Compound that by the fact that porn is produced at about 1/1000th the scale of everything else we see, so even if you actually did know what you want, the average person's imagination is far too contaminated by the influence of fully funded productions, so most of what you'd want would be way way way too expensive, even if your co-op had 1,000 people.

Now compound that by notion of getting 1,000 people all on the same page about what to produce. You couldn't pay me enoughh to be a producer for a job with 1,000 executive producers.

Comstock Films:Real Life, Real People, Real Sex

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It is a nice dream though. It's funny, in some other thread I almost made some joke about how you and I should rustle up some money to invest in a production company..

Anyway, I think it's more worthwhile to have a few people who already know what tastes they have in common to learn the craft (or collaborate with someone who does) and try and stay in regular communication with the other indie studios out there to keep ideas floating about how to expand the market for everyone..

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Sort of a "Blair Witch" pseudo-documentary about friends making porn of/for each other. Though I don't think they're making any money, they're getting good play on the indie ciruit. One showing on HBO will pay them more than if they wholesaled 5,000 DVD

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I got my numbers from experience Tony.

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RichB are you in the industry?

3SB - I'll tell you them for free

Edited to add -I'll eat my hat and floss with the trimmings if the average gonzo cum fest is costing 40 to 50 gees.

Edited by - Loraine on 12/12/2005 8:48:03 PM

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RichB, you're a producer? For our edification, perhaps you could provide a budget breakdown from one of your $40K-$50K titles. I'm sure Pagoda and many others would find it illuminating!

Comstock Films:Real Life, Real People, Real Sex

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Tony - I have produced some titles but primarily earn my peanuts shooting and editing for other producers and directors.

Of course, a budget breakdown needs some basis...like how many girls or boys in each scene, what kind of fabulous or plain-jane location you hope to shoot it, if there are any special wardrobe considerations, what you want to pay for talent behind-the-camera (make-up, PA's to do the dirty work, editor, cameraman, still photographer, c-light op, art director, etc.). Then you may want to make a nice box cover and need a qualified graphic artist. The duplicator and printer will want to be paid. Of course, you can void all of that and make something cheaper...but I think most companies today are spending the amounts I suggested to get a title to the consumer...and make the consumer happy to some extent. A lot of those expenses with established companies are in-house costs, but that means overhead and still equates into real hard currency. To do it on your own still takes cashola. Maybe you can make it for half...but will it be worth watching...?

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Comstock Films:Real Life, Real People, Real Sex

Edited by - TonyC on 12/12/2005 9:26:21 PM

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I'm intrigued and a bit surprised at the amount of money you say people are spending - I'm still seeing plenty of zits on asses and tatty motel room couches.

I don't think more money always means better work, I'm just genuinely surprised at the amounts you're talkng about.

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Comstock Films:Real Life, Real People, Real Sex

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As suggested in that thread, if a very large group of ADT members 'donated' their pocket money to an established porn production company (maybe in exchange for a very lengthy credit sequence at the end of the movie), they could vote on what they wanted to see (without the nasty risk of exposure to court action over obscenity or 2257).

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Comstock Films:Real Life, Real People, Real Sex

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As you guys decide what Skeeter and EA directors spend on any given title to get it to the wanking populace (I wank too mind you), you have to take into account what kind of movie you'd like to see. I bet Jules Jordan can make a movie for $20,000 since he shoots at his own pad, uses himself mostly as talent and usually hires only one and sometimes two gals in any given scene. But once you get into adding multiple guys ($400-1000 per scene) and gals ($800-1200) things get pricey. While a co-op might start out wanting to make their stuff only for themselves, greed would take hold and they would start budgeting a page in AVN, which last I checked was over $4,000. And boxing a title for the masses does not just cost the wage of a recent college graduate from the local design school. You better have some sweet pictures, a good printer and honest duplicator to shrink wrap your masterpiece. If it was cheap and easy, you guys would already know who I am....

As much as we all would like it to be, making porn is not the best choice for your next hobby. Making movies, with or without explicit sex, just ain't as glorious a gig (or as easy to make profitable) as one would think. The co-op would discover this on their first outing and close shop immediately. But if you get it going Pagoda, count me in.

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Co-ops work if someone is in charge. Others have to buy into the idea not every detail. I have no doubt that a porn producing co-op could work. There's no reason for it to be non-profit. You just have to analyze the succesful co-ops out there.

There was a time when I thought about turning adt into a co-op.

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Here's an idea for you Pagoda:

In this day and age, the computer you're typing on probably has enough horsepower to edit DV video, the same video quality used by 99% of porn produced today.

If you don't want to go out and drop $2500 on a Panasonic DVX100 (a very capable DV camera) you can rent one over the weekend for about $150. Or borrow a friend's camera. Most of what you're looking for has very little to do with image quality, and once you're doing this for real, drop me a note and I'll give you a few very simple tricks for wringing every drop of image quality out of consumer grade gear.

Seattle is brimming with people who would be happy to fuck on camera for a hottie like you. Run an add on Craig's list. Tell people it's an art project, not intended for distribution and that you're not asking more a model release.

To get familar with the gear learn some basic technique, check out a place like this, or similar.

Shoot a few couples and see if you can actually get something on the video tape that's anything like the movie you see in your head.

Start here, and I a few years you might be shooting on film, mastering on HD, see your titles on Best of the Year lists!

Comstock Films:Real Life, Real People, Real Sex

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But then the question becomes: where's the big advantage to doing this over venture capitalism? You now have to convince many people that if they put up some money up front, you will come back with porn they'll like (once you convince enough other people). Why should they trust that they'll like it if you have no previous work or trailers to show? You're more likely to convince a smaller group of investors that there's an untapped market for (and hence profit from) the kind of porn you want to make. Once it's made, it's a lot easier to convince that first group that they like it, since they can find reviews and PR material and trailers..

(See, TonyC, I can do some of my own wet-blanketing)

But that brings me to something else intriguing that Steph brought up. What about the possibility of starting a production co. privately-owned and turning it into a co-op after a few titles?

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And Tony, too cold? I'm in Philly, and I'm about to go ride. Put a few layers on, ya wimp! (I say that now, but I'll probably be in tears 2 blocks from my house..)

Edited by - (Not His Real Name) on 12/13/2005 3:28:07 PM

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