OTHER AVENUES INTO THE PORN INDUSTRY

In addition to the many letters and emails I receive from men wanting to become porn studs (see the report on "How to be a Porn Star"), I also get lots of inquiries from people looking to be producers, directors, script writers, and crew members. Instead of lauding the upcoming late-April release of my new series "Sex Fun", or the happenings of the last 30 days in the Adult Film Industry, this month’s column will cover my personal views on some of the other avenues into porn.

Though I prefer to be positive and encouraging, I also have a responsibility to be personally honest in what I write here as my personal view. First of all, you need to know that there is a HUGE glut of video tapes in the market place; some folks credit this disastrous situation to people with some extra investment bucks, a 3-chip digital camcorder, and the (mostly) false idea that they can get laid and/or become millionaires in the $4.2 Billion Adult Film Industry. Many want to improve the quality of adult video, or appeal to renters and buyers who have the same specific preferences as they do (indeed, there are different preferences for different viewers, but the majority of consumers are mostly men watching by themselves who often seem to prefer: to have little time "wasted" on set-up/plot/dialogue; to see beautiful and sexually enthusiastic young girls having hot sex; and, after the "money shot" for that sex scene, to view other/additional sex scenes but with different girls----hence, the reason "Gonzo" videos are so popular. Full length features with plots, nice settings, high production values, and love-making as well as sex, seem to appeal primarily but not exclusively to couples and women—--features cost much more to produce, but often bring in soft core cable money not available to many gonzo videos. And, of course, there are specialty videos which appeal to a specific audience, such as those viewers who like B&D, older women, heavier women, gang bangs, foot-lovers, etc.). Because of the glut of many kinds of available productions, some wholesale buyers/distributors are extremely picky about their selections (and sometimes are a little slow in paying their accounts payable). I’ve heard of instances where producers waited many months before they got fully paid and had enough proceeds available to finance their next release).

Since I’m familiar with the financial aspects of my "Dirty Dave, The Sugardaddy" gonzo line, let me use it as an example. Generally having five regular-length sex scenes and three "quickie" sex scenes of additional actresses who will be in full-length scenes in other volumes of the 90-minute series (all eight scenes have different girls/set-ups/sex, and cum shots), I spend approximately $10,000 in hard costs to get 1500 fully completed copies delivered to my sales distributor for onward sale and shipment to wholesale distributors/buyers at approximately $12 each. If (and with today’s massive glut of product, it’s a big "if") all 1500 copies are sold, it brings in $18,000 which is split 75%-25% with my sales distributor, leaving me with $13,500 or a gross profit of only $3,500. As a result of the glut of product and the low profits for Producers, I now release a new video every 6-8 weeks instead of every month as previously. An investment of $10,000 yielding an eventual profit of $3,500 is not going to make any producer or investor rich, especially since it often takes 2-6 months to get your money. Follow-on foreign licensing, catalog sales, and Internet sales might possibly bring in some additional profits, but not much. If someone plans to put out a $10,000 video a month, they probably need at least $50,000 to finance the first five productions before enough collections from their first release will be available to finance subsequent productions. The video your sales distributor sells for $12 to wholesale distributors and buyers probably winds up being listed in a retail store at $39.95 –-- rather than produce videos, perhaps investors should become distributors or buy adult bookstores!?!? "New" producers/investors sometimes mistakenly think they will make a lot of money, when they actually are merely contributing to the already huge glut of product while waiting to eventually realize that they are not going to make a worthwhile profit, let alone become rich! (And, as far as the "fantasy" that every adult actress can’t wait to fuck every guy/producer/crew member they see, forget it!)

Script writing seems to be centered in a few select insiders, while most directors prefer to either write their own script or come up with a "set-up" just minutes before filming. In spite of increased numbers of productions, I’ve not noticed even a slight increase in the demand for scripts; instead, I hear of scripts from want-to-be writers being routinely trashed by producers, directors, Production Managers and companies without even reading them. I also hear that in those few cases where a relative/friend/writer provided a script, the pay for it was only a couple of hundred dollars.

Directors seem to prefer using the same experienced crew members they’ve previously used. Additions to crews usually come from recommendations from other directors, the production company, or present crew members, thus proving a basis for experience and professionalism instead of someone who might make mistakes or "hit on" the girls while working on the set---and, no, the girls do NOT have wanton sex with crew members or others on the sets! I’ve noticed that even the experienced and dependable crew members have to hustle to find work. There’s no shortage of qualified crew members.

Incidentally, all performers must have a not-older-than-30-days 'PCR by DNA' HIV test before they are allowed to participate in a sex scene. Unlike the somewhat basic Elisa test that most physicians order under routine situations, we get a VERY expensive state-of-the-art test every 28-29 days.

Just like I know of NO Adult Industry company which will give auditions to guys wanting to be porn actors, there doesn’t seem to be a need for investors, producers, directors, writer, or crew members either.

The above is my personal opinion, and even though everyone might not totally agree with me, I’m confident that it’s pretty much right on target. I wish I could be more encouraging for folks wanting to explore alternative ways to get into the Adult Industry, but I have to be truthful.

As I always do with these columns, let me ask you to register to vote---and to ACTUALLY vote, lest our personal freedoms of free speech be challenged by people who won’t acknowledge that sex between consenting adults is natural, normal, and healthy.

  By the way, please check out www.davecummings.com where last month an average of 7,767 people hit on an average of 264,494 pages EVERY DAY!

Dave Cummings
4130 La Jolla Village Dr
#107-192
La Jolla CA 92037