I'm interested in having a general discussion about producing porn videos. Not saying I plan to do it (nor am I saying that I don't), but it's a subject about which I have some questions, and I figure there's no better place to ask than in a forum dedicated to the adult video industry.
Let's start with what little I already (think I) know...
Porn is only legal to produce in a few places in the U.S. (California, Nevada, and Florida as I understand it, though please correct me if I'm wrong), and doing it anywhere else in the country is a good way to get arrested. Porn stars are typically paid by the scene, though I have no idea how much they typically make. As I understand it, their pay is often commensurate with what they're required to do in a scene, as well as the "star power" they bring to the production. Regular HIV testing is an absolute must, no matter what type of videos you shoot. Anybody can shoot porn, but the most successful producers are the ones who strive for production quality, and who either find a hook or bankable stars (or both) to distinguish their product from everything else out there. It is impossible to make money producing porn today without knowing how to use the internet to market & distribute your product. While there are still plenty of feature length releases coming out every year, the vast majority of porn scenes these days are produced for online distribution.
With those things understood, and over 30 years of watching porn under my belt, I want to get some more specific info.
In addition to getting a better understanding of what porn stars typically earn per scene, I'm curious as to what the average overall budget for an internet scene is. Hundreds? Thousands? Tens of thousands?
Besides making your videos in a place where it's legal, what sort of legal requirements are there for producing porn videos? I assume some insurance is a good idea, as well as a lawyer on retainer in case of problems, but are there permits which must be obtained? In cities where it is legal, are there still zoning restrictions requiring any set, no matter how "closed" and obscured from public view, to be a minimum distance away from certain businesses & institutions? In addition to requiring identification from performers, are there other steps which can & should be taken to ensure that no one in the film is underage?
For those XXX performers here in the forums, what kinds of things do you like to see when you walk onto a set, and what kinds of things immediately make you regret agreeing to shoot for a particular company? What would you like to see more of in your industry, and what would you like to see less of?
Similarly, for producers & directors who are members here, besides looks and reliability, what do you look for in your performers when you hire them? Other than sales figures, are there factors which determine whether or not you want to continue working with a performer beyond that first scene? What about the current market excites you, and what annoys you or makes you concerned for the industry's future?
(I know some of these are very generic questions, but I think it's better to open the floor for discussion & see what comes up, rather than be too overly specific in my queries.)
While there are already LOTS of threads about what fans like & don't like in porn, I think the consumer must always be the first consideration when producing a product. So I'm definitely open to hearing what non-industry members have to say about what they do & don't want to see from a new production company. But for the purposes of this discussion, it's probably better if such input was confined to production- and distribution-related stuff. Putting aside preferences for different types of scenes & different stars for a moment, what technical things determine whether you enjoy a porn scene or not? When it comes to buying, renting, and downloading porn, what industry standard practices work for you, and which ones really turn you off? When you sign up for membership to a porn site, what (besides the name star or specific kink) are you looking for on that site?
I've asked a lot already, but I know there are questions I'm forgetting. Basically, if you have something informative or constructive to say about how porn should be made & sold, I'm all ears here.
Edited by - dkpaine on Mar 25 2017
Edited by - dkpaine on Mar 25 2017