(Please note there are a LOT of people I find to be AMAZING performers that I have not had the pleasure of working with yet.)

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2. That they are people who have no connection with the industry itself. You did state "successful adult film star " . It is easy to get in the biz and get shot by a round of companies if you are sexy. Any sexy girl who is willing to do that and can handle the emotions of this business can get shot. To become a long term star like a Jewel De'Nyle, for example, is a whole different thing.

Lets look at the males first- since that is the easiest answer. MOST men on this entire planet can not do what the male porn stars in our business do every day. That has been discussed elsewhere, so I don't think I have to explain it (although I am ready with 20 reasons if you have to be convinced). The men in our business deserve much more respect than they are given. They truly are talented and special... which, is why there so few of them.

Female star? I don't consider you a successful "star" if you shoot 30 movies and disappear. And, to get shot 200 times a year like an Ariana Jolie and still have companies shooting you the next year makes you 1 of the 10 girls who do that out of the 1000's that tried.

There are some qualities you have to have in this business as a female to stay in it long term and become a "star":

1. Genuine enjoyment and comfort with sex.

The girls who hate what they do many times eventually flunk out on their own, the companies stop shooting them, or they never develop that cultish fan following because they just aren't comfortable enough and enjoy it enough and their scenes show it.

2. Ability to handle the emotional side of having sex on film with strangers despite what people who don't understand it say about you.

Emotional stability is a very undervalued key that will determine how well a girl does in this business. You can succeed short term at very high levels being strung out on drugs, but if you don't right yourself you will not make it long term. If you fall victim to the stereotype that society demands of us that a girl who fucks strangers on film isn't worth anything then over time your sense of self-worth will break down until you have had enough and quit. Some girls quit because they can't handle what friends or family think about what they do. Don't forget these are girls - many who were trained by society to think like "socitey girls". You have to break free of society's attempt to tell you what the rules are for you because you are a woman and be comfortable being yourself.

3. The desire to turn in top performances each and every scene even when you don't feel like it.

Mid-class girls show up and do the scene they are asked to do and go home. Top girls care about having a great scene. They will request partners they know will also care. They go ALL OUT on the set above and beyond what they have to do so that the scene looks great on film and they never let their reputation down. And, let me tell you: sometimes you are on your period, sometimes you had a huge emotional trauma that day, sometimes you are almost sick, sometimes you can't stand the person you are working with, sometimes you just don't feel like sex, sometimes you are sore and in pain, sometimes you are tired... you have to deliver anyway.

4. The ability to handle the physical demands of the business on your body.

Taking porn dicks in the ass and delivering a great hard pounding scene takes the ability to do that. You can't turn it off the last half of the scene even if you are sore. Doing it on a regular basis takes a toll. Getting yeast infections or STD's like chlaymidia or gonorrhea can wear on girls emotionally and physically. Taking care of yourself matters a lot.

5. The desire and willpower to work hard and the hunger and motivation to keep working hard for years.

You don't become a star overnight. I was very hesitant for the longest time to call myself a "porn star". I wasn't a star - I was a girl doing porn. I think calling everyone a star takes away from the ones who are truly stars. I guess that is why we have to call them "superstars". Stars prove it over time. After being here a year and a half later, after winning an award, after proving myself in my scenes and earning the respect of reviewers and fans... I am a little more comfortable with the word. But... come on... Jewel De'Nyle is a star...Belladonna is a star...Jenna Jameson is a star... What do they have in common? They weren't short term flash in the pans. They did it for years at the top of the game...In about 3 more years I will tell you if I am a star. A girl who does this for 6 months and goes away... is she really a star? Even if she was hot and even if she did good scenes? I don't think she is.

How many girls started in my class of 2003? How many thousands and thousands of us girls got fucked in an LA porn film for the first time in early 2003?

Now quick... how many of us are still getting booked and working in the business 1 and 1/2 years later with the scenes, awards, reviews, and fan recognition as young stars? (I say "young stars" out of respect for the girls who have been here 3, 5, and 10 years!).

6. A business sense that allows you to plan and map out a career.

Becoming a star takes a lot more than just being in a bunch of scenes. It means building and branding your name. It means surrounding yourself with the RIGHT people to give you the right career advice. There are way too many new girls taking the wrong advice from people that do not have the girls interests in mind; they have their own interests in mind. These girls are made to look like stars - they shoot 60 scenes in their first 6 months... but then you never hear from them again. Then you fans wonder what happened to "so and so" - I thought she was a star!. Nope. She took bad career advice and burned herself out. Becoming a star means you can still find work in year 2 and year 3 in the business, etc. You have to plan that and work at that. Becoming a star means building yourself a financial and career game plan.

Becoming a star means adding value to the industry above and beyond just performing in a scene.

Then of huge importance.. .what are your steps up that star ladder? Are you always planning for the next level? Are you doing the things it takes to get that contract? Or, are you doing the things it takes to become a director? You can only earn so much in front of the camera for so long. What is next for you? What do you have to do get there?

7. The toughness to stand up for yourself and stay within your game plan and limits.

I know several girls who quit or almost quit this business because they allowed themselves to get forced into things that they did not want to do. Things that took an emotional toll that claimed their career. You have to be willing to say "NO". You have to be willing to turn things down. You have to be willing to walk away. Know what you want, know what your limits are, and never, ever compromise yourself.

8. Financial planning.

Money gives you the freedom to turn down roles that aren't going to help make you a star and concentrate on the ones that do.

9. A willingness to market yourself and engage in branding publicity that doesn't demonstrate an immediate cash return.

"Stars" are brands. Brands have to do branding advertising. Branding advertising is harder for people to spend money on in the mainstream world because there is no immediate return. In our industry that means a girl has to be willing to do things she doesn't get paid to do - interact with fans, respond to emails, participate in sites like ADT, go on radio shows, etc.

I can tell a huge difference between girls who get it and girls who don't on my KSEX radio show. The girls who don't won't come on because they don't get paid! lol But what those girls don't get is this: thousands and thousands of people are going to see you and get an opportunity to fall in love with you.... Those people are going to see your web address and whatever you want to promote. If you do a great show - they WILL check out your website and if it looks good enough they WILL join it! They will buy your movies which will keep people booking you! You have to create your own demand. Girls like Britney Skye and Teagan Presley (who are my show last week) come on the show and get naked and fuck each other. Britney got new fans to go to her website who had never checked her out. People who didn't know really know her left that show saying "Britney is sexual dynamite!!!" She won new fans with that appearance. (And, she got to fuck Teagan... I mean why do you think I have the show! lol)

You have to build relationships with fans to become and stay a porn star. There are NO porn stars without porn fans. Hello! If the fans love a girl, she will go far because the fans vote with their wallets and the PR they do about that girl through sites like these. If they hate a girl... she is going to have a hard time making it long-term at the star level. You can easily tell the girls who a) genuinelly appreciate the fans, b) try to just use the fans for more and more money, or c) totally ignore the fans. I am a porn fan myself and I can tell you that I ONLY love girls in that first level.

10. The ability to build relationships.

You need other people to succeed in life. If you burn your bridges you can make it short term...but you won't be here in 2 years. You have to be able to build relationships with people. Business is relationships. To become a star you need people to get you there: you need to be able to sustain a relationship with porn fans and you have need to sustain a relationship with the company(s) and directors who will shoot you.

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3. Yes.

4. Those two things don't always go hand in hand. Delivering a strong performance on film many times means doing what looks great for the camera instead of what feels good for you. Sometimes what looks good on camera actually hurts. The joke is "if it doesn't hurt, it doesn't look good". They key is to make sure that you get your sexual enjoyment in the right places and do what it takes in others to deliver the scene that will blow people away at home.

It is important do what you enjoy on film or it won't be a great scene. Just realize that to give you a good view at home of what we would normally enjoy, might require us to position oursleves in a way that sometimes takes the enjoyment away from it.

5. As a girl who was true to herself.

Selena Silver

The COMPLETE Selena Silver Movie List
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Edited by - SelenaSilver on 6/21/2004 2:07:02 PM

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Could porn actresses also be fearful of ungeniuine affection from porn fans. What I mean is the male porn fan who pretends to respect your work but really finds you and your work degrading but yet very strokeable. Although, many guys on this board have sexual affection as well as moral respect for explicit erotica there are too many guys with this condenscending attitude toward porn queens who they like to jack off to but get on some moral kick about their work. I think us who are tired of this bullshit need to confront subtly and directly people who share these pretty fucked up attitudes.

Again I truly appreciate your well thought out response and will respond to more of your comments at a later time.

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1. Danielle Davis, the best by far. Danielle is an RN (Registered Nurse) and she started shooting with
me for purely sexual reasons. She'd never been with a well-endowed guy and her husband, a doctor, wanted
to watch her do just that. I have to tell you, this woman was pure sexuality - not only good looking with
a great body, but refined and elegant, too. Her scenes were scorching and totally real, and you couldn't
help but just enjoy the hell out of yourself. And orgasms? She contracted wildly when she came, and that
would ensure you did just the same. Danielle and I were friends for a long while after she quit performing,
and I feel fortunate to have known her and worked with her. A few photos of Danielle -
more in the video section of my site.

2. I'd have to say this critic has no realistic knowledge to form such an opinion. As anyone who has
performed knows, good performing takes a lot more than looks. You have to add realism and intensity to
your scenes, you have to have camera awareness and listen and respond to the director, and you have to be
able to put up with interruptions and distractions and not let them affect you. It's performers doing well
that allow viewers to watch a scene, be turned on by it and feel that it's "real."

3. No, I haven't. I make my own choices, so I'm lucky in that respect.

4. Yes, I do. Sexual enjoyment is paramount, because savvy viewers can tell when the sex is real and
the performers are truly enjoying themselves. I like realism, so I'm careful to only use people I am
certain will be "truly into it."

5. I'd like to be remembered as I seem to be now: A good amateur performer who gives viewers real first-timers
and real, intense sexual performances. "Good, clean fun," as several people have said.

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The performers I haven't worked with who would probably be on this list: Rocco Siffredi, Nacho Vidal, Justin Slayer, Michael Stefano (Luciano), Belladonna, Katrina Kravin.

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