Originally Posted by SmokeyTheBear

Do you make participants shower before a shoot ?

I generally send out a list of my expectations to each performer prior to the shoot, which covers wardrobe, hygiene, and rules (no drugs/alcohol). Included, is to shower and brush ones teeth.

Many professionals arrive with their own toothbrush and toothpaste.

I've never had a hygiene issue when working with experienced pros, although I have had to have a few amateurs hit the showers.

Even though already clean when they arrive, some people take another shower and bond a little on set before their scene.

Finally, I keep several douche kits on-hand just in case (Summer's Eve is a good brand).

Are there really dedicated fluffers onsite ?

I have never seen a fluffer on a set - mine or anyone else's. The female talent in the scene generally handle this task when needed. I recall one time when a female performer refused to help a new guy get hard, insisting that it was his job, not hers (even though the scene called for lots of oral sex once things were rolling). The poor guys ego was bruised, but we finally worked out the situation, and produced a happy ending.

Who cleans up all the spooge ?

These days I have the luxury of hiring Production Assistants that take care of any spills or messes. Back in the early days, it was left to either the male talent, or more often myself.

What do you do with the spooged furniture ?

Plan beforehand...if I am using someone else's location, I try to take extra care when planning scenes that may be messy (lots of lube, etc), and have a plan for the pop scene. Generally I tell the performers where and in what position I want them to finish in. We then plan for the clean-up.

There is inevitably a box or two of handi-wipes on set for any spot clean-ups as we are shooting, and then a spray antiseptic cleaner for the final clean-up. It is not unusual for me to purchase or bring my own linen. All bedding, towels, etc. are washed after each studio shoot.

Do the participants ever need to stop and take a shit ? is it akward to re-start after that ? any protocol ?

I have never had anyone halt a scene to take a dump. There have been pee breaks on long shoots in the past. I will call for a 10-minute break when this is necessary, to give everyone a chance to relax, and then we can re-focus all together when we start shooting again.

A more common issue is if the guy can't get wood or pop. I have a host of tricks for dealing with this issue, since it can impact the entire project. Always have a plan.

Do you use those little scene boxes like in real movies ?

I wasn't sure what you meant at first, but I use both clappers and storyboards. The clapper helps to sync the sound and action, as well as providing useful shoot info (I list the date, performers, scene, and any special notes about lighting, etc.). A clapper is especially helpful if you are using multiple cameras, as I frequently do.

I don't draw up storyboards, however I write detailed script scenarios, which I have a PA follow as the scene progresses to make sure nothing is left out.

Originally Posted by SmokeyTheBear

Whats the backout/flakeout percentage roughly ? male vs female talent ?

My experience has been mostly good in this regard. The males are almost always on time, while women can run late, so I pad my schedules a little, plus I often book multiple projects on shooting days to maximize my efficiency and keep my staff overhead low (I pay my crew a flat day rate, instead of hourly).

Most of the Asian women whom I have hired have been professional and easy to work with. My no-show percentage is quite low - less than 1-2%.

How man time do you have to stop/start a scene because there is something wrong ( angle/attitude/position )?

It depends on the scene. We generally try to do enough planning in pre-production to avoid having to stop during the scene. On elaborate projects, we will spend a day in advance of the shoot, marking blocks (spots where performers are to position themselves for specific shots), and getting the lights set how we want them for every camera angle.

Despite all of the careful prep and planning, you have to master camera improv - and in any case some of the most interesting shots occur spontaneously, which is why I almost always have one handheld camera floating around.

do you try and run a scene start to finish or do you stage it scene by scene ?

It depends on the scene. The easiest thing is to try and shoot straight through. There is less likelihood of continuity breaks or light shifts (especially when including natural light).

If I have the luxury of time, I like to try and mix things up with cool angles or camera techniques, as long as they don't detract from the action.

Do many women bring managers/pimps/helpers ?

I always invite women to bring one person with them if they wish to. About half do (mostly to get a ride). Obviously, I already have a set of protocol for how to deal with guests on set, so this has rarely presented a problem.