Ask the pornographer (solo and GG stuff, no hetro, sorry)

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
61

[QUOTE=Lakai]
How do you get the girls comfortable enough to enjoy themselves?
[/QUOTE]

keep them informed, treat them with respect, understand where they are coming from (some of our staff are ex-models, which helps some). Know when to be serious, when to make a funny, when to back off, when to give them privacy.

Sounds kinda obvious, but in our experience, it’s easy to mess up.

It’s *a *problem, not a huge one. Our customers tend to be very loyal, so let us know when they see our stuff elsewhere. We have a few guys we employ who chase down copyright violators. The really tough ones we send to a lawyer to deal with.

62

[QUOTE=Gentle Robot]
How do people shoot/edit/retouch this stuff without getting constantly… distracted? You know.. by urges. To.. masturbate.
[/QUOTE]

Like any job, it gets boring really fast.

63

[QUOTE=Mbossa]
I have noticed that very few of the models share their first name with another model, and when they do, their surname’s initial is always enough to disambiguate them. This leads me to believe that at least some of them are using pseudonyms. Is that the case? Are they all using pseudonyms, or are some of them OK with using their first names? Who selects the pseudonyms–the model or the staff?
[/quote]

Some models use their real names, some use stage names. If they want to use a stage name, we choose it, cos we want it to be in-line with reality - a pretty genuine, realistic name (some models want to use their alter ego kinda name, or a really dripper name like “Bambiii” etc).

If we get a model with the same first name as some other model on the site, we’ll add surname initial, as you have observed.

They are generally paired by the staff, tho we have a bunch of real-life couples as well. We run the pairing by the models, and they get to interact on the boards on the site (they have their own, no-members-allowed place as well), so they can get to know eachother some.

Sometimes models come to us having paired themselves, and we go ahead and shoot their suggestion.

I think you have the names mixed up, but yes, we have dones GG shoots with “ex”-model-staff and models. It’s up to the models to decide if they want to do the shoot or not, staff or no.

64

[QUOTE=Quartz]
Is yours an entirely female company? Do you have any trouble with sex discrimination laws? I’ve heard about the porn prejudice in Hollywood; do your staff have problems moving to jobs elsewhere?
[/QUOTE]

We’re about half and half male and female in the employees. The shooters are all female, as are front office and interviewing staff. The back-room, tech, and editing stuff is all male.

We do not have trouble with sex discrimination laws. We do not specify females-only for roles we advertise, but we do only employ females for some roles. unlike the US, Australia is very seldom litigeous in this way, so we don’t have a lot to worry about. And even if someone did try to sue us, we could easily proove we need female shooters to get the best performance out of the models.

Historically, none of our staff who have left have had trouble finding jobs elsewhere. I offer to give them referances mentioning the industry or not, depending on what suits them.

And certainly, in no other industry would kids directly out of uni be using the gear that we use, and be in control of shoots as much as they are here (usually, they’d be carrying bags and fetching coffee), so the kids leap at the chance. To my knowledge, no one has refused to work for us when they find out what industry we’re in (we don’t mention it in our recruiting ads, but we do in the first phone contact), but I guess we’d never know for sure.

65

[QUOTE=Quartz]
Forgot to add: could your business run without you for an extended period?
[/QUOTE]

hahaha. Right now, no. I am certainly working towards that, and making progress.

hm, should I be scared? You imply youhave a hit out on me!!

66

[QUOTE=Beware of Doug]
Is the age range based on your customer feedback, or is it just an unwritten rule?
[/quote]

It’s a written rule, actually!

It’s a niche we shoot well for, that we have a name for. I do not want to water it down by shooting other genres (on the same site - we may do differently on a differnt site, of course).

nono, there are plenty of hot Aussie women over 30!

67

[QUOTE=Bricker]
I am generally opposed to the porn industry. I believe it’s wrong, and can border on evil.

However, pretty much all the objections I have to it are obliterated by the business practices Abby Winters describes above. In short, then: were all skin-pics and skin-flicks produced under the guidelines described above, with the same attention to the welfare of the models, I would have absolutely no complaints about the industry.
[/QUOTE]

goodness, high praise. Thanks. Mind if I use that on our Testimonials page?

