Video Killed the Magazine Stars

Happy Halloween to all who celebrate this often more silly than scary holiday. It's a chance to role play for people who claim they don't role play. And should that cute French maid end up over the lap of a handsome astronaut, so much the better!

I've been thinking about video, spanking video to be specific. For many years, a recurring theme in blogs and forums has been that men are more visual and therefore prefer photographs and video. We women are, of course, more verbal and prefer written (or spoken) words. I know that I've perpetuated this theory myself and based my conclusions on the differences between Randy and me.

As a young journalist (may my former profession rest in peace), I was taught that absolute statements are usually wrong. I do enjoy spanking videos, sometimes. Part of it is my lifelong spanko nature. Any mention of someone being spanked, even in a vanilla context, sparks my attention. My mind immediately races ahead to favorite memories and fantasies. In my mind's eye, it's me who is the object of percussive attention. "What would that be like?" I wonder. "How would I feel?" "Would I be willing to submit to a spanking like that?" And so forth, on and on.

But it's more than that. If everything is right, I like to watch a good spanking from perspectives I don't get to see when I am personally involved (is that a stain on the carpet?). Not surprisingly, I tend to focus on the spankee. What sort of spanking is this? How is she responding? What do her reactions say about her frame of mind? Is the spankee defiant, compliant, or apathetic? And, of course, how would I react in an identical predicament? Watching a spanking video can be intriguing, arousing, inspiring, and fun. But only when everything is right.

What does right mean? It's easier to describe what is wrong. While Randy is a spanking video omnivore, I have very specific tastes. For example, I can't stand to watch those old Eastern European lash fests where the unfortunate girls emerge beaten and bloody. Canes were a hard limit for me for years thanks to those videos. Schoolgirls with huge tattoos do nothing for me. I know those stories are entirely fictional, but allow me to entertain the premise however flimsy. No blood. No scat. No targeting beyond the bottom and maybe slightly below that if we must. No intricate bondage. No gags. No genital torture. No tickling. No breath play. These activities don't appeal to me in real life and watching other people on video doesn't enhance their allure. I don't judge anyone else for their kinks. I'm speaking only about my own admittedly quirky tastes.

But what makes a video right for me?

1. First and always, there must be consent. Non-consent might serve as an occasional dark fantasy, but in practice, it feels like abuse even when I know the model has agreed in advance. That's a quick squick for me.


2. I prefer M/F scenes involving romantic partners. This is our situation and the one with which I can most closely identify.


3. For historic reasons, the spankees are called models, but they are really actors and their skills can make or break a scene. As a theater enthusiast, I appreciate strong performances from both characters. It doesn't have to be dramatic, though, just believable. For example, if the woman is receiving a moderate hand spanking over a thick wool skirt, she shouldn't shriek like she's in agony. At the other end of the spectrum, the oblivious spankee is equally annoying. Reactions should be proportionate and appear genuine.


4. I love to see my friends and sister bloggers on video. Knowing a little about their personalities away from the set helps me to better appreciate their acting. I like knowing that they are real life spankos like me.


5. I don't expect fancy sets, but it shouldn't look like a warehouse that was rented for the afternoon. Ditto hotel rooms.


6. I like when all of the pieces fit together well. If the characters are presented as teachers, they should dress as teachers, not like an exotic dancer and a bouncer. If the setting is supposed to be someone's home, it should look like a place where people could live.


7. Then there's the matter of dialog. At this juncture, Randy and I part company. He wants to fast forward to the action, but I want to know the premise first. Every spanking should have a reason, even if it's play. Who are these people? Someone is about to get a spanking. I want to feel that she deserves it. Better still, I like when the spankee understands that she deserves it and in some fashion accepts her punishment. That's hot.


8. I don't care for brutality or scary welts. At the same time, a spanking needs to be more than paddy-cake. It needs to hurt and the recipient should visibly and audibly acknowledge her rising posterior discomfort.


9. I may be alone in this preference, or lack thereof, but I don't need the actors to be amazingly attractive. Average people enjoy spankings just as much as those gorgeous models. In fact, our added padding probably enhances the experience for all concerned.


10. A certain degree of embarrassment is probably inherent in the spanking experience. It's quite natural that a spankee might feel and act humbled. But when a video takes humiliation to the level of debasement, my interest evaporates. Every human deserves basic respect regardless of gender, orientation, or role.


11. Finally, I prefer that the spanker be more than a swatting robot. I want to see his humanity as well. He spanks for a good reason and he believes that it's necessary. Also, he must not look or act creepy. By this, I mean that the spanker should be someone I could conceivably imagine spanking me.

That's why I do like videos, at least sometimes.