Mike Zillion - Adult Entertainment, Erotica, and Pornography

New blog

2007-12-07T14:17:00.000-08:00

new blog

Well, It Happened

2005-06-24T16:26:00.000-07:00

June 23 has come and gone. A number of companies spent an outrageous amount of time and money getting their records in order much more quickly than was appropriate. A few companies shut their doors entirely. A few others simply ignored the hullablaoo and decided to wait and see.

The most interesting result was the ruling on the case brought by the Free Speech Coalition and a couple of co-plaintiffs against the regulations. As a result of their case, the justice department is prohibited from demanding the records of any company which is a member of the FSC, or a co-plaintiff in the case, until August.

What's amusing is that they are also prohibited from requesting a list of the member companies.

If there is a company they want to investigate, the justice department must submit the company name to the judge, who can check against a sealed listing to determine whether the company in question is a member of the FSC. If so, the investigation will need to be suspended until August.

As you might expect, this has resulted in a rush to join the FSC--which is not a bad idea in any case--but I can't imagine how such a ruling was allowed. It seems to me that the ruling sets a precedent appropriate for any company which has its records examined before the August date. After all, there is no such thing as a special protected class of businesses in this great country of ours. If one group wins the right to some extra time for record management, then that right is automatically accorded to all others.

Either way, I wouldn't want to be associated now with any company whose records are not maintained according to the new regulations. I agree that it was unfair to set such a short deadline for compliance. I agree that the notion of a five to ten year jail term for failing to keep records in the proper format, regardless of whether the information itself is being kept or whether it indicates that any participants were under age, is unconstitutional. I also agree that there is a question whether there are issues regarding the right not to self-incriminate.

But part of being a citizen of a country is adjusting yourself to the local laws. Happily, as a citizen of this particular country, we also have the opportunity to make changes to those laws when they go further than we are willing to adapt.

I mean, it's either that, or move to Canada, right?

bk_keywords:Nikon D2x.

Moody Convention

2005-06-13T18:58:00.000-07:00

The mood is getting a little more somber in the adult entertainment world.

I just spent the last weekend hosting a booth at Erotica-LA, and I met a lot of nervous people. To those who have been in the industry for a while, the current change in regulations around record keeping rings a familiar tone. It is likely the first of several coordinated moves aimed at tightening in the reins on our freedom of expression, freedom to do business, and freedom for adults to see what they want.

To wander around the floor of the convention as a customer, you might not think of it as a conservative crowd. The racks of discounted adult DVD's were stacked high, the latest high-tech sex toys for today and tomorrow were on display, and the performers were out signing autographs for their long lines of devoted fans.

But even though the focus of attention was ostensibly sexual, there was an almost puritanical sense of reserve in the air. The most revealing and eye-catching costumes were being worn by visitors. The displays and banners were nothing you couldn't see on any subway train, television commercial, or billboard across the country. Even the erotic dance shows on the stages failed to generate more than a few polite hoots from the audience.

When I talked with folks who worked at the different companies, I got a pretty consistent story. We were all glad to be there, hanging out with others from the industry, but there was a sense of foreboding. The first shoe is scheduled to drop on June 23, and nobody knows how many feet this bureaucratic monster has.

The recent changes in the regulations stimulated a renewed interest in the few civil rights groups which have made a name by speaking for the adult entertainment industry. But as in all times of uncertainty, more of the chatter was based on fear than anger. Some folks whispered in confusion about whether any lawsuits brought on behalf of the members of those groups would be applied to companies who did not contribute to one or another. Some wondered whether companies who joined would be the first on the inspection lists when the new regulations start being enforced.

I thought the 1950's were over.

I also heard stories about companies who are throwing in the towel this month, rather than face the costs and insecurities of inspection. One example is Bound and Gagged, an admittedly extreme provider of fetish content for several years. Visit their homepage while you still can to see the compelling message from the founder about his reasons for closing down.

CyberBears and Salamander Studios are fortunate to have had the foresight to prepare for the coming changes, so we won't be going anywhere. Our records are on file here and with all of our distribution partners. Our performers have all agreed up front that their personal information is part of the company records, and they all understand that it can and will be shown to the appropriate authorities upon request.

The indignity of that request, in the United States, in the 21st century, is just something else we'll be able to tell the next generation about when their time comes.

Let's hope it's another 50 years at least.

The Means and The End

2005-06-08T19:29:00.000-07:00

The Federal Register published new guidelines this week concerning the record keeping requirements for producers of adult materials. The reasons for these rules were very clearly explained in the text of the requirements: to prevent children from being exploited as performers in sexually explicit productions.

That's not a bad reason to do something. Nobody who is not mature enough to consent to a sexual act should be exploited for adult entertainment. Those producers who would attempt to do so should not be excused from responsibility for their actions. But the response which has been adopted may be out of proportion to the problem.

The issue here is that the requirements create an unreasonable burden on the producers, and expose legitimate businesses and performers to undue attention and potential harrassment. This will make smaller companies less competitive, and stifle innovation in the industry. The net effect of these rules in the United States can only by the consolidation of adult production in the hands of the largest and most well-protected companies, and the offshoring of child pornography.

I can't believe that this is what was intended by the drafters of this legislation.

It seems more plausible that these rules are intended to discourage the growth of the adult entertainment industry as a whole. The very implication that the industry cannot self-police, and must therefore be subject to special regulations, is evidence of the disdain in which adult entertainment producers are being held.