68

[QUOTE=abby]
We’re lucky in that Aussie men generally do not like our stuff, which means the chance of being busted is lower. For these reasons, we do not advertise in Australian media
[/QUOTE]

Really? Somehow Australian lesbians have always had an appeal for me.

On screen at least you understand.

69

[QUOTE=Abby]
Americans demand a differnt style of customer service to subscribers from other countries
[/quote]

[QUOTE=Hunter Hawk]
In what way?
[/quote]

In my experience, Americans tend to be a lot more forceful, a lot more sure of themselves (even when they are dead wrong), a lot more sure of the adage “the customer is always right” (not something we subscribe to at my site), a lot more likely to threaten a lawsuit (!), a lot more likely to complain to a chamber of commerce (!!), more likely to swear, and to assume that there is no real person on the other end of the email they are writing.

In Australia, we’re not used to those kindsa attitudes, it took me back a lot when we were starting out (even these days I still get surprised that the accusations people level at us sometimes). We had to adjust our style a lot to placate these people. To be fair, many of them have experienced a lot of very shonky operators in the adult industry, and for all they know, we’re just another one of them (until we reply to their email in a calm, sane, informative, helpful, and timely fashion).

We have more American customers than those from other countries, so the actual numbers are going to be higher, but in terms of percentage, Americans win hands down.

They also win in terms of out-and-out genuine praise as well, so I guess it’s alle ven in the end.

When cantidates come in for an interview, we get some basic info from them, show them the site and describe the significant points. We tell them about affiliates, and the chances ov being busted, we show them the posing levels and discuss pay rates. We take some topless test shots of them, give them a little booklet on us with more info, answer any qyestions they have, and send them on their way. Takes around 30 minutes.

70

[QUOTE=abby]
Yes, she is. She’s on a three month leave of absense currently, getting ready for our next big project (**I am working on her Position Description ** inbetween posting to this thread right now, actually!)
[/QUOTE]

Uh… is that what it sounds like? :smiley:

Where do you see the industry going in the next 5 yrs? Will there be a swing back to more “traditional” porn, and is that something you’d be happy shooting?

71

[QUOTE=mawrestler_one25]
How do industries deal with std’s
[/QUOTE]

I cannot speak for other industries, but we ensure all models are tested for 10 major STD’s at least three weeks before performing in a sex scene with another model. We use preferred doctors that do the blood and swab tests, and they send us the results on paper directly (or contact the model directly if there is a problem). Models are not allowed to have unprotected sex before they do the shoot (after the test).

Models get to sight eachothers test results, and sign off on them, and sign a “risk agreement” form (I see that Mary has been tested, and I agree that tehse tests are not exhaustive or guarenteed" etc).

What we do is not 100% safe, but it’s impractical to make it safer (and it’s a lot safer than how any of our competition do it)!

72

[QUOTE=Grossbottom]
I’ve got to know. What do they want? I think I’d be mortified to ask for customer service assistance on a porn site because it’s a) porn and b) I’d feel like a moron. If something went wrong I’d probably just cancel the credit card then go drown myself.
[/QUOTE]

Interesting that you feel this way, even if it’s by email. I mean, if you’re taking a penis enlarger back to the shop you bought it from, and asked the clerk to help you figure out why it’s not working… that I can understand.

ost customer service questions are related to access issues - lost passwords (or mistyped), queries about billing, assistance finding their particular kink on the site, or a technical concern - how do zips work, vids are not streaming, etc.

73

[QUOTE=Atrael]
Right, I knew that…but what I was wondering was if Abby takes some of those laws into account as she develops content for her site. For example the AOC in Australia is 16, so I’m assuming she could have 16 year old models. However as she stated that a large portion of her business is from the US, does she only then use models that are above the AOC for the US?

