not because we killed that character. I’m undecided who might do it in future.
2) lol, the character really hates villains!
guido84 says:
I second the idea of Majesty II as a new Miracle Maiden. She looked perfect when she wore the costume in that photo set
Dr Mabuse says:
This may not be a useful question, but I’m curious about paths not taken. Are there any ideas for videos you weren’t able to make for some reason or plots in the story that were thwarted by circumstance? I’m not thinking about notions that didn’t get developed or things considered and abandoned, but ideas that you wanted to do, then didn’t get to do. There may be good reasons not to answer this question and maybe there aren’t any notable cases, but thought I’d ask.
ngcrisis says:
Loads. The main story is driven as much by actress availability as it is by ideas. Mostly it would have been plans for characters that then moved away or didn’t want to do it anymore.
bleh says:
Was looking back for something and ran across this.
Just wanted to add that this reminds me of the time I asked NGC about the possibility of a video pitting Lady Victory against Delilah Crunch.
Seemed like a slam dunk idea and wondered why it hadn’t been made.
The reason that video doesn’t exist is actually quite simple.
NGC explained that those two actresses never had matching open slots in their calendars, so they could never be there for the shoot at the same time…thus it never happened.
Too bad. Still sounds like a great idea for a video.
Jared says:
Will Lady atom be back any time soon?
ngcrisis says:
No.
Bob says:
Is there a list of confirmed heroines/actresses returning for the next custom shoot? I realize patience is key and it’s hard to pinpoint a date for when, but which have voiced that they will be available for it?
ngcrisis says:
I posted a week or so back that we’re some way from having new custom slots, so there isn’t much point getting into that right now.
Jeff says:
What are the advantages and disadvantages for keeping your style of superheroine films not as extreme as other films in the genre? would you consider NGC as part of the same genre or something different?
ngcrisis says:
If by extreme you mean sex and nudity then the main advantage is not having to recast the entire series. None of my cast past or present would have agreed to make it, and they would have stopped working with me if I had started to with others. In addition, unlike Japan and the US, we do not have many adult performers in this country who could do what was required beyond the sex to make remotely compelling videos, and lastly it would mean changing payment processors, making alterations to websites, narrowing crew who would be prepared to work. It is all downside. The only upside is this notion that you would sell a lot more videos, but that end of the market seems very crowded to me, and they probably have to pay their performers a small fortune, which is why by and large they are 100% custom. I’d be miserable in that set up, but as I say, in Japan or the US it is likely much easier to do than it would be here.
33sp says:
Do your cast and crew know that a portion of your audience overlap with the audience that watch for the nudity and sex?
ngcrisis says:
Those that ever think about such things will do. Most will never think about it. I can only make what I make, I’m not going to think about the other things people like or enjoy that I’m not making or won’t make. It’s a bit like finding out one of my customers is a serial killer, what the hell has it got to do with me?
guido84 says:
Your focus on the fighting (with the occasional bit of bondage thrown in for good measure) is exactly why NGC is my favourite superheroine studio.
I’ve watched videos from other studios, but could never enjoy any of the sex scenes, which, by the nature of the superheroine/villain story, are mostly presented as non-consentual.
I’m not judging anyone who enjoys watching that kind of thing, but it’s just not my cup of tea.
But the fighting… I LOVE the fighting. And NGC consistently delivers.
Toby Flenderson says:
Any Asian actresses in the pipeline? I was super sad to see Red Glory go. She was my favorite!
ngcrisis says:
Not this time around. She was a really nice person to work with though.
David says:
Any chance of Lady Victory returning? She, along with Bluebird, are my two favorite actresses you have used.
Thanks!
ngcrisis says:
Very unlikely. Lives far far away, came back twice to my surprise, but last time was pre-pandemic.
S says:
Anymore Comet Girl this year?
ngcrisis says:
Nothing shot so far.
Robert says:
We haven’t seen Dreamweaver in a while and her current status in the NGCchampionship is unknown.Will she return to the ring??
ngcrisis says:
Not sure, we spoke to her earlier this year and she suggested she might, but then got a bit unresponsive so nothing is booked.
Todd says:
Is there going to be Miracle maiden (celestia) vs Feline fury in the future? Or maybe miracle majesty?
ngcrisis says:
Probably not because that version of Miracle Maiden is dead. Miracle Majesty more likely but I’ll have to see.
Dr G says:
Miracle Majesty ( II ) 🙂
Phil says:
I’ve told u this on Twitter, but you guys THE BEST Supergirl outfit in this industry. I buy just about anything you produce when one of your talented cast members wears it! That being said, what are the chances of throwing different kind of tights every once in a while. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the shimmer, but Id like to see some more opaque every now and then, or even some fishnet like singers like Beyonce, Taylor Swift and Katy Perry wear on stage. Like I said just maybe here and there. Also, I read someone else say they would like to see more 60’s Batman-type peril situations and I agree! Especially if the heroine is in that Supergirl costume! Can we see more of that? Finally, I love the behind the scenes of the photo shoots you guys release. I would like to see more behind the scenes, but with some audio. Also more from your video shoots! You always play music with no other sound. I think it would be cool to see and hear more of that process. Is that something that could happen? Thanks!
ngcrisis says:
Thanks, it’s worked well for us. I won’t be messing with the tights, too much of a minefield, an intensely boring one.
Peril situations are fairly frequent, but they won’t get high tech because the 60s Batgirl stuff tended to rely on contraptions or sets, or very specific props. A room of my house is already devoted to NGC costumes an props, I’m not keen to add to it. Then there’s transport of whatever it is. I’m afraid it isn’t feasible. I try to focus on what getting tied up or captured means to the heroine, rather than the look of the thing she’s attached to, because I can’t make that.
If we play loud music over member gifts so voices can’t be heard, it is because we might be having a candid conversation about something that just shouldn’t be aired, or would have no context.
Orin says:
I have some general questions about wrestling – how it looks like in your company? Some of actress make positions and moves similar to wrestling – like Captain Liberty got camel cluth pretty often (I like it so it is advantage for me hah). Erica had some in Championship (still one of my favourtes… btw any chances for her to back?) but… how it looks from organizator side? Are you doing some reserch, checking capabilites of actress, or such things are just going out during work?
Do you have any “list” of moves which you like and perform from time to time? I noticed there are some which appears occasionally, but others – never show up. Despite they may be easier in perform than those than you show…
Are you planning some wrestling episodes in future (I think Championship is nice place for it; despite my all favour to wrestling- I dont think it would suit well to normal story)…. What are you thinking about it at all?
Sorry for haotic style, Im just curious and added more questions during writing 🙂
ngcrisis says:
We’re always checking capabilities and trying to assign moves they can actually do. None of the heroines have a wrestling background or interest, so the whole thing is a bit alien. Some of the villains have done wrestling, so that helps with ideas.
I want to continue with the Championship because it’s fun and different enough from other formats that it gives the release schedule some variation.
Kaykrush says:
Have you ever considered compilation videos via common peril/struggle elements? (e.g., belly punch, bear hug, tied up etc.)
ngcrisis says:
It has been mentioned to me several times but I’m not interested.
Dr G says:
When will Season 4 end and Season 5 begin ? my Season 4 folder is stuffed with movies right now : )
Thanks !
ngcrisis says:
We’re sort of in the same boat because season 4 officially ended with ‘Hell & Back’, and I didn’t commit to a new season mostly because I could no longer guarantee doing the big finale’s we did in previous seasons and wanted to make an on-going story, which has its own place on the site. To make a ‘Season 5’ implies it will have an ending, which it won’t, even though there are clear break points like ‘Imprisoning The Prince’ and ‘Visitors’. We’ve now made more ‘On-going Story’ episodes than all the episodes in other seasons put together. From that point of view we’d be on about season 8.
Kostmeyer says:
Possibly too late for this thread – but I have a Bluebird related question! I got completely mixed up with continuity and non-continuity stuff and when alternate reality Bluebird started appearing in the main story (crown Prince) continuity I lost track completely! Are all continuity versions of Bluebird dead or is one/some still alive? And if she’s alive, did she escape or is she still in the Crown Prince’s lair? I remember when Spectrum and Celestia fought for immunity from the Crown Prince’s attentions they gave the immunity to Bluebird – I wondered if there was ever a pay off to that (and if there wasn’t, what it was likely to be). Thanks!
ngcrisis says:
Dredging my memories… Original Bluebird probably killed by Alaric in ‘Public Destruction’. The Bluebird 2020 continuity Bluebird, and any other Bluebird, is under Redstone control with her original Sarah Harper being corrupted by it in ‘Genesis’. The Crown Prince being imprisoned doesn’t change this, because the Redstone is what did it to her, not him, he only plucked the original Sarah Harper from the time-line so the Redstone could do its work.
Kostmeyer says:
Thanks! I appreciate it’s a long time ago! I was going to buy some of the Bluebird films I missed the first time round but was trying to work out which stories fitted in where! Then I remembered the comment in the Celestia/Spectrum fight and wondered whether the Bluebird they were talking about was the same one who appears in the last film and whether that’s the same Bluebird as we see in Bluebird 2020 and then I got a headache and had to go lie down 🙂 (Of course, she’s amazing whatever the timeline!)
Newton Koni says:
I´d love to see girls beating guys and doing victory poses, setting foot on them. Is that possible? Thanks.
ngcrisis says:
We’ve done this lot’s and lot’s of times, if not the specific pose you ask for, but most videos have win endings for the heroines.