Rumpled Foreskin
Member
310 Posts
5/05
|  Posted - Apr 10 2009 : 7:30PMAbout 2 years ago the business insiders who posted here acknowledged (read: complained) about there being a "glut" of (bad quality) product in the adult marketplace. Is that still the case? Was the current recession a double whammy? In another thread Brandon Iron said he had his hands full (!) with his websites. Is this where the most talented directors/producers of the early 2000's areheading? Are DVD releases becoming irrelevent? Any comment from those "in the know" about the LA porn industry would be interesting.  [Link] |
Brandon Iron
BrandonIron.com
3832 Posts
3/02
| Posted - Apr 10 2009 : 8:15PM
I am pretty up front about how things go for me. Today I picked up a monthly royalty check from Platinum X for just over $700. That represents a 75% royalty for one month for sales of 44 titles, some of which were the company's best-sellers at one time.
To boil it down, I cannot pay for a single new BG scene based on 4 years of work with Platinum X. I've said many times that I don't believe business was done fairly nor honestly there but this is the reality. For better or worse, there is no pot of gold at the end of this rainbow. It's fair to say that I don't have a pot to piss in.
I'm sure there are many people who are in the same or worse position but if it wasn't for my partnership with Braincash for internet sites, I would be in a terrible, desperate position right now. [Link] |
Draxxx
Senior Member
3831 Posts
2/07
| Posted - Apr 11 2009 : 9:54AM
Brandon, what do you think is the best way for a guy like you to be successful in porn these days besides performing? Are the pay sites really big money earners or is it too tough with so much free stuff and porn performers with their own sites? Does it work to be like BRAZZERS where it's scenes on a paysite then release in on DVD? Or is the DVD part of the equasion not really worth the effort at this point? I think I can see the female performers making big bucks in porn but what about the guys these days?
I'm still a DVD guy and don't watch porn on the web. I think there'll always be DVDs but I think it's going to get to the place if I want to see my fav girls doing their stuff my DVD options will be less and I'll be forced to join their site.[Link] |
Brandon Iron
BrandonIron.com
3832 Posts
3/02
| Posted - Apr 11 2009 : 11:46PM
I'm the last person to ask for good advice. I've made terrible choices, it seems, in terms of becoming successful.....at least in financial terms. Money has never been the biggest motivator for me, though, and I've enjoyed the work that I've been able to accomplish.
Performing was never my strong suit and the scenes that I am most proud of are the ones that I've shot behind the camera.
I don't think any single form of income will be enough to make it big now. You need income from sites, dvds, foreign rights and pieces, broadcast, affiliate programs, and VOD to stay competitive. More importantly, ally yourself with honest people and your chances of surviving increase.[Link] |
Draxxx
Senior Member
3831 Posts
2/07
| Posted - Apr 12 2009 : 3:07AM
Thanks Brandon...I wasn't looking for "advice" I just wanted to hear your take on the matter. It just seems strange that with all the reports of porn being such a huge money maker overall that the people in the biz aren't more well off. From time to time we hear news reports saying porn is a billion dollar industry yet it doesn't seem like the people in porn really profit as much as one would think.[Link] |
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Brandon Iron
BrandonIron.com
3832 Posts
3/02
| Posted - Apr 12 2009 : 11:21AM
There are many people who do very well. All I can do is be honest and tell you what most people won't: I earned $703.66 for the most recent royalty period for 44 titles distributed by Platinum X. That's enough to buy an oven in which to stick my head into but not enough to hire most women to do a BG scene (no location, no makeup, no wardrobe, no other male talent -- do it yourself, no editor -- do it yourself).
I sure hope the demand for amateurish scenes shot in living rooms spikes this summer. If anyone has insider information, do tell.[Link] |
lenscap
Member
everywhere
185 Posts
10/05
| Posted - Apr 12 2009 : 2:50PM
Irons...what is the typical or "average" cost to produce a 5 scene, plotless movie from start to finish? Nothing elaborate. Just a regular B/G fuck flick or BJ movie?[Link] |
Brandon Iron
BrandonIron.com
3832 Posts
3/02
| Posted - Apr 12 2009 : 7:31PM
It can range widely depending on who you hire and what you negotiate. The women or their agents set the rates. Making the movie is only the first step. Then you pay for artwork, authoring, replicating, and printing.[Link] |
lenscap
Member
everywhere
185 Posts
10/05
| Posted - Apr 12 2009 : 8:09PM
^^^is 20 grand a good figure?^^^ I ask because you made some interesting comments/obsevations to that other poster...[Link] |
Brandon Iron
BrandonIron.com
3832 Posts
3/02
| Posted - Apr 12 2009 : 10:07PM
I've made movies with production costs ranging from $0 for compilations to $24,500. It just depends on who you shoot and what you shoot.[Link] |
LubeNLuv
Senior Member
1854 Posts
3/06
| Posted - Apr 12 2009 : 10:12PM
Brandon, this is very enlightening, thanks for sharing.
Another question?
So on an investment of say $30K to put out a decent flick with good talent, what does break-even look like for sales?
And for web-produced content versus DVD content that may later end up on the web, what is the difference? I'd have to assume that web-content is naturally cheaper to produce but really I don't know much about the nature of production costs for web content beyond the obvious hosting.[Link] |
Brandon Iron
BrandonIron.com
3832 Posts
3/02
| Posted - Apr 13 2009 : 12:43AM
If you sold product for $10, you would need to move 3,000 units.....if you owned the company. If you pay a percentage to a distributor, you need to move more.
There is no difference in production costs for websites vs dvd except that you don't have to pay post-production costs like printing, authoring, and replicating. There are not tiered rates for content. It's funny because years ago, I remember hearing that some producers were offering reduced scene rates because the content was going on sites alone.[Link] |