There are criminals in every industry, and adult entertainment is no exception. I think it is fair to say that the vast majority of us in this field would be very willing to suffer a good deal of inconvenience to help identify and stop those who would abuse children under the guise of free speech. Clearly, we already have made great efforts in this direction, and most of us continue to exceed federal requirements when it comes to record keeping and verification.

However, this rule enforces public inspection and exposure of confidential information in a way which is burdensome and inappropriate. If I were not a legitimate producer, existing rules would be more than sufficient to expose my violation of the law, and lead to my arrest and conviction. But since I am a legitimate producer, the new rules serve only to increase my paperwork, undermine my privacy, expose my industry to public ridicule, and challenge the confidentiality of my performers and colleagues.

Leave alone for the moment the fact that the new regulations require all performers to offer documentation that they are U.S. citizens. Forget that these rules do not apply to producers of some of the most violent and explicit content, simply because it is computer-generated and does not show actual human beings (of any age) engaged in sexual intercourse. Ignore the absence of any forward-looking approaches to improving documentation technology beyond the paper files in the producer's main place of business. The new regulations are a not-so-subtle reminder that conservatives are much more aware of how things appear than how they actually work.

There is also underage drinking, without any record-keeping requirements in bars or liquor stores. Perhaps that should be stopped. Similarly, there is the sale of cigarettes to minors without documentation anywhere in the United States. There are cases of child abuse in the home, in the school, in the church, and in the workplace, none of which has resulted in draconian documentation requirements.

And there is child pornography. Not a lot, but any is too much. Although it is not as prevalent as any of these other issues, it does make for splashy headlines. It certainly must be stopped as well.

Do we really think that circumscribing our freedom to share and enjoy adult entertainment among adults will solve the problem?

International Mister Leather 2005

2005-05-23T01:10:00.000-07:00

It's traveling time. Next week we're packing up the lights, the cameras, the inventory, and the attitude and heading for Chicago. The International Mister Leather competition is taking place next weekend, and we want to be there for every soft, warm, pungent moment of it.

Before I got involved in adult entertainment, my only connection to events like this was reading about them in magazines, and admiring the contestants as they wandered through San Francisco on their way to fame. Now, leather competitions are part of my bread and butter. They not only give me a chance to rub elbows with my customers and colleagues. They also provide a fertile ground for spotting new talent.

One of my favorite gay adult entertainment companies in San Francisco actually got the inspiration (and the initial footage) for an award-winning DVD series at IML a few years back. Titan's instant classic, Fallen Angel, lead to four increasingly popular sequels, including one of the biggest splashes ever to hit the industry, the Five-DVD set Horse.

You would understand after a few hours in the lobby of the host hotel for IML. The place is draped and dripping in hot leather men, strutting their chains and floggers around like the latest fashion statement. Masters lead their slaves around on leashes without glancing back. Boots glisten with the deep luster of a dozen spit-shines. A man without a harness is like a drag queen without her wig.

Yes, there is something to the idea that a man dressed in leather is not too different from a man dressed as Liza Minelli; they're both making a bold statement about themselves and their lifestyles for the benefit of everyone. The only thing they want is that you look, admire, and acknowledge how much more fabulous they are than anyone else around. Once I got that, I found myself feeling a lot more relaxed around all that testosterone.

This year, for the first time. I get to participate. My company will be among the vendors in the Leather Market. This is a huge annual crafts fair and swap meet held in the basement of the hotel, where literally hundreds of companies and leatherworkers gather to sell their wares to the gathered enthusiasts. CyberBears and Salamander Studios will be there in force, with posters, free drawings, and a table full of new titles on DVD.

In between stints manning the booth, my partner and I will be switching off up in the hotel suite, interviewing potential performers for future titles. Sometimes, these events are so crowded and busy that it's almost impossible to get someone to set aside an hour to have a simple audition. You have to get to them early in the week, before their dance card is full, and their stamina is running on empty, if you want to get some decent pictures—let alone a little video footage.

If I get a chance, I'll try to keep you updated as the week progresses.

Community Standards

2005-03-23T19:33:00.000-08:00

To those who may not yet be familiar with the concept, there is a bill of rights attached to the United States Constitition. Among the rights protected is the freedom of expression, and in particular, the freedom to express unpopular ideas. As Thomas Jefferson pointed out, the freedom to express popular ideas hardly needs protecting.

There is also a division between states' rights and federal jurisdiction. This permits states and comminities to define local standards for what is and is not considered protected expression. As I understand it, the theory is that the federal government allows complete freedom of expression, and that sets the default standard for the country. But to maintain local cultural variations, all communities are permitted to say that specific types of expression, which may be fine in some parts of the country, are not acceptable here.

Those of us who work in the adult entertainment industry know community standards as a set of unwritten rules which circumscribe the way we work. For us, the possibility that something we create might be deemed unacceptable in a specific community will prevent any but the most adventurous and financially independent of us from taking risks with topics successfully prosecuted against other producers, no matter how long ago. The de facto laws we abide by aren't the laws of our own community, but the laws of any community where the work we produce may be sold, bought, or even seen.

The federal government, in which we all have a say, is not the problem for once. Although it may be argued that local governments get their cues from the feds, the fact is that people who live in these communities have the privilege to prohibit pretty much any form of expression which they all agree is inappropriate. Anyone in that community who disagrees has the right to vote against the regulation, or move to another part of the United States.

But fear of local prosecution in some parts of the country effectively prevents producers of adult entertainment operating in any community in the country from exploring the evolving landscape of acceptable erotic play. It boils down to economics and inconvenience. Nobody wants to risk being thrown in jail for six months because a video produced in California was seen by a consenting adult in Utah.

The distribution channels for adult products also play a critical role in the issue. A distributor is just as liable as a producer for products which go beyond community standards. Unlike the protections offered to internet service providers, telephone companies, and delivery services, adult video distributors are forced to police the producers who work with them, or suffer the consequences.

It is relevant to point out that there are some economies of scale associated with creating a product on DVD, which do not apply to publishing information electronically. The cost of creating the first 1,000 copies of a title have to be covered by the sales of that title. Selling is a difficult and complex business in and of itself, far beyond the means of most producers. For ongoing production to be possible, most video companies rely on distributors, who focus on the sales so the producers can focus on the development of new products.

In our litigious society, it is the one with the money who is most at risk of prosecution, and that is usually the distributor rather than the producer. If a distributor has reason to be concerned about whether a title may or may not meet community standards anywhere within its entire territory, that distributor has a simple economic incentive not to carry that title. A producer, who relies on distributors for income, has a similar incentive not to produce titles which may violate community standards anywhere in the territory their distributor services.

On the other hand, producers who creates exclusively for online distribution can fall back on local community standards wherever they live as a shield against inappropriate prosecution. With nobody else at risk, producers who do not use formal distribution channels are free to explore locally acceptable, federally protected forms of expression, regardless of how they may be received in other less tolerant communityies.

Producers who work in other countries have a different range of acceptable content. For example, some countries prohibit the showing of male genitalia even in drawings, but do not limit the depiction of extreme non-consensual violence in a sexual context. Much of this work is illegal to distribute anywhere in the United States, because our national community standards have never stretched to encompass these forms of expression. But adult entertainment produced in other countries is easy to access online.

The result of all this is that porn on the internet, which relies on no formal distribution channel to define the community where it is accessed, can be as depraved as federal law will tolerate. Meanwhile, porn sold through legitimate retail outlets is subject to economic sanctions if it violates the standards of the most modest community where the product might appear.

The fact is that different communities have different standards for acceptable expression. If my artistic vision, based on my community's standards, is reasonably described as obscenity in your community, then it probably shouldn't be sold in your community. That doesn't mean that I should be thrown in jail if someone in your community does get hold of a copy, or that my distributor should be thrown in jail for making that acquisition possible.

If these laws were applied only to the people who chose to live within the community where they existed, I would not have an objection. In fact, I could see that sort of application resulting in a much more aggressive reistance to limitations of freedom of expression. Community standards are not just another way of saying, "the first amendment doesn't really protect anything." It is economic reality, not the rule of law, which keeps producers of adult entertainment from expressing themselves more freely.

There needs to be a way to keep the protections afforded to communities by this loophole in the bill of rights, known as community standards, from fossilizing the evolution of society.

The Glamor and the Glitter

2005-03-19T00:26:00.000-08:00

Of course, there's nothing like getting some recognition from your peers and colleagues, regardless of what you do for a living. In the field of pornography, that usually takes the form of a gala awards ceremony. We just got back from one of the biggest and best such events in the world of gay adult entertainment: The GayVN Awards.

In case you are not familiar with it, let me give you a little background. The adult entertainment industry is blessed with a few key news sources. Among these, one of the biggest and glossiest is the Adult Video News, or AVN. AVN has been publishing for years, and now has a number of editions, including the main Adult Video News magazine, a sister magazine called AVN Online, and complementary websites for these and a number of other specialty niches.

We knew CyberBears, our company, had arrived when our first release, Dore Alley Bears, was listed in the AVN ranking of the 75 top rentals for gay adult videos in January of 2004, one month after it hit the stores. We weren't the first bear video company to achieve this honor, but we very well may be the only company with a bear video which ranked as high as 36 on the list, against mainstream and fetish titles alike.

So we were thrilled when our distributor called us in January to tell us that the AVN judges had requested copies of our most recent release, Workshop Bears, to consider for best title in the newly created Specialty: Bears category at the GayVN Awards. This is not only the first time GayVN has recognized the bear video niche as worthy of attention, it was also the first time since the Gay Erotic Video Awards in 1994 that a title I was personally associated with had been nominated for an award.

The awards ceremony was held on March 10, and I will not keep you in suspense any longer; we did not win our category. Yeah, it's an honor to be nominated, but I'll admit that I really wanted us to win! We were up against entries from the bear divisions of some of the biggest and best mainstream studios in the business. Even so, I thought a little upstart two-year old company like ours really had a chance to pull it off, and walk away with our own lucite slab of validation. But despite the disappointment, we chatted with old friends, made some new contacts, hung out with our U.S. distributors from Arena Entertainment, and overall just had a great time at the event.

AVN pulls out all the stops when it comes to hosting a show like this. The catered buffet was amazing, the drinks were free, and the eye candy was everywhere. Chi Chi LaRue, one of the most prominent and well respected directors in the business, hosted the ceremony with an entourage of hot men culled from the ranks of fantasies the world over. Nobody in the business has her act together like Chi Chi. That might be partially because she spends the rest of her life as a man, with the balls to don the outgoing, telegenic persona of Chi Chi LaRue for public appearances.

One of the most memorable aspects of the event was the presentation of the lifetime achievement awards, given out by veteran director (and my personal mentor) Gino Colbert. If there is any doubt among you that this industry is full of respectable, decent, hardworking professionals, and deserving of its small slice of the entertainment pie, all you have to do is listen to Gino talk about the history and talent behind the products, and any doubts will be banished.

Despite the expected theatrics, which help bring the public back for more than just the hot men, there was a genuine atmosphere of camaraderie and supportiveness everywhere. It may be related to the fact that this industry grew out of an oppressed minority, and every one of us has had to struggle against social pressures to find our place here. Sure, Chi Chi feigned horror when Michael Lucas won an award, and Lucas returned the favor by comparing himself to Jesus and suggesting that there were many in the audience who might want to crucify him. But the occasional outburst of staged bitchiness is clearly a facade, put on to glamorize the cooperative, supportive nature truly embodied by the players in this tiny world.

I came away a loser, but I'm definitely going back for more. These people are some of the best this world has to offer. They've overcome incredible odds to find themselves right where they knew they had to be, no matter what anyone else had to say about it.

Half the Fun

2005-02-12T20:02:00.000-08:00

Half the fun of working in this industry can sometimes be telling folks what you do, just to see the reactions you get. Of course, if you're doing it just for this reason, you should probably seek career counseling and grow up a bit. However, the occasional pleasure of these moments cannot be denied.

It's a little different, though, when you start to deal with the issue of interacting with the talent. Whether you are behind the camera or in front of it, ideally, you should work with people who stir the fires of your passion. If not, again, you might want to consider why you are in this industry to begin with. After all, you cannot make exceptional porn if you yourself find the acts and actors less than appealing.

But therein lies one of the most daunting problems for the aspiring pornographer. The people you need to approach about working with you to make your dreams come true may also be the people you want to approach to make your personal fantasies come true. And they know it.

You would not want to photograph them doing things to each other if you didn't also find the thought of doing those things with them arousing. But being aroused is not the best state of mind in which to begin negotiations for a business relationship--especially if you are not entirely certain that that is all you wish to negotiate.

I have said it before, and I will say it again. Do not get into the adult entertainment industry in search of sex. Not that you won't find it, but there are better, more honorable, and cheaper ways to get sex if that is what you are looking for. Getting it as a side benefit to a business is bad for business, bad for your social life, and bad for the people who want to either work or play with you.

At this point, you may be dismissing my comments as platitutes or generalities which do not apply to someone as emotionally mature and personally experienced as you are. Please, take my warnings seriously, because it is you I am addressing. The less vulnerable you think you may be to this issue, the more likely it is that it will sneak up on you and eat away at your success, your relationships, and your ability to enjoy the simple pleasures of life which may have drawn you to this line of work in the first place.

This warning is even more relevant to those of you who have a mate or special life partner. While I would hope you chose to discuss this with him or her first, you cannot expect that anyone can reasonably predict the way they will react when seeing you surrounded day after day with what can only be perceived as sexual competition.

Your mate may be in the industry as well, or may profess to have extremely evolved ideas about sexual freedom and personal expression. It may even be true, but don't count on it! I say this not to discourage you, or offend anyone you may love, but rather to keep your attention on this issue as your professional life progresses.

It is also possible to find yourself less interested in your own sexuality as you submerge yourself daily in the erotic fantasies and activities of others. After a day at the factory turning out shoelaces, there's nothing you want to see less than a pair of shoes which need to be tied. This phenomenon of overload is just as prevalent when you work in adult entertainment.

But if you have a mate, or are pursuing a potential mate, your sex life is not something that you can turn off at the end of the work day, no matter how much it reminds you of the "office" and the busy days ahead. It is your responsibility to find ways to distinguish your personal sexual adventures from the ones you work on for your business, and make them just as exciting for you as you want them to be for your partner.

It is vital to show outwardly and consistently just how strong your feeling are for your mate, both emotionally and physically. The intimidating realities about the people a partner works with become even more overwhelming when that work deals directly with sexuality. You need to bring your sexual appetite home with you, and share it with your mate, without letting the fact that you work in adult entertainment dampen your enthusiasm for private adult pleasures.

There is a third person involved in this issue as well, and that is the one who embodies your sexual ideals, and also works with you on the set capturing those ideals for the sake of a hungry audience. A performer in adult entertainment is a person, just like yourself, with all the insecurities and issues you have. It only confuses the nature of your professional relationship when you introduce your sexuality into it.

While many adult performers have a long history of dealing with unwanted advances, they should not have to deal with this issue when they are working. Coming from a director, producer, or other hiring authority, it can be actionable. Coming from another performer, it can interfere with professionalism on the set, and lead to less than stellar work. Coming from a stage hand or assistant, it can distract a performer to the point of not being able to produce a convincing scene. And coming from an administrative professional, it can lead to fears about the implications of having personal information in the hands of someone whose feeling are less than professional.

The best policy is to keep your business relationships business only, and not cross that fine line between engaging a performer's sexual services on the set, and seeking to satisfy your own sexuality.

For your sake, and the sake of your personal and professional relationships, present and future, it is vital to separate your sexual play from your sexual work.

Gay Porn Saves Lives

2005-02-04T19:41:00.000-08:00

I made a general comment in a recent article which drew some attention from readers. It seemed self-evident to me, but apparently the seminal role of pornography in the development of homosexual men is not as clear to everyone.