Same with Japan…does she offer content that is legal in Japan, so that she can get subscribers there that don’t want to get into trouble legally?
[/QUOTE]

Good point. We go with the minimum age of 18 for our models. Age of consent is not relevent, but the Aussie obcenity acts (state law), and media acts (federal), indicate that being photographed or videoed in a sexual context, performers need to be 18. Like most laws, there’s a lot of greay areas - it’s never that clear. So you get a lawyer to offer their opinion on it (and of course, every lawyer has a slightly differnt opinion).

We opted to err on the side of caution, and shoot to minimum 18… which as you say, Atrael, suits the majority of our customers based in the US.

74

[QUOTE=Sapo]
since you are paying so much above average, are your models making a living of modelling for you? Do they also model for other sites? Is this just a side job? I know it will vary from girl to girl, but what is the general trend?
[/QUOTE]

None of our models make a living from working for us. We seldom shoot models more than a few times, and the most we have ever shot a model is 11 times, I think.

Most of our models work for us and one of our close friends in a more art-based project, and never work for anyone else (uness we call them up for a re-shoot).

Without putting tickets on myself, we offer models a pretty good experience, so our Australian based competition has a fair bit to live up to. That makes our models be more demanding of other poducers.

75

[QUOTE=Johnny Hildo]
What percentage of the models have obvious drug problems and/or psychological issues?
[/QUOTE]

Of cantidates we interview, maybe around 5%.

Of models we actually shoot, probably around 0.5%.

We’re very sensitive of this issue, and try to weed them out as best we can in a variety of ways.

76

[QUOTE=ZipperJJ]
What kind of porn do YOU like? (sort of goes along with someone else’s question…) Do you still enjoy porn? Do you make a rule for yourself not to get too “attached” to any of your models’ images?
[/QUOTE]

Working in the biz has definitely desensitised me a lot. I find it hard to get excited by porn (unless the lighting, framing and composition is just perfect!).

I do not get attached to any models images that we shoot (Oirginally, I should my own personal fetish, but I have kinda grown out of that now, and become desensitised anyway, tho I still appreciate it).

I have become fast pals with some models tho. That’s perhaps one of the biggest perks of the job, meeting really awesome people.

77

[QUOTE=Renob]
How do you deal with people giving away your movies online and giving away passwords to your site? Do you actively work to stop this or view it as an underground form of advertising?
[/QUOTE]

Bit of both. Depends on the way it’s done. if if’s every video we have ever produced, I am not so keen. If it’s just 3 vids of Mary, we turn a blind eye.

78

[QUOTE=e-logic]
Where do you see the industry going in the next 5 yrs? Will there be a swing back to more “traditional” porn, and is that something you’d be happy shooting?
[/QUOTE]

christ no. 80% of the pron being produced hese days is the same schlock fromt he 90’s and 80’s. There’s a growing trend of the more “natural” stuff (like how we produce), and in five years time, I think there’ll be more of it.

I think the biggest changes will be in delivery mechanisms and image quality. More people who have broadband, the better quality will go. We’d love to be able to relase stuff with better image quality, but the medium is slowing us down.

Style-wise, I think we’re lucky to be ahead of the curve, but there’s a lot of people catching up and getting better at it (better than we are!).

79

Is there any kind of retirement package or bonuses offered in a contract?

80

Regarding Australian legislation:

That surprises me.

I thought Australian internet laws were supposed to be pretty tough.

In fact, I have wondered about the content on your site–I’m thinking of watersports in particular. Not that I’m complaining, that Paula & Chloe B (with Matilda) video is my all time favourite, (well… just behind anything with Elizabeth in it :wink: ).

I’m sure I’ve heard that fetishes like that—and hot wax, fisting, schoolgirl motifs, Max Hardcore-style humiliation, etc.–are supposed to be ‘refused classification’ (i.e. effectively banned/ not even given an X-rating) when it comes to video porn in Australia. Is the internet different?

Is there any kind of official document outlining what you can and cannot show?
Like government regulations, or even just a sex industry guidebook?

If so, have you got a link? It’s something I’d really like to be more informed about.
…and also, I’d love to read government legalese definitions of when digital penetration becomes fisting. In my imagination, that’s comedy gold. :smiley: