What is a porn shoot like?
I wrote this post for our spanking blog, The Spanking Gallery , but I figured I would copy and paste it over here since I have gotten a few emails here about what it is like on the set. If you guys have any other questions about the process please just post a comment with your questions and I will respond to them with a post. This write up is based on the video shoots we did last night.
performers were the same in all three videos. This happens a lot since the performers want to earn as much as they can when they come to the studio. It is efficient for us to since we are there and have all of the equipment set up. (We never leave the expensive cameras in the studio when it is closed because there have been instances where performers come back and break into a studio because they know there is expensive equipment that they can sell. Fortunately we have always worked with really cool performers, but it never hurts to be safe. We generally shoot with 3 camcorders on site and at least 2 or 3 still cameras so that is a big loss if anything happens to the gear.)
When the performers first arrive we walk them through the studio if they have never shot with us before. We do this to help make them comfortable that they are safe and they can see we have a nice clean, organized, and prepared studio. This lets them know we are professional and helps set the tone for a good shoot. After seeing the studio we take them back up to the front office where we have them fill in the 2257 forms and the model releases. The 2257 forms are the government mandated forms that we need on file for every performer to prove they are of age. We then scan their two (2) IDs and print a copy of the scan to put with the 2257 forms and the model releases. We then take close up photos of the performers holding their IDs next to their faces and then we shoot a quick video asking them who they are, how old they are, what they are here for, if anyone has coerced them to do the performance, if we offered them any alcohol or drugs. We cover all of these issues on the video so we have legal backing if there is ever any questions about a shoot we have done.
We then file the paper forms in the appropriate drawers. (Federal law requires us to always have a copy on the premises and it is very specific in how we have them organized in our files. In this industry you do not mess with the feds. We comply with all laws to make sure we never have any problems. We then save the electronic form of the documents on a USB drive so we can save it to DVD and store it in a remote location in case there is ever a fire or anything at our studio.
After the paperwork and legalities are handled we go back into the studio and explain the script or storyline to the performers. If it is a hardcore sex shoot we do a “dry” run through and take a lot of still promo pictures using the strobe (flash) lights. After this we have the performers get dressed and start all over after we move the strobe lights and position the hot lamps (constantly on for video work). We really like REALITY in our shoots. Phony sex or fetish play is lame and we refuse to film it. We tell our performers the general story line, bu then we let them go on their own. We try to shoot the action straight through. There is nothing worse than a lame porno where the performers are not into it because the producer keeps interrupting the action to tell them something. We like to let it go and shoot reality.
At the end of the shoot we all rush to remove the hot lamps and put the strobes back in place so we can get some more promo pics. This is especially important on spanking videos when you want to get the promo pics while the ass is still really red! It pisses the performers off when you say “Can you spank him and get his butt red again”. Our spankings are real and the performers are hurting after the scene. The last thing they want is to get spanked more again 20 minutes later after you mess with the lights and cameras. We have learned to do this very quickly.
After the still pics are done we let the performers relax and get dressed in the attire for the next shoot while we move our studio gear around to get ready for the next shoot. We go through this for each shoot that day.
Once everything is done we take them back up to the front office. We write them a paycheck for their performance. We have them endorse the check back to us and we pay them cash. This gives us a verifiable history of the transaction.
That pretty much wraps up what it is like being in the studio for a shoot. Sometime soon I will write a post about what the inside of the studio is like and why we designed it the way it is.