I am starting from the assumption that every person has a sexual identity. That identity is usually heterosexual, or some variation on that theme. In ten percent or so, the identity is skewed toward same-sex eroticism. While we all mature at different rates, it is safe to assume that by the age of eighteen, most of us are prepared to experience sexual interest, if not actual sexual activity.

Now, until we reach the age of eighteen, we are exposed constantly with a set of images, belifs, experiences, and values which support a majority of us in our development. Just as a young bird learns to fly by watching, trying, and ultimately succeeding or failing, a young human being learns what is going to be expected of him when he reaches maturity by watching the behavior of the people who surround him.

In the case of a heterosexual, the emergence of sexual identity is like the answer to a question that has been asked of him his entire life. He observes people in his family, in literature, on television, and everywhere around him engaging in the natural behavior of the heterosexual. The men pair off with the women, they engage in courtship, they form relationships, they create families with children, and they pursue the protections and opportunities afforded to heterosexuals.

In the case of a homosexual, maturity arrives as a slap in the face. All of the urges and inclinations of the heterosexual are present, but they are directed away from the presumed "correct" target, and toward members of the same gender. His upbringing has not prepared the young homosexual for desires which are at cross purposes to the direction society has laid out for him. Beyond the guilt, hopelessness, and fear this disorienting situation creates, there is also a basic confusion.

Who am I sexually if I am not straight?

Society has a bunch of ready answer for this question as well. A lot of these answers disagree with each other, and take views ranging from support to vilification for people with homosexual inclinations. Even if a homosexual person is fortunate enough to find himself in a community where he has access to positive gay role models, often the assimilationist aspects of gay society downplay their own sexuality in order to gain more acceptance from the broader community. That serves a purpose politically and economically, but it denies a basic truth about homosexuality: The only unifying factor among gay people is their sexual attraction to people of the same gender.

You can't spell homosexual without sex. The ignorance and intolerance of society as a whole may have contributed to the necessary evolution of a gay culture which extends into all areas of a gay person's life. But in the end, it is the sexuality, not the culture, which makes us gay.

Which brings me back to pornography. There is only one art form which focuses exclusively on the one identifying factor which distinguishes the homosexual, and that art form is adult entertainment, erotica, or pornography. When a confused homosexual first emerges from the bosom of his straight family, his straight church, his straight school, his straight workplace, and his straight social life, often the first signpost pointing the way to healthy self-acceptance comes in the form of a random exposure to a latent (or blatent) homoerotic image.

It is these images which provide the key, and the clue, to the existence of a completely hidden dimension of sexual reality, where the emerging homosexual's most secret and private inclinations are not only permitted, but encouraged and praised. This is a far cry from the pressure to conform and hide that aspect of his identity, and it can come as a welcome alternative to self-doubt and even self-destruction.

There have been arguments about the comparisons to be made between racial minorities and minorities of sexual orientation. One difference which must be addresses is the fact that there is very rarely any family or genetic link on which a homosexual can rely. In the vast landscape of sexual identity, the homosexual is almost always born isolated from others like him, surrounded by people who cannot recognize and may not even admit the validity of his own identity. The earlier this identity becomes apparent, the harder this can be.

The sexual dialogue in modern America is still an underground phenomenon. To a certain extent, it needs to remain that way in order to keep our children from being exposed to these issues before they are mature enough to deal with them. This is one reason why I am a staunch supporter of keeping all adult materials out of the hands of minors. These issues will come to the surface soon enough, and our children need to develop a strong sense of their own identities before being challenged to face their sexuality head-on.

That sexual dialogue needs to include gay porn. Apart from teaching the mechanics of gay sex, and the critical education needed about safer sex practices, gay porn provides a tiny sliver of evidence that we are not alone. And if it is out there, the human spirit will find it.

Safety, Comfort, and Porn Sets

2005-01-30T18:05:00.000-08:00

After you get to the set, one of the first things you need to consider is how well your personal comfort and safety are bring looked after. In most situations, the kind of comfort I'm talking about has less to do with fresh pineapple chunks on a catering cart, and more to do with having plenty of paper towels and warm places to sit between shots. And when it comes to safety, we all know about the importance of avoiding STD's, but there are other considerations.

Most porn sets will not be equipped like a hollywood movie. As often as not, the filming takes place in an adapted home or private location not ideally suited to the needs of a crew, cast, director, and all their equipment. Sometimes, the most comfortable place on the set is actually out in front of the camera, where it has to al least look comfortable for the sake of the audience.

There are a couple of things you can do to make sure you have everything you need, regardless of how the set is managed. First, bring along a towel or a robe. You may be called upon to get on and off the set fully naked at a moment's notice, and the ambient room temperature when you're not under the hot lights could be a nasty shock if you don't have something nice to slip into. In that same regard, a pair of slippers or flip-flops can be very helpful, especially if your scene is being shot in a basement or a warehouse with cement floors.

Bring a bottle of water with you. It is a pretty common courtesy for most directors to provide the performers as well as the crew with water. Dehydration shows up clearly and unpleasantly on camera. Anyone who has seen it ruin a hard day's shoot once won't want to let it happen again. Bring a personal bottle, and keep it with your belongings so you can get to it quickly and identify it easily.

It needs to be mentioned here that a porn set is a very bad place to be using any sort of alcohol or mind-altering substance. If you feel that you need something artificial to relax you enough to go ahead with the shoot, perhaps this is not the industry for you. You need to be in complete command of all your faculties during a shoot. Similarly, you should never accept any prescription medications which were not prescribed specifically for you. If you feel you need performance enhancing medicines, consult your personal physician. (Don't worry, they've heard it all before!)

If you want to keep track of your time, bring an inexpensive watch, and leave it with your belongings off the set. When you go back to get a drink or put on your robe, you can check the time. Directors generally prefer not to be distracted by performers who are glancing at the clock during a shoot. It can bring down the energy of a scene, and it challenges the authority of the director. If you have an appointment you need to get to after the shoot, let the director know in advance, and then accept that the information has been communicated.

It may sound silly, but one of the most important things you can do on a porn set is wash your hands frequently. In practical terms, the hands are where most of us pick up most of the germs which infect us on a day to day basis. Although a lot of the work on a porn set involves touching, licking, and penetrating other people's bodies, most of the parts being inserted and accepted rarely come in contact with anything but the inside of a person's clothing. However, often those parts have been recently fondled by hands which may have been holding handrails on the bus, handling money, shopping, or anything else we do that exposes us to the myriad diseases in the world. Keep your hands clean, and suggest that your fellow performers do the same.

When it comes to safer sex, there are a few theories about what makes the most sense. On most straight porn sets, performers must demonstrate that they have been tested for the major infectious STD's on a regular basis before being allowed on the set. On most gay porn sets, condoms are the rule. On many fetish sets, there is actually no release of bodily fluids, and therefore the sex portrayed in inherently safe.

In any case, the exchange of bodily fluids is always a matter of clear concern for the performers and the producers. If you feel strongly about one method or another, make your feeling clear to the director before coming to the set, so proper accommodations can be made. You owe it to yourself and your fans to learn everything you need to know about safety when having sex with multiple partners.

Remember, your safety and comfort are your concern. You have reason to expect that these matters will be taken into consideration, but it is prudent to assume responsibility for the minimal standards you require.

"Adults Only" is More Than Enough

2005-01-26T15:49:00.000-08:00

One point about which I do not think you will find any debate in the vast majority of legitimate adult businesses is the importance of keeping adult content for adult consumers.

This is a separate issue from the critical need to keep minors from being exploited as subjects of adult media, either literally or in simulation. This is about making sure that the customer who buys a piece of porn is a legal adult, with the maturity needed to appreciate it.

In the past, it was easier to regulate access to information. There was no practical way to share a dirty picture short of passing a printed copy around from one person to the next. In those days, it was the responsibility of the store owners to keep the children away from the "men's magazines," or out of the store completely. A store owner relied on the publisher and distributor to confirm the nature of the items sold, and often demanded that they supply barriers, warning signs, or other impediments to help keep children from being exposed.

The advent of home video, the personal computer, and more recently the Internet, all contributed to a lack of practical control possible. But this situation, while it may never be reversed, does not entitle us to shrug our shoulders and ignore the problem. If anything, the responsibility is even more pressing on the adults in our society to protect the innocence of the children.

I may sound like a conservative prude, but I do not take this responsibility lightly. You may be surprised to learn that most of my colleagues feel much the same way that I do about it. There is a general agreement that what we produce, while it is of value to an adult audience, should not and must not be shared with minors.

The problem is not in the establishment, but in the attempts to regulate that establishment. When outside laws come to limit the freedoms of an industry, the least scrupulous members of our society come to bottom-feed on the aspects of the business legitimate producers avoid. These people may pop up overnight, post a few pictures anywhere they can, and try to snag as much money as possible before shutting down and scurrying away. They have no concerns about the implications of what they do; not for the consumer or for the producer.

The problem is that, to the general public, it is virtually impossible to distinguish between the legitimate and the fly-by-night businesses. This is not a situation which is unique to adult entertainment. All industries must accept that some people will approach the business with less respect than others.

The assumption that it could be profitable to go after a youth market in adult media is flawed on many levels. The bottom line is that there are more than enough legitimate adult consumers for adult media. Apart from the regulations, and the moral issues, nobody who intends to make more than a passing buck from adult entertainment has any interest in selling to minors.

The adult entertainment industry has been treated as a second class citizen to the more mainstream entertainment industry since its inception. It is only in the past twenty years or so that any recognition of this class of producer has taken hold. The trends are moving in the right direction, governmental agendas notwithstanding.

As this industry matures, I think we will see more and better efforts made to use technology and common sense to keep adult entertainment in the realm of adults.

Porn Star 101 - What to Bring to an Audition

2005-01-26T01:36:00.000-08:00

It's a funny question to ask, but if you're going to audition for a
role in which you will likely be spending most of your time naked, what
do you want to bring with you to the audition? In most professions,
there is an essential kit of supplies, references, and informational
materials you need to show to your potential employer when you first
meet. How does this translate into the world of porn?

First, and most important, is to bring valid, verifiable proof of your
age. It does not matter if you are ninety-three; your interviewer will
not be able to consider you, and may not even let you into the studio,
unless you can show an official photo id. For governmental regulations,
this ID should be issued by the state, and include a trackable unique
ID number, a current photo, and a date of birth proving you are a legal
adult.

Some producers will require you to provide two forms of ID, and most
reputable ones will insist on taking a photograph and/or a photocopy of
your ID to keep with your records. This is a standard precaution, as it
demonstrates that the producer followed the legal requirements for
preventing minors from participating. If you are not comfortable
letting this information stay with the producer, then you should not be
looking for work in this field.

Second, you should bring your social security card, or proof of
citizenship. While it is not technically illegal for a foreign national
to earn money working as a contract performer, it may be necessary for
that person to obtain documents proving the right to work in this
country. This is as much a concern for the producer as it is for the
performer, since it has implications for tax reporting.

Again, you should be ready to share this information with the producer.
If you are auditioning for contract work, you have every reason to
expect to be paid for what you do. As of 2005, any company which pays
you more than $500 in a single year must file a 1099 form declaring the
payment. Many performers make this much money in two or three shoots.
Filing the necessary paperwork requires your social security number,
along with your current mailing address. If you do not want to give out
this information to a producer, then you should look elsewhere for
work.

Third, you should prepare a list of all the aliases and names you have
used, professionally or personally, throughout your life. If you are
married, and have taken your spouse's last name, you need to include
your birth name. If you have performed anywhere in the world under an
assumed name, you need to include that name in this list as well.

This information is one of the newest elements being required of
producers, who have very strict record keeping standards to maintain
legitimacy. At any time, the government can demand that a producer show
any of this information about any performer whose work that producer
has sol, licensed, published, or distributed. Having the information
ready in advance demonstrates your understanding of the needs of the
producer, and the realities of the industry.

Fourth, you should wear comfortable, casual clothing which is easy to
take off and put on again. Of course, you want to make sure that the
clothing you choose shows off your body and your features to their best
advantage. It is likely that you will be asked to take your clothing
off, and part of your audition will be demonstrating the grace and ease
with which you can do this. Pick your outfit accordingly. Keep makeup
and jewelry to a minimum. The producer wants to see what you look like
naturally.

In addition to street clothes, it is not a bad idea to bring along a
few specialized costume pieces, props, or other equipment which you
feel expresses the unique qualities you bring to the work you do. Do
not expect to have time to show more than one or two outfits. It is
also polite to ask the producer in advance if there are any special
areas of emphasis for the audition. That way, you will be better
prepared for what you will be asked to do.

Fifth, be sure to bring a bag or case large enough to carry everything,
and hold it together before, during, and after the audition. Many
producers schedule multiple auditions one after the other. You do not
want to be remembered as the one who couldn't get all the gear back
into the bag before the next performer showed up. You also do not want
to leave anything behind, since it may accidentally end up in someone
else's bag the same afternoon.

Sixth, bring an open mind. Each producer works a little differently.
Some will spend most of the time talking, while others will put you out
on the set without any preliminaries. Most will expect you to fill out
some paperwork verifying your intent, and show your identification,
before anything else. Some will offer you work immediately, and others
will add you to their files and may not call for six months. Some will
offer to send you a copy of the pictures from your test session in
exchange for the rights, while others will not. Some will videotape the
interview session for possible future use in the extras for an upcoming
DVD.

If you feel strongly about any of these possibilities, ask about them
before you schedule an interview. It is not professional to ask a
producer to change his methods at an interview, and it will not work in
your favor. Remember that the pictures which are taken at an interview
are just as likely as any others to show up online, or in promotional
materials for future video work. Use this opportunity to shine like the
star you know you can be!

How to Tell Aunt Marian About Gay Porn?

2005-01-24T18:16:00.001-08:00

Everyone has an Aunt Marian. Mine is recently widowed, long retired, living in Florida, and pretty conservative although not strictly religious. If you don't have an Aunt Marian, then you probably have someone else in your life who doesn't know yet what it is you do for a living, and might prefer never to know.

My mother, of course, knows what I do and understands the choices I have made. Not everyone has the advantage of such a rational parent. However, she is very sensitive about sharing this information with the rest of the family. She tells me she doesn't want me to ruin my good reutation, and I can only assume that she is concerned about her own reputation as well. In all fairness, I can see the difference between understanding my choices, and explaining them to her family.

The problem for my mother, and potentially for my Aunt Marian, is that I am not only content with the choices I have made for myself, I am actively proud of who I am and what I do. I do recognize that Aunt Marian's upbringing may never have exposed her to the more positive aspects of the adult entertainment industry. In fact, she might not even be aware of the critical role of erotica in the evolution and stability of the homosexual community. And come to think of it, I'm not even sure if she knows her precious nephew is a card-carrying friend of Dorothy!

The important point for me, and anyone else in this situation, is to be clear about how I feel about who I am and what I do. I can't expect everyone to agree with me, shake my hand, and join in for several choruses of Kumba-Ya on the guitar. But as long as I present my position and opinions with clarity, professionalism, and confidence, I will know that any failure to communicate is not my fault.

I might not have the opportunity to tell everyone in the family all about what I do and why. But I can answer questions when asked, and try to include a little education about the role of adult entertainment in the gay community.

There are a few key points to keep in mind when introducing this subject to someone who might not be inclined to listen with an open mind.

For many people in the mainstream heterosexual world, sexuality is just a natural part of the rhythm of life. The exaggerated focus on sexuality implied by pornography can seem distasteful. But these people have never had to live in a society which denies their basic instinctual inclinations at every turn, and discourages them from sharing their feelings with each other and themselves.

In a hetero-centric society, gay erotica fills a necessary void in the lives of many gay adults who might otherwise never be able to explore their own sexuality. Nobody would deny that sexuality is a critical aspect of anyone's life. It may be illegal to marry, and it may be unpopular or even dangerous to express affection in public, but at least in the privacy of their own homes all gay men can and should have the chance to deal honestly with themselves.

Some people may be more interested in the mechanical details of the industry, and these questions can be answered honestly and respectfully if you desire. There are plenty of myths and fallacies about the industry, and only those of us who work in this field really know for certain how untrue most of these are.

I assume that nobody would choose to join a profession without at least some sense of pride in the products of his labor. That is as true for a pornographer as it is for anyone else. Tapping into that shared sense of professional dignity, which underlies all professions, may be the most critical aspect to uncovering mutual respect for the work we all do.

Unless each of us has a clear handle on why we are proud of what we do, we may never be able to discuss it productively with our Aunt Marians.

Four Keys to Failure for Aspiring Pornographers

2005-01-24T10:43:00.000-08:00

There's a popular myth about adult entertainment. Most people think it's a quick, easy way to make some money without doing a lot of work. I would laugh at these people, but I hardly have time with all the paperwork and attention this job requires. If you want to succeed, it takes more than a passion for the money; it takes a passion for the work.

In fact, there are ways to make some quick, easy money in this industry. Most of them, as in most industries, end up being very bad business practices, and can get people into much more trouble than they are worth. I want to review four of the most common mistakes I have seen people make in their attempts to skim the cream off the milk. Most of them wound up with nothing but stale cheese!

The First Key to Failure: Shooting for the Big Audience.
It's tempting to look at the world as a big wallet, and try to design your business around the areas where most of the money is. You slice the pie, and figure that by going for the category with the biggest market, you have the best chance of getting some money no matter what you produce.

For example, you might start with the assumption that most consumers are men. Further, you might notice that most of the products targeted at these men feature women with large breasts. From this, you could conclude that if you produce content featuring large-breasted women, you will be able to secure a part of this large market segment for yourself. That could be a sound analysis, but it leaves out the most critical element of passion.

If you, personally, are not attracted to images of women with large breasts, then you are very unlikely to produce content which appeals to men who are. Focus on the areas which ignite your personal passions, and develop original, unique content which appeals to you and others who share your interests. Your products will be more compelling, and you may be able to secure a leadership role in a coveted niche market.

The Second Key to Failure: Sloppy Paperwork
It is tempting to jump into the adult entertainment industry with a casual attitude. After all, this isn's something serious like producing paper clips or selling coffee. This is erotic entertainment, with all the associated free-love and personality. You don't seriously think that all those porn stars actually bother with things like contracts, agents, distribution agreements, and legal forms, do you?

You bet they do! Whether you want to be in front of the camera, behind it, or just running a website of other people's work, this is a business just like any other. There are forms to be filed, content tracking requirements, taxes to pay, and laws to track and obey. The pubic face of this industry may appear carefree, but behind all that partying is usually a team of lawyers, accountants, bookkeepers, administrators, and filing clerks making sure all the t's are crossed and the i's dotted.

If you want to fail, don't learn about the paperwork requirements. When the government asks for the cross-indexed hard copy model release for the picture which appeared on your web site six months ago, you need to be able to produce it immediately, or your entire business could be shut down.

The Third Key to Failure: Stealing Content
With all the "free porn" available on the internet, and all the neat tools to copy it, making money with a commercial website should be the easiest thing in the world, right? All you have to do is download a few hundred pictures, put them up in a private gallery, and start charging folks to see them. What could be simpler than that?

Original content is the life's blood of this industry. It may look as if there are no consequences to sharing downloaded porn, but you must be prepared to pay for what you use. The companies who produce this content spend thousands of dollars annually on models, sets, photographers, equipment, and lawyers to protect their rights. If you try to make money from their work without paying them an appropriate licensing fee, they can and will come after you for what is rightfully theirs. And they will win.

The legal right to produce and promote adult entertainment comes with the obligation to behave in a professional manner. Producers of adult content enjoy the same rights to protection under the law as content producers in any industry. The costs associated with violating these protections can be much higher than the possible short-term gains.

The Fourth Key to Failure: Hiding
So once you have found your passion, gotten your paperwork in order, and produced your original content, the money should come rolling in, right? Not unless people can find you. It's all well and good to have the best "women with hairy elbows" website in the world, but if people who like that sort of thing don't know that you exist, you're not going to see any money from all your hard work.

You cannot succeed if you are hiding from your audience. To make a mark in the industry, you and your site have to become synonymous with the niche market you occupy. This means sending out press releases, buying advertising space, and generally making yourself known to as many people as possible. Build it, and they may never know. Promote it, and they will come.

If you are shy, you may need to hire someone to act as your spokesperson. There has to be someone from your company out there, visible to the target audience, embodying the dream that keeps them coming back for more.

Conclusion
Making a success of an adult entertainment company is not impossible, but it does require some specialized skills and some careful attention:

If you are not passionate about the type of work you do, it will show in the product. Repeat customers are the bread and butter of this industry, and nobody's going to give you a second chance if you disappoint them the first time.

If you fail to keep careful records, you are at risk of violating the law and sacrificing more than your business and your profits; you could sacrifice your liberty. The record keeping laws change from time to time, and you must keep yourself current to stay within the protection of the law.

If you steal other people's work and charge for it, you are not only disrespecting your colleagues, you are subjecting yourself to possible prosecution. This industry has fought hard for the legal protections it enjoys, and does not take the matter lightly.

If you don't stand up and take credit for your hard work, nobody will ever hear about you. Your audience wants to support your work, and perhaps even live vicariously through your exploits. Give them a chance to get to know you. It will pay off for everyone!