Starting your own business in porn ?

Author	Post
ŽŽŽ Deactivated User 63 Posts 7/04	Posted - Aug 5 2004 : 2:20AM I want to know tips and tricks on how to Start your own business in porn,money,laws.ect... ? thanks Edited by - ®®® on Aug 5 2004 Topic Moved by - Bill on Aug 12 2004 [Link]
DIAMOND DOG Deactivated User "Puff Daddy is crap." - Keith Richards 320 Posts 7/04	Posted - Aug 5 2004 : 2:29AM First: You must GET A LAWYER! I can't stress this enough. Second: I would suggest going to the Expo in Vegas. Mingle, ask questions, find out about shooting, distribution, etc. Edited by - DIAMOND DOG on 8/5/2004 2:52:49 AM [Link]
Van Styles Member Starr Power 306 Posts 1/04	Posted - Aug 5 2004 : 2:51AM i think the next thing after a lawyer (which i agree would be a ultimate must do) is lock down a good accountant. gotta have someone balancing your account and chasing down those accounts recievable [Link]
ŽŽŽ Deactivated User 63 Posts 7/04	Posted - Aug 12 2004 : 10:06PM Ok for the lawyer but what about the rest,what do I need to do and to get ???. [Link]
Hardware All-Star Member Your other left 14595 Posts 3/02	Posted - Aug 12 2004 : 11:19PM Are you wanting to distribute DVD's to brick and mortar stores, or are you wanting to set up a web-based business? [Link]

broncster2614 Deactivated User 404 Posts 3/04	Posted - Aug 13 2004 : 12:24AM If you want to start your own all-sex website, like cumfiesta.com and bangbros.com, how do you get started? I understand also about the lawyer, but where would you get the girls, website maintenance, equipment, etc. Is it harder if you live in the east coast? [Link]
ChinoCochino Member 72 Posts 8/04	Posted - Aug 13 2004 : 1:23AM What type of lawyer would this be? (i.e. criminal, etc) What is the standard rate to pay a lawyer for his services advising you on porn issues and how long would you need him for. (i.e. 1 week, throughout the time you are selling/making porn) [Link]
Saki At-Large 2087 Posts 11/99	Posted - Aug 13 2004 : 2:10AM A word of advice: if you don't know the first thing about the business you are thinking about engaging in, you aren't nearly prepared enough to succeed. That goes for any business, not just porn. It's about the same challenge to do anything in the adult industry as it would be for you to say "I want to start a commercial airline" based on having flown on one before. Given the proposed 2257 rule changes, I don't know why anyone would consider starting a pay website. At this point, you have to be really, really lucky or really, really have your shit together. - Saki [faqs] Edited by - saki on 8/13/2004 2:11:17 AM [Link]
ŽŽŽ Deactivated User 63 Posts 7/04	Posted - Aug 13 2004 : 5:15PM No,I dont want to start a porn website,I dont want to do anything for the internet,I want to start my own little thing in porn (my compagnie) I Wanna get new girls and guys and I wanna whrite my own stuff.I want to know if it pays more to do gonzos or features.Any porn directors and pornstars here that can help me out ?. [Link]
Hardware All-Star Member Your other left 14595 Posts 3/02	Posted - Aug 13 2004 : 5:19PM Hmmm, even if you don't want to start a web site you'd better have an Internet strategy or somebody's going to be doing it for you, with or without your consent. As far as which pays better, softcore features pay best, assuming you can sell them to cable TV. [Link]
ŽŽŽ Deactivated User 63 Posts 7/04	Posted - Aug 13 2004 : 5:25PM Im not sure what you mean about that,I never gave any of my ideas here if is that what you mean ? And im suprise that softcore pays more,But if i do start my little thing it would probably be gonzo porn.Do you know where can i get girls and guys who wants to do movies beside pornstars. [Link]
DIAMOND DOG Deactivated User "Puff Daddy is crap." - Keith Richards 320 Posts 7/04	Posted - Aug 13 2004 : 6:00PM Gonzo is cheaper to make. On the real low (financial) end all you would technically need is a camera, some light and an editing bay. But I wouldn't expect this stuff your producing to just fly off the shelves. There are already plenty of people with this method, and I doubt any of them are living on easy street. Look at Mike South's stuff. One camera and fucking. But Mike South has worked hard to promote and being a "personality" certainly helps with that. You're also going to have to compete with the likes of Jules Jordan and such, so you better have more than just a camera with a light on it. The possibilities to make money is greater if you produced a feature that also could be edited to sell as soft core... But you have to have money to make a feature. I would imagine $50,000 on the low end. I could be wrong about that figure, but I would assume it can go way up from there. Despite being "low budget" compared to mainstream films, that's still alot of money, and you have to know how to direct a film from a technical standpoint. Having any kind of story means more than just shooting sex. From where I sit, if you don't have ALOT of money to invest and do it right, it would be a pointless failure waiting to happen. And Hardware's right. You may not want to be a primarily web-based company, but you will need it in some capacity to promote your product properly. This is also where AVN comes in. It cost money to promote in there too. Edited by - DIAMOND DOG on 8/13/2004 6:00:28 PM [Link]
davecummings Member 368 Posts 12/02	Posted - Aug 13 2004 : 8:52PM To bad you weren't at the Learning Annex class I taught in San Diego last night (it's being taught in LA next Thurs), titled "How to Make your Own Adult Films". It's a bargain for students (mainly because so many people were constantly emailing me for info that I had no choice but to now charge $325/hr- consulting fee for individuals wannabe's. Dave www.davecummings.com [Link]
tricia_devereaux Evil Angel DVD Patience is a virtue, but who wants to be virtuous? 4283 Posts 4/00	Posted - Aug 13 2004 : 11:07PM Saki wrote: A word of advice: if you don't know the first thing about the business you are thinking about engaging in, you aren't nearly prepared enough to succeed. That goes for any business, not just porn. It's about the same challenge to do anything in the adult industry as it would be for you to say "I want to start a commercial airline" based on having flown on one before. Click to expand That's probably the best advice I've ever heard. [Link]
broncster2614 Deactivated User 404 Posts 3/04	Posted - Aug 13 2004 : 11:23PM Saki wrote: A word of advice: if you don't know the first thing about the business you are thinking about engaging in, you aren't nearly prepared enough to succeed. That goes for any business, not just porn. It's about the same challenge to do anything in the adult industry as it would be for you to say "I want to start a commercial airline" based on having flown on one before. Given the proposed 2257 rule changes, I don't know why anyone would consider starting a pay website. At this point, you have to be really, really lucky or really, really have your shit together. - Saki [faqs] Edited by - saki on 8/13/2004 2:11:17 AM Click to expand Alright then, how would you gain more knowledge about the porn business? Its not like theres books in the library focused on this. [Link]

jagerclown Member 434 Posts 3/04	Posted - Aug 13 2004 : 11:31PM Get in with the mafia as far as Accounts Receivable goes. I am a bookkeeper and I call people for money all the time. If they don't want to pay, it could be a lengthy legal battle. However, 3 Italian guys in suits with crowbars in their hands works better than the Judicial system anyway. Also, I would pony up some dough and sign a big name star to be exclusively with your company, just to give it respectability. [Link]
Hardware All-Star Member Your other left 14595 Posts 3/02	Posted - Aug 14 2004 : 12:30AM davecummings wrote: To bad you weren't at the Learning Annex class I taught in San Diego last night (it's being taught in LA next Thurs), titled "How to Make your Own Adult Films". Click to expand Yes, but making them is only half the battle. You still have to get them distributed and get people to purchase them. [Link]
Janitor Retired Porno movies, sexy videos, xxx. Adult DVD Talk at your service. 6409 Posts 11/99	Posted - Aug 14 2004 : 12:09PM Alright then, how would you gain more knowledge about the porn business? Its not like theres books in the library focused on this. Click to expand Like any business you would get an entry level job and learn on the job. Now someone is going to ask how to get an entry level job.... You research the companies, send out resumes, and follow-up (just like any job hunt.) I know it seems like porn is easy money and it is true that some seriously incompetent people are making decent money. But you can't start a biz on ideas alone. You have to have experience, contacts and money. Or at least two out of three. [Link]
Lorenzo Loretto Platinum Pictures Inc. 9 Posts 3/04	Posted - Aug 14 2004 : 12:15PM This may sound strange but I'd focus on distribution and promotion strategy before you focus on making the movie. Making the movie can be rough but the real challenge is selling the movie. Most people make the mistake of trying to make a better movie and not making a better sells plan. Most of us can make a better hamburger than McDonalds but few of us can sell a burger better than McDonald's. Yes being on the east coast is harder because of distribution issues. And distributors don't need you and usually treat with you disrespect. I've learned a lot from my boss at Platinum Pictures Inc. That brings me to another subject. Trademark and trademark defense. Most people have never heard of us but they have heard of Platinum X Pictures even though we registered Platinum Pictures back in 2001. Get a unique name and defend it. My boss choose to let that issue go, but it will cost you sales. Legal issues, sales, accounting and marketing should be at the top of your list. And do not underestimate that cost of startup. From my exposure and experience I would say your cost even for a pro-am company could range from between 40K to 120K. That may sound large but you need two types of lawyers a first amendment attorney for your company and a criminal attorney for yourself. Camera, computer, editing software, and other post production issues. You'll also need at least five titles completed before distributors will take you seriously. If you are web based you need enough footage to get a head of your update schedule; consumers want new material. Get use to hearing the question "What's Next?" It will keep you up nights. So don't expect to sleep much either. Lastly, only start your own company if you love it. Not don't it for the money cause there will be no money in the beginning. Good Luck! [Link]
Jaggers Member 140 Posts 9/03	Posted - Aug 14 2004 : 2:06PM There is a whole chain of stores around here with pirated DVDs, no cars in the lot, a few glory holes, and they handle a lot money....I think they refer to it as a laundry business. Great looking babes in the back too! [Link]
T.L.Tycoon Member 416 Posts 12/03	Posted - Aug 14 2004 : 2:49PM Wow! Lorenzo's insight has been one of the very best Ive seen in this Forum in regards to honest insight in the upstart of a fully effective Company. Theres a saying that "Successful People at the very Top dont like Company",and this is certainly something I have observed; and experienced when picking a few brains of People that know the In's and Out's of this Porno Game.It's cool to make a few Hundred dollars Performing;or sending over a few Hot Hotties on set.Your not a threat staying in this arena; because you have no ownership stake and are not in direct competition.But once you start asking about Legal matters and Distributional info for a successful upstart of your own;the insight from those in Power start to drip like faucets.They think it better that you stay in your place in some matters;or if they do give you advice;they do the equivelent to blind folding you,spinning you around ;and sending you in the wrong Direction;which may be a dead end brick wall.I would suggest that anyone that wanted there own Porn Company to put in a good solid Month of Research- ing all the Technical boring stuff. Know Legality's,Know how Sales work,Know Distribution;and the key contacts for that.Study how many Units you need to push to make a good Profit.Know how many releases you need Produce to sell those Units needed;and what the cost of that will be.Also study the most successful Studios and what they did;and now do to maintain there relivancy to the Consumers.What do they give the Consumers that the other Studios dont.In all we are talking about Market Research! All the non cool stuff;for those whos only concern is picking up a Camcorder and filming a Movie.Alot of people dont have the patience for all this.For those who dont;a front Office position in a Porn Company would not be bad for those;to gain experience and research in the biz that way. I think the most Challenging obstacle of all would be the obtainment of Capital needed for not only an upstart;but all the stages of it;until you actually see a profit turn over.These are a few factors you have to look at;not to mention some of the Legal problems you can and will face when you are established. Think about this;the next time you see yourself being the next Evil Angel,Anabolic,or Red Light. Its really no joke;and those that have made it should be commended. Edited by - T.L.Tycoon on 8/14/2004 2:52:05 PM [Link